A study of over 94,000 cafeteria meal choices has found that doubling the vegetarian options – from one in four to two in four – increased the proportion of plant-based purchases by between 40-80% without affecting overall food sales.
A study of over 94,000 cafeteria meal choices has found that doubling the vegetarian options – from one in four to two in four – increased the proportion of plant-based purchases by between 40-80% without affecting overall food sales.
The results are from the first major study to look at whether tweaking food availability can “nudge” people towards better decision-making for both human health and preservation of the planet.
Scientists from the University of Cambridge's departments of Zoology, Geography and Public Health gathered over a year’s worth of mealtime sales data from three Cambridge college cafeterias. Two provided data on days with different menu set-ups, and a third college helped the researchers conduct a “choice architecture” experiment.
The research team found the biggest increases in plant-based dining among the most carnivorous quartile of customers: those who had consistently picked meat or fish prior to the addition of a second veggie option.
Read more at University of Cambridge
Image: Two vegetarian options in the cafeteria of 'College C' - the Cambridge College that helped researchers run a "choice architecture" experiment. (Credit: Nick Saffell)
