Study shows how the meat and dairy sector resists competition from alternative animal products
A new Stanford study reveals how meat and dairy industry lobbying has influenced government regulations and funding to stifle competition from alternative meat products with smaller climate and environmental impacts. The analysis, published Aug. 18 in One Earth, compares innovations and policies related to plant-based meat alternatives and lab-grown meat in the U.S. and European Union.
"The lack of policies focused on reducing our reliance on animal-derived products and the lack of sufficient support to alternative technologies to make them competitive are symptomatic of a system still resisting fundamental changes," said study lead author Simona Vallone, an Earth system science research associate in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability at the time of the research.
A growing problem
Livestock production is the agriculture sector's largest emitter of the potent greenhouse gas methane, due to emissions from ruminants such as cattle, sheep, and goats. It's also the main direct cause of tropical deforestation, due to pasture expansion and feed crop production.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that dietary changes hold great potential to reduce humanity's ecological footprint, especially a reduction in red meat consumption. At the same time, Western-style meat-heavy diets are becoming more popular around the world.
The researchers reviewed major agricultural policies from 2014 to 2020 that supported either the animal food product system or alternative technologies, and compared government spending on both systems. They also looked at related lobbying trends.
They found that governments consistently devoted most of their agricultural funding to livestock and feed production systems, avoided highlighting food production sustainability dimensions in nutrition guidelines, and attempted to introduce regulatory hurdles, such as narrow labeling standards, to the commercialization of meat alternatives. Major U.S. meat and dairy companies actively lobbied against environmental issues and regulations to tip the scales in their favor.
In the U.S., about 800 times more public funding and 190 times more lobbying money goes to animal-source food products than alternatives. In the EU, about 1,200 times more public funding and three times more lobbying money goes to animal-source food products. In both regions, nearly all plant-based meat patents were published by a small number of private companies or individuals, with just one U.S. company, Impossible Foods, owning half of the patents.
Among the anecdotes cited by the study:
- EU cattle producers were highly dependent on direct subsidy payments, which constituted at least 50% of their income during the study period. Some of these payments incentivized farmers to maintain herd size, keep pasture in production, or increase overall output.
- In 2017, following a European Court of Justice ruling, dairy terms such as milk and cheese could no longer be used to market most alternative milk and dairy products. Similarly, a proposed amendment to the U.S. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act would prohibit the sale of alternative meats unless the product label included the word "imitation" and other clarifying statements indicating the non-animal origin.
Restoring competition
This past June, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the sale of lab-grown chicken, the first such authorization to cultivated meat producers in the country.
The Stanford study points to recent policy developments as similar glimmers of hope for a shift to more sustainable diets. In the U.S., the Inflation Reduction Act passed last year includes investments in technical and financial assistance to support farmers and ranchers implementing practices to reduce greenhouse emissions or sequester carbon.
In the EU, a policy proposal set for debate this fall aims at accelerating a sustainable transition of the food system to support climate mitigation solutions, and reduce biodiversity loss and environmental impacts.
To ensure a fair marketplace for alternative meat products, policymakers should craft legislation that ensures meat's price reflects its environmental costs, increases research on alternative meat and dairy products, and informs consumers on alternatives to meat via dietary guidelines, according to the researchers.
"It's clear that powerful vested interests have exerted political influence to maintain the animal-farming system status quo," said study senior author Eric Lambin, the George and Setsuko Ishiyama Provostial Professor at Stanford and senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. "A significant policy shift is required to reduce the food system impact on climate, land use, and biodiversity."
More information: Simona Vallone, Public policies and vested interests preserve the animal farming status quo at the expense of animal product analogs, One Earth (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2023.07.013. www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltex … 2590-3322(23)00347-0
Journal information: One Earth
Provided by Stanford University Dataset confirms that a vegan diet is dramatically better across a range of environmental measures
The power of plants and how they are changing the way we eat and live
Plant-based eating and veganism have been around for decades, but more people are choosing plant-based diets than ever before. Plant-based eating means eating more fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and beans while eating less or no meat, dairy or animal products. A UNM business school researcher has studied the reasons behind this trend.
