Interventions to Promote Climate-Friendly Diets

Peer Reviewed / Manuscript (original) received: 17 May 2022 / Revision accepted: 25 July 2022

Simple & Effective: Adjustments to Menu Planning

Introduction

The provision of food for private consumption causes about one third of the environmental impact in Switzerland, of which more than 40 % is caused by the consumption of meat and animal products [1]. Accordingly, it is relevant to adapt our dietary habits in order to reduce the associated impact on the environment.
In the context of the project “Energie- und klimabewusste Ernährung in städtischen Verpflegungsbetrieben” ["Energy- and climate-conscious nutrition in urban catering establishments"]¹ this should happen in the urban context (staff restaurants [SR] and retirement centers [RC]), but without restricting the freedom of choice of the guests. Previous studies already provide evidence that a combination of supply-side and demand- side measures can achieve an average reduction in CO2-emissions from the menus consumed of nearly 20 % [2, 3]. In addition to other subprojects, which included assessing supply from a health and environmental perspective, various interventions were developed. This was done with the aim of being able to propose effective and easy-to-implement sales-promoting measures that promote climate-friendly choices. ...

Abstract

Changing our current dietary behavior is important to reduce the associated negative impact on the environment. As part of a research project, the Zurich University of Applied Sciences investigated which interventions can be used to promote climate-friendly menu choices in urban catering establishments. For this purpose, various measures were tested and guest surveys were conducted in a 6-week field phase in four staff restaurants (SR) and four retirement centers (RC) in the city of Zurich. The most effective intervention was shown to be the easily implemented "menu change" intervention, which randomly changed meat and veggie menus on the menu lines. In both SR and RC, the number of vegetarian menus ordered increased as a result. In general, none of the interventions tested in the establishments resulted in complaints from guests. With good communication and in cooperation with the kitchen managers, changes can be initiated with the guests. The introduction of a menu plan that breaks away from the traditional menu line structure of "Menu 1" (meat) and "Menu 2" (vegetarian) and focuses on the menu content through a regular change can be a first step in breaking entrenched habits that are still prevalent in some catering establishments.

Keywords: Environmentally friendly nutrition, climate-friendly menu selection, communal catering, out-of-home catering, sustainability

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