Thanks to poking we get less meat

Simply increasing the price (via a higher tax) or simply providing information before people enter the store has little to no effect on the amount of meat bought in the supermarket.

Also read: is red meat really that unhealthy?

Find a virtual supermarket

For this study, more than 500 participants did their weekly shopping at a virtual supermarket. This is a program in which the participant gives the impression of walking in a “real” supermarket. These “supermarket customers” were asked 7 times to do their entire household shopping for breakfast, lunch and dinner and to provide snacks in between. They were also responsible for the weekly affairs of daily life. Some have faced 30% more expensive meat, information about the environmental impact of meat production and what they can do on their own, or a combination of both. The rest belonged to the control group.
Results

Faced with increased meat prices and information, respondents bought 386 grams less meat per week (36% less) per household. Other groups bought a little more or a little less. Only at a higher price was 144 grams less bought, only the information about the environmental damage of meat production and what they can do themselves made no impression. The RIVM and the Vrije Universiteit of VU therefore conclude that the increase in information-related meat prices has led to the largest decrease in meat sales.

push

David van Bodegom is professor of Vitality at the LUMC and Leyden Academy On Vitality and Aging. He conducts research into ‘nudge’. Simply translated, it means “lend a helping hand”. By poking at your environment, you are given a nudge in the right direction towards a healthier lifestyle. You can organize every room in your house to make it easier to live a healthier life. And that goes for your business too! In the next episode of the Healthy Talk podcast, Van Bodegem gives many examples.