Lama Lteif, an assistant professor of marketing at the UNM Anderson School of Management, in her 2023 article, "Plant Power: SEEDing our Future with Plant-based Eating," shared a new way to look at why people are choosing plant-based diets and the benefits of this shift. She built on data from the 2021 Rockefeller Foundation report to explain people's food choices. Her work features a framework showing the values that drive consumers toward plant-based eating. The framework is called SEED: Sustainability, Ethics, Equity and Dining for Health.
Plant Power is the first research article of its kind, "because it is at the intersection of consumer health and the climate crisis. Understanding the reasons that drive consumers to choose a plant-based diet is good for people and the environment," said Lteif.
The SEED Framework
As more people relate to the values in the SEED framework, they are changing their food habits to reflect these beliefs.
"By understanding how these values influence decision-making, individuals and marketers alike can make better choices for themselves, inform their marketing strategies, and give more attention to the issues that mean the most to them," Lteif explained.
Those who relate to the Sustainability value have growing concerns about animal farming and its role in climate change. People have learned that eating less meat can reduce their carbon footprint and help ease the effects of global warming.
Next, Lteif explained that a person's belief system, or code of Ethics, can also affect their eating choices. Within this group is a growing concern for animal safety and well-being during meat and dairy production. Animal handling practices can include cramped living conditions, overcrowding or inhumane treatment. By not eating these foods, those holding this value hope to show their concern and support better animal treatment.
Food Equity refers to offering all people affordable access to food and the ability to cook and store the food that allows them to thrive. There is a growing awareness that many people do not have access to plant-based food or the means to keep it fresh. More so, underserved communities, including communities of color, often have less access to healthy, affordable, plant-based foods. Improving access can improve people's health and well-being by eating more healthy foods and allowing them to make choices that reflect their values.
Lastly, the Dining for Health value supports the connection between food and health. A plant-based diet is rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which help improve gut health and absorbing of nutrients that support the immune system. Because of this, a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risk of certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and more.
Plant-based eating and its impact on the future
Lteif, a former nutritionist, combines her passion for helping others make healthy food choices with a curiosity about the drivers behind people's eating choices. She likens these value-based choices to a seed's root system, where the "SEED values connect and as a group can influence a person's eating habits. If embraced by society as a whole, these values can transform systems to be more friendly to our environment, more fair and more nourishing."
Lteif explained that Gen Z, those aged 35 and younger, are leading the way with alternative food choices due to their concerns about climate change and the environment. She believes learning more about the other value groups and the reasons keeping others from making healthy food choices is important. She would also like to explore ways to encourage more people to adopt a plant-based diet.
A great benefit of eating more fruits and vegetables is more demand for restaurants, grocery stores and eateries that offer vegan-friendly options. This increase in offerings makes it easier for people to make healthier choices today than ever before.
The work is published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology.
More information: Melissa G. Bublitz et al, Plant power: SEEDing our future with plant‐based eating, Journal of Consumer Psychology (2022). DOI: 10.1002/jcpy.1328
Journal information: Journal of Consumer Psychology
Provided by University of New Mexico
Vegan diet has just 30% of the environmental impact of a high-meat diet, major study finds
Vegan trend in Europe: In Germany, milk substitutes from plants are most popular alternative
Plant-based alternatives to dairy products do not have to copy the original—but in addition to tasting good, they should also have a pleasant mouthfeel and a varied product range, according to the results of a recent acceptance study. To obtain the results, the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart surveyed consumers in a total of six European countries. This revealed major cultural differences—but also commonalities that providers should pay attention to.
Of all the countries studied, Germany has the highest sales and the greatest market potential for these plant-based alternatives. "The strong innovative power in this area is evident in many small startup companies," stated Dr. Beate Gebhardt, head of AK BEST at the University of Hohenheim. "For example, of all the countries studied, Germany has the most new plant-based alternative dairy products coming to market."
However, milk and dairy substitutes derived from plants are also becoming increasingly popular throughout the European market. Their sales in Europe increased by 49% between 2020 and 2022. However, according to an EU regulation, only products derived from the milking process of animals may bear designations such as "milk" or "dairy."
The plant-based alternatives to cream, quark, cheese, or yogurt are made from grains, oilseeds, or legumes, among other things. Because their carbon footprint is significantly better than that of their animal-based counterparts, they are seen as having the potential to promote change towards a more sustainable food system.
