Transitions to plant-based diets: the role of societal tipping points

Changing diets toward more plant-based on a large scale could provide a huge contribution to reducing humanities impact on the environment. However, behavior change is typically slow, particularly for culturally ingrained and socially dependent behaviors such as food and dietary choice. A concept su...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current opinion in food science 2023-06, Vol.51, p.101015, Article 101015
Main Authors: Aschemann-Witzel, Jessica, Schulze, Maureen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
behavior change
consumer behavior
culture and humanities
environmental impact
food choices
food science
innovation adoption
network theory
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Changing diets toward more plant-based on a large scale could provide a huge contribution to reducing humanities impact on the environment. However, behavior change is typically slow, particularly for culturally ingrained and socially dependent behaviors such as food and dietary choice. A concept suggesting potential for rapid changes, though, is ‘societal tipping points’. This review explains the background of the concept using literature from systems theory, innovation adoption, network theory, and consumer behavior. Theories as well as recent research insights suggest that short- and long-term actions are needed to move more plant-based diets from a niche across a tipping point and toward becoming a large-scale behavior. •Grand challenges require an unprecedented degree of dietary dietary transformation.•Societal tipping points are a concept that can trigger large-scale change.•The concept stems from systems, network, innovation adoption, and consumer behavior theories.•Long- and short-term actions might trigger societal tipping points .
ISSN:2214-7993
2214-8000
DOI:10.1016/j.cofs.2023.101015