People eat less meat to benefit their own health, not animals or planet

Professor Imre Fertő and colleagues conducted surveys asking participants if they would adopt a meat-free day per week for environmental, health, or animal welfare reasons. Key findings:

• People are most motivated to adopt a meat-free day for health reasons.
• Environmental motivations were only important for those who have already reduced their meat consumption.
• Animal welfare concerns were least associated with willingness to change diet.

Professor Fertő said: “Similar patterns have been observed in other European contexts, where health benefits are perceived as more immediate and personally relevant, while ethical and environmental motives often remain abstract or secondary.”

These findings were first published in the journal Sustainable Futures.