Final Report of the CSS Working Group "Sustainable Lives"

26 February 2024, by CSS

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In July 2020, the Center for Sustainable Society Research (CSS) approved the establishment of the Working Group "Sustainable Lives: Food Choices as Politics and Lifestlye". Over its two and a half year duration, the Working Group analyzed how decisions regarding food consumption are embedded in and influenced by discourses on politics, identity and sustainability, as well as by other factors such as habits, social norms, and opportunity structures.

Background of the project

Climate change and other environmental and social problems are increasingly bringing the unsustainability of our current lifestyles to the fore. The research interest of the Working Group “Sustainable Lives” focusses on food choices as a case study of leading a more or less sustainable lifestyle. In comparison to other areas of human behavior, nutrition accounts for a high share of each person’s environmental impact. While experts and activists may, by and large, agree that eating less meat, more plants from more local, organic and fair production, wrapped in less plastic, and bought in portions that can actually be consumed rather than thrown away, would be a step towards a more sustainable way of life, this knowledge does not automatically translate into more sustainable behavior. In some countries and some sociocultural contexts, food choices may be changing, while, particularly in some emerging economies, it seems unclear whether society is heading towards more sustainable ways of life.

Were the objectives of the working group achieved or have the objectives changed during the funding period?

The objectives set in 2020 aimed at investigating the drivers of food choices and understanding the broader context of sustainable lifestyle decisions. Throughout the funding period, various topics related to these objectives were explored. Beyond food, the analysis extended to the impact of a green environment on residential choice and well-being. The group produced research papers regarding the influence of media and social ties on dietary choices (Brüggemann et al. 2022b, Hoppe & Kleinen-von Königslöw 2022, Kley et al. 2022); the identification of consumer segments for sustainable food consumption (Trübner et al. 2022); the examination of the current framing of food systems, climate futures and ecologically committed journalism in the media (Brüggemann et al. 2022a, Guenther et al. 2023, Hoppe & Kleinen-von Königslöw 2023);the influence of environmental factors on relocation decisions (Kley & Dovbishchuk 2021); and the exploration of motivations, ambivalence, voting behavior regarding meat consumption and animal welfare (Bruns & Perino 2021, Mechtenberg et al. 2024, Pauer et al. 2022, Perino & Schwickert 2023, Perino & Schwirplies 2022).

What is the significance of the results of the Working Group for research in this field?

We will probably only see the significance of the results in a few years' time. However, we can imagine that the following findings are taken up by specialist audiences and/or by policy makers.

• There is a consumer segment of meat eaters relying on cheap meat products, and these persons are probably hard to reach with awareness-raising campaigns (Trübner et al. 2022).
• Vegetarians communicate more about food, making use of social media for both, news consumption and communication with their peer group (Kley et al. 2022).
• For city dwellers, various aspects of a green living environment relate to increased life satisfaction; in young families, also moving intentions are reduced (Kley & Dovbishchuk 2021).
• Clear communication of the intended behavioral impact of the meat tax is crucial for gaining public support (Perino & Schwickert 2023). The paper has, among others, been cited by papers published in Science, PLOS Climate, PLOS Medicine, in a report on sustainable food consumption published by the European Commission and has been widely received in the media, e.g. in the Science Media Center, The Times, Tagesspiegel, Focus, Deutschlandfunk Nova, Bayern 2, 3sat nano, Öko Test and others.
• The social environment has a substantial impact on behavioral changes related to nutrition (Perino & Schwirplies 2022). The paper has been cited by papers published in journals of different disciplines such as Nature Food, Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Journal of Environmental Economics and Management.
• The dissonance resulting from the simultaneous desire to eat meat and the concern about its consumption can lead to a motivation to reduce meat consumption, resulting in subsequent behavioral changes (Pauer et al. 2022). The paper has been cited by papers published in journals of different disciplines such as Appetite, Frontiers in Psychology, British Journal of Social Psychology, Food Quality and Preference, and Journal of Environmental Psychology.
• In countries with higher sustainability goals on a policy level, individuals are more aware and talk more about sustainability in everyday life discussions (Hoppe & Kleinen-von Königslöw 2022/2023).
• Cultural contexts influence how food is covered in the media, and this influence has different accents in different countries (Brüggemann et al. 2022b).
• An analysis of over 9.000 newspaper articles from print and online media shows a steady increase in the coverage of veganism in Germany since the 1990s, with a sharp rise during the 2010s. Veganism is discussed in a wide range of topics and mainly linked to well educated young women (Majewski 2023, IPrA Conference in Brussels).
• It is important to consider region-specific future climate scenarios, as they can influence how people imagine the future and thus influence their current behavior (Guenther et al. 2023).
• Different strategies, e.g. suggestions, recommendations or mandatory contributions, should be used to encourage environmental actions (Bruns & Perino 2021). The paper has been cited published in journals of different disciplines such as Food Policy, Global Environmental Change, Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics.

What is the significance of the results for the sustainable development of society?

The insights gained from exploring media discourses on food choices, consumer segments of sustainable food consumption, motivations and voting behavior regarding meat consumption have practical implications for policymakers and practitioners. The findings can be used in the development of strategies and interventions that contribute to more sustainable practices. Some of our results have already been taken up in policy reports, e.g. by the European Commission, and have been discussed in the media (3sat, Focus) in the context of the proposal by Cem Özdemir, Federal Minster of Food and Agriculture to introduce a levy on meat to increase animal welfare. The results on meattaxation have also been taken up by the international media (e.g., The Times, Anthropocene).

You can find out more about the Working Group here.