Cigarette-style carbon labelling might be needed on meat products to reduce negative health and environmental impact.
As reported in the Guardian, Durham University researchers found warning labels including a graphic image – similar to those warning of impotence, heart disease or lung cancer on cigarette packets – could reduce selections of meals containing meat by 7 to 10%.
The study follows the Climate Change Committee, suggesting that the country needs to decrease its meat consumption by 20% by 2030, and 50% by 2050, in order to meet 2050 net zero targets.
Research leader Jack Hughes said that when you combine CCC advice with the impact of meat on health, “it becomes clear that there are multiple reasons why the current way that we eat meat is maybe not the best way to do it.”
“Reaching net zero is a priority for the nation and the planet,” Hughes added.
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“As warning labels have already been shown to reduce smoking as well as drinking of sugary drinks and alcohol, using a warning label on meat-containing products could help us achieve this if introduced as national policy.”
The researchers 1,001 meat-eating adults into four groups, and showed each group pictures of hot meat, fish, vegetarian and vegan meals with either a health warning label, a climate warning label, a pandemic warning label, or no label at all.
The study found pandemic warnings proved the most effective at dissuading participants from eating the meat options, reducing choices of them by 10%, followed by health warnings at 8.8%, then climate warnings at 7.4%.
Researchers said however the differences were not statistically significant, and that participants had judged the climate warnings to be the most credible.
Feature image credits: Durham University via Appetite
