Demand-side Interventions for Sustainable Food Systems: A Metaanalysis of Food-policy Interventions Targeting Food Consumption and Waste Behaviours

Paul M. Lohmann, Alice Pizzo, Jan Michael Bauer, Tarun M. Khanna, Max Callaghan, Jan Minx, Lucia A. Reisch

Research output: Working paperResearch

Abstract

Shifting consumers towards more sustainable food consumption and avoiding food waste have been identified as key levers to mitigate climate change. Here, we use a rigorous, machine-learningassisted systematic review and meta-analysis to comparatively assess the effectiveness of demandside interventions targeting actual (or incentivised) food consumption and waste behaviours of individuals and households. Based on 209 effect sizes comprising over 4.5 million observations, we find a small overall effect size across all food-consumption interventions (z = 0.15) and a small to medium effect size for food-waste interventions (z = 0.21). When accounting for moderate publication bias, these estimates are reduced to 0.10 and 0.18. In both domains, structural choicearchitecture interventions prove equally, if not more, effective than incentives. Among these, changes in availability and defaults bring about the largest shifts in behaviour (z = 0.29-0.35). Sensitivity analysis reveals significant variability in effect sizes in the existing evidence base and underscores the necessity for future research to systematically uncover the factors determining when, how and why interventions are effective.
Original languageEnglish
PublisherSSRN: Social Science Research Network
Number of pages61
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 28 Jun 2024

Keywords

  • Meta-analysis
  • Evidence synthesis
  • Demand-side interventions
  • Food policy
  • Food waste
  • Sustainable food consumption
  • Behaviour change

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