Researchers said changing packaging on meat and dairy-free products, which often proudly tout their vegan status, could result in more people selecting them.

People are more likely to pick a meat-free option if it’s not labelled vegan, a study suggests.

Foods described as “healthy”, “sustainable” or “plant-based” are all more appealing, according to the University of Southern California.

Its research saw more than 7,000 people asked to choose between a vegan food basket and one with meat and dairy.

The former was randomly labelled “vegan”, “plant-based”, “healthy”, “sustainable” or “healthy and sustainable”.

The experiment found people were more likely to select it when the focus was on its benefits (such as “sustainable”) rather than its content, though “plant-based” was still more popular than “vegan”.

  • @kttnpunk
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    -2111 months ago

    Mine is the opposite. I assume there’s subpar ingredients in all non-vegan products. But I hate all this processed crap that pretends to be meat for this exact reason -and now, great. I have to look even more closely at labels. I don’t want plant burgers with cage-free eggs I want plant burgers made from real mushrooms and beans, not chemicals and a fetish for corpse flavor…

    • snooggums
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      3111 months ago

      I do eat plenty of meat but also enjoy a lot of vegan and vegetarian dishes. The best ones are those that don’t pretend to be meat and do their own thing, because they play to the strength of their ingredients instead of failing to be something else.

      • @Gigan
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        611 months ago

        The best ones are those that don’t pretend to be meat and do their own thing, because they play to the strength of their ingredients instead of failing to be something else.

        I’ve prepared some vegetarian meals and agree 100%.

      • @kttnpunk
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        -611 months ago

        May the gods smile upon you. Vegan diets aren’t right for everyone but I love this take, that’s exactly what I’m saying -that impossible and beyond meat specifically are inferior flavor and nutrition-wise to more traditional, less processed vegan alternatives. I just especially hate seeing the former praised as healthier than meat when it’s literally bad for you in a lot of the same ways…

    • @Bondrewd
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      011 months ago

      If by any chance that is true its because it costs twice as much.