Consumers' Motivations towards Environment-Friendly Dietary Changes: An Assessment of Trends Related to the Consumption of Animal Products

In the context of global warming and environmental pressure, food chains must adapt to new production conditions while satisfying the evolving consumer demand. Livestock production is known for its negative ecological footprint, bringing forward the question of a possible transition towards more plant-based diets. Citizens' demand evolves at different speeds and integrates these new environmental concerns sometimes mixed with health or ethical issues. We carried out a survey with 1,715 respondents in France, about their food choice priorities and preferences, as well as the drivers of change. Our results indicate that 40% of respondents claim that their current diet is not what they would ideally have and 98% of them would like to reduce their animal product consumption. Classification algorithms reveals several salient variables separating classes of individuals wishing to shift their food diet towards less animal products: the willingness to change is stronger for the youngest, factors impacting the willingness to change are food pleasure, health and to a lesser extent social resistance and animal ethics. The less radical the animal product reduction is, the more environmental concerns become the main motivation.