There is strong evidence that transitioning from animal to more plant-based diets could improve human and planetary health, but progress has been slow. This is partly due to a misunderstanding of what drives the behaviour of individuals and organizations alike.

If people know these foods can be better for themselves and for the planet, the thinking goes, they should buy and eat more of them. The foods we buy and consume are often discussed as if they are simply a matter of personal choice.

But grocery shopping rarely works that way.

Most people make food decisions while managing a budget, comparing prices and relying on habits built over years. In that setting, good intentions can lose out to price, convenience and whatever products are most visible.

Governments and public health organizations are encouraging people to shift toward more plant-based diets. If the goal is to make sustainable eating more common, we need to understand how people actually shop.

Our recent research suggests two things are especially important: affordability and visibility. Plant-based foods need to be affordable for most people and visible enough to become integrated into their everyday choices.

Price matters, but not in simple ways

In our study, we analyzed........

© The Conversation