Default Vegetarian Options Slash Meat Consumption by Over 50%, Study Finds
A new meta-analysis in the Journal of Environmental Psychology explores ways to encourage people to choose vegetarian meals over meat. The study reviewed 33 field experiments in cafeterias and restaurants, focusing on simple changes to menus and food presentation. Researchers found that some strategies worked far better than others in cutting meat consumption.
The analysis revealed that making vegetarian options the default choice led to the biggest drop in meat consumption—an average of 54%. Even rearranging menus to highlight plant-based dishes reduced meat orders by 29%.
Other approaches, however, had mixed results. Renaming dishes, adding health or eco-labels, or including moral appeals sometimes backfired. In certain cases, these tactics actually increased meat consumption rather than reducing it. The study also noted that eating out is becoming more common, making menu design an important factor in climate and health outcomes. While nutrition experts have long studied ways to cut meat intake, this research specifically tested real-world interventions in food service settings.
The findings suggest that subtle changes to how food is presented can have a major impact on dietary choices. Default vegetarian options and menu layout proved the most effective, while labels and moral messaging showed inconsistent results. These insights could help restaurants and cafeterias design menus that encourage more sustainable eating habits.
