Toward consumer-focused food policies: a toolbox for encouraging the protein transition

In transitioning toward consuming more sustainable diets, it is of great importance to eat less animal-based foods. Particularly shifting to diets lower in meat is key. For several decades, numerous scholars and authoritative organizations have advocated for such a change that is less harmful to hum...

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Main Authors: Hans Dagevos, Marleen C. Onwezen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-01-01
Series:Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15487733.2025.2454060
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author Hans Dagevos
Marleen C. Onwezen
author_facet Hans Dagevos
Marleen C. Onwezen
author_sort Hans Dagevos
collection DOAJ
description In transitioning toward consuming more sustainable diets, it is of great importance to eat less animal-based foods. Particularly shifting to diets lower in meat is key. For several decades, numerous scholars and authoritative organizations have advocated for such a change that is less harmful to human and planetary health. Yet the large body of scientific evidence and the urgent calls for action have been largely neglected in food policymaking despite the increasing impact of climate change and escalating healthcare costs. A first and relatively minor break with this willful ignorance can be observed in the Netherlands, where the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality has communicated the need for rebalancing the consumption ratio between plant-based and animal-based proteins by 2030. This innovative policy statement on modifying food-consumption patterns is taken as a starting point. In anticipation of further steps in this direction, this article presents a suite of policy instruments and strategies to give substance to demand-side protein policies that are conducive to moderating consumers’ (over-)abundant intake of meat. This overview of policy measures includes conventional and controversial ones, taking the Nuffield intervention ladder as its framework. The novel policy toolbox introduced in this study intends to help muster courage for the development and implementation of consumer-targeted policy interventions to move away from meat-intensive diets.
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spelling doaj-art-6cac353fb43445c690780971c3ddd03f2025-02-05T09:53:22ZengTaylor & Francis GroupSustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy1548-77332025-01-0121110.1080/15487733.2025.2454060Toward consumer-focused food policies: a toolbox for encouraging the protein transitionHans Dagevos0Marleen C. Onwezen1Wageningen Social and Economic Research, Wageningen University & Research, The NetherlandsWageningen Social and Economic Research, Wageningen University & Research, The NetherlandsIn transitioning toward consuming more sustainable diets, it is of great importance to eat less animal-based foods. Particularly shifting to diets lower in meat is key. For several decades, numerous scholars and authoritative organizations have advocated for such a change that is less harmful to human and planetary health. Yet the large body of scientific evidence and the urgent calls for action have been largely neglected in food policymaking despite the increasing impact of climate change and escalating healthcare costs. A first and relatively minor break with this willful ignorance can be observed in the Netherlands, where the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality has communicated the need for rebalancing the consumption ratio between plant-based and animal-based proteins by 2030. This innovative policy statement on modifying food-consumption patterns is taken as a starting point. In anticipation of further steps in this direction, this article presents a suite of policy instruments and strategies to give substance to demand-side protein policies that are conducive to moderating consumers’ (over-)abundant intake of meat. This overview of policy measures includes conventional and controversial ones, taking the Nuffield intervention ladder as its framework. The novel policy toolbox introduced in this study intends to help muster courage for the development and implementation of consumer-targeted policy interventions to move away from meat-intensive diets.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15487733.2025.2454060Food policyconsumermeat reductionsustainable dietprotein transitionintervention ladder
spellingShingle Hans Dagevos
Marleen C. Onwezen
Toward consumer-focused food policies: a toolbox for encouraging the protein transition
Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy
Food policy
consumer
meat reduction
sustainable diet
protein transition
intervention ladder
title Toward consumer-focused food policies: a toolbox for encouraging the protein transition
title_full Toward consumer-focused food policies: a toolbox for encouraging the protein transition
title_fullStr Toward consumer-focused food policies: a toolbox for encouraging the protein transition
title_full_unstemmed Toward consumer-focused food policies: a toolbox for encouraging the protein transition
title_short Toward consumer-focused food policies: a toolbox for encouraging the protein transition
title_sort toward consumer focused food policies a toolbox for encouraging the protein transition
topic Food policy
consumer
meat reduction
sustainable diet
protein transition
intervention ladder
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15487733.2025.2454060
work_keys_str_mv AT hansdagevos towardconsumerfocusedfoodpoliciesatoolboxforencouragingtheproteintransition
AT marleenconwezen towardconsumerfocusedfoodpoliciesatoolboxforencouragingtheproteintransition