In May, the Studierendenwerk (student’s office) at Germany’s University of Bonn declared a meat-free month in its Hofgarten canteen. Up to eight weeks after the experiment ended, researchers saw a surprising result — sales of main meal components containing meat remained 7-12% lower than they were before the meat-free month.
According to a working paper published by the researchers, many students and staff members were pleasantly surprised by the meat-free dishes, discovering new options that they enjoyed. Consequently, they opted to order these meals again in the following weeks, indicating that even a short-term intervention can lead to significant behaviour change.
Around half of people surveyed following the experiment said they would be happy to have one meat-free month per year, while 75% were in favour of having a meatless day every week. 80% said they wanted to see more vegan and vegetarian meals in canteens.
The researchers conclude that the results could aid decision-makers who are considering making menu changes to encourage reduced meat consumption.
Behavioural interventions
A previous study conducted in a German university cafeteria found that the use of behavioural nudges in the form of labelling had the potential to encourage consumers to eat less meat. However, this was only effective when participants were given the opportunity to reflect after seeing the nudge, and the effect was only short-term.
Research from the University of Queensland in Australia has found that giving plant-based dishes more attractive names — such as “juicy American burger” rather than “vegan burger” — significantly boosts sales. The study noted that many food service outlets currently describe plant-based options using language that suggests they are healthy but bland.
ProVeg has also emphasised the importance of using sensory language to describe plant-based dishes, and points out that other factors such as position on menus can influence sales. Meanwhile, a study published last year found that using conventional masculine words, colours, and fonts to describe plant-based options encourages more men to try them.
“The vegan/vegetarian campaign month encouraged everyone simply to try a plant-based diet for once,” says Jürgen Huber, Managing Director of the Studierendenwerk Bonn. “And, clearly, it worked. We’re happy about the results, and they’re spurring us on to keep going. Our university gastronomy activities are undergoing a transformation toward greater sustainability. We want to impress people with a balanced and varied offering that gives them good quality at fair prices. We need to bring our customers — the students and staff of the university — with us every step of the way on our journey to delivering a sustainable canteen fit for the future. Put simply, less CO2 means less meat.”
