ABSTRACT
You never know what you can accomplish until you try.
Michael Jordan
Research problem:
Eating too much meat is bad for planetary health; how can we convince people to change?
Chapter overview:
Personal eating habits are deeply ingrained in people's consciousness and challenging to change. This exploratory longitudinal case study (2015–2020) in Sydney, Australia uses a sustainability social marketing intervention to influence more sustainable and healthier dietary choices through the intake of plant-based foods. A group of 30 adult participants was exposed to a range of social marketing techniques which included: (1) communication of scientific evidence; (2) demonstration sessions for preparation of plant-based dishes and (3) development of game-changing messages. In-depth interviews with the participants were carried out prior, during and at the end of the studied period to understand whether there has been any behavioural change and if yes, what were the influencing factors. The case study employs Sustainability Social Marketing Model and 4S mix (sustainability, strength, self-confidence and sharing). The analysis shows that dietary change is possible although there are many strong and counteracting forces within the Australian society which make such shifts difficult. Particular sustainability social marketing under messages, such as “No biodiversity destruction in my plate!”, “Is there a choice between a steak and a burning planet?” and “Red meat also can cause cancer and heart attack …” were applied and accessed as an approach that can have an impact on people's food choices.
