Sustainable eating for all: consumer acceptability of sustainable food consumption

Food systems are a key contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Failure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will have severe consequences for food production, which in turn will directly impact food security, meaning that the most vulnerable members of society will be at an increased risk of malnutrition and undernutrition. Changing the dietary patterns of consumers will be vital in the transition towards food systems that do not degrade the environment but support the nutritional needs and preferences of current and future generations. However, most consumers have resisted recommendations for a more sustainable diet, particularly around meat consumption. Therefore, the overarching aim of this thesis was to examine the factors that influence consumers’ acceptance of more sustainable foods, with a particular focus on meat eaters. Following a comprehensive cross-cultural systematic scoping review, two approaches were taken. Firstly, we showed that food choices were not influenced by the provision of information on the environmental impact of foods and personalised feedback on grocery choices. The second approach examined consumer acceptance of offal; eating more offal can improve the sustainability of meat production by reducing food waste and lowering the number of animals required for food production. We showed that acceptance of offal was significantly higher when included as an ingredient within minced meat, compared to its natural form. Acceptance and expected product characteristics were also found to differ between meals that contained offal. Overall, this thesis highlights that innovative strategies are required to engage meat eaters with sustainability; meat eaters are resistant to dietary change when informed of the environmental impact of their individual food choices, despite having positive attitudes and intentions. Instead, interventions must satisfy other food related values, including superior taste, health benefits, affordability, familiarity and curiosity.