Acceptance study in six European countries
Within the European market, however, the acceptance of the new products is distributed differently, knows Rebecca Hansen from the Department of Agricultural Markets at the University of Hohenheim, who investigated this question as part of her dissertation. To do this, she evaluated 3,086 responses collected as part of the project "The V-PLACE—Enabling consumer choice in vegan or vegetarian food products."
She looked for differences and similarities in the willingness of people in Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, and Spain to turn more to plant-based "dairy products." The six countries were selected so that at least one country was represented in Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Europe, reflecting the different market situations in Europe for plant-based foods. The results have been published in the journal Food Quality and Preference.
"However, the sample can only be considered representative to a limited extent," Hansen said, "since only people who either already consumed plant-based 'dairy products' or were toying with the idea were included in the study. People who were not interested in it at all were not considered."
Germany: Health, animal welfare, and the environment play a major role
In the scientists' view, the Germans are unique in their particularly critical attitude when it comes to animal welfare. This, together with aspects such as health and the environment, plays a major role in deciding how often people consume plant-based "dairy" products. In particular, those who chose a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle were 34% more likely to consume the plant-based alternatives more often.
"This confirms our assumption that the decision to consume plant-based 'dairy' products is largely determined by dietary habits," Dr. Gebhardt said. "In addition, social norms and cultural traditions influence Germans less than people in other countries in this regard."
Nutrition habits rooted in the culture of different countries
This is demonstrated by the example of Poland as a kind of counterpart to Germany: There, animal dairy products are touted as healthy and beneficial overall. In the researchers' view, this may explain the aversion to plant-based "dairy" products, especially among people who care about health issues. However, there is also a financial factor: If the price of these foods increases, the willingness to consume them decreases. In addition, respondents in Poland often criticized the taste experience as being too sweet or too greasy.
"Dietary behavior is complex," Dr. Gebhardt stated. "It is shaped not only by the individual beliefs of consumers in conjunction with socio-demographic factors and the cultural environment, but is also influenced by political programs and environmental issues."
Taste, texture, and variety need to be improved
French consumers are also difficult to convince of the benefits of plant-based dairy alternatives. Against the background that the consumption of cheese made from animal milk has a long tradition there, they seem to attach great importance to the sensory enjoyment of this food.
A similar picture was seen in Italy and Spain: Sensory and taste concerns prevented prospective buyers from consuming the plant-based alternatives to dairy products. If, on the other hand, the product characteristics such as price, taste, variety, and also availability met the requirements of the respondents, the probability of consuming these foods on a daily basis also increased.
"As our results show, prospective consumers who are only beginning to consider consuming plant-based 'dairy' products in particular are put off by the unsatisfactory product attributes. They want more varieties and a better taste or mouthfeel," summarized Hansen.
Substitute products must taste good, not necessarily copy the original
"To reach more consumers, manufacturers therefore need to develop products with improved formulations or more product variants. This is especially important in Italy or France, where the importance of sensory enjoyment is culturally ingrained."
In Dr. Gebhardt's experience, consumers do not necessarily expect a copy of the animal-based original. "However, the taste, i.e., the culinary quality of the food, must be good. This might mean that the product offers a new, distinct taste experience."
More knowledge increases willingness to buy, in all educational strata
"In addition, curiosity motivates consumers to try new food products," she said. Individuals who are fundamentally open to plant-based alternatives are more likely to maintain or even intensify their consumption of plant-based dairy products, according to their assessment.
Something common to all people who consume plant-based "dairy" products or are open to it is that they want information about it. Consumers who value high-quality food also actively search for it.
"Questions arise like: What is the product made of? What does the production process look like? Is it healthier? Is it more sustainable? How can I prepare it?—and answers to all of these should be easy to find," the two scientists agreed. In their view, easily accessible information on the packaging or at the point of sale would be best. Recommendations in dietary guidelines to consume fewer animal dairy products or evidence from the scientific community to choose more plant-based "dairy" products could also be an important signal to consumers.
The researchers were surprised by another result of the study. "Contrary to our expectations, education level and other sociodemographic factors do not have a statistically validated influence on the frequency of consumption of plant-based 'dairy' products," said Dr. Gebhardt.
More information: Rebecca Hansen et al, Hype or hope? What consumer motives tell us about the prospects for plant and animal-based dairy products in six European countries, Food Quality and Preference (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2023.104910
Journal information: Food Quality and Preference
Provided by University of Hohenheim
Dairy vs. plant-based foods and the relationship to oral health
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