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Incentives and measures to facilitate behaviour change

Encouraging Nordic citizens to adopt healthier and more sustainable dietary habits requires a coordinated effort to shift long-established behaviours. Based on an exten­sive review of scientific literature of the topic, we have identified how multiple factors can influence people's food choices, including supply and availability, marke­ting, social norms, education, income, and social status. Any measures and incentives introduced to promote behaviour change should consider these factors to be effective
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Product choice architecture. Making plant-based and healthy options more accessible is documented to make a difference. Product placement, portion arrangement and presentation are important to make citizens choose healthy and sustainable foods. Nudging interventions can achieve higher effectiveness through public-private collaboration, and nudging has gained widespread acceptance due to its low implementation costs
Bucher, T., Collins, C., Rollo, M. E., McCaffrey, T. A., De Vlieger, N., Van Der Bend, D., Truby, H., & Perez-Cueto, F. J. A. (2016). Nudging consumers towards healthier choices: A systematic review of positional influences on food choice [Review]. British Journal of Nutrition, 115(12), 2252-2263. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114516001653
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Labelling helps consumers make informed decisions about the food they buy and eat. Labels can provide information about the nutritional, environmental, climate, and social aspects of production. However, there is mixed evidence on the effectiveness of labelling, and excessive use of labels can cause confusion. To maximize the impact of labelling, it should be considered in conjunction with other interventions. Studies indicate that information about health and environmental benefits alone may not be sufficient to change behavior, even when consumers perceive the information
[1] Spaargaren, G., van Koppen, C. S. A., Janssen, A. M., Hendriksen, A., & Kolfschoten, C. J. (2013). Consumer Responses to the Carbon Labelling of Food: A Real Life Experiment in a Canteen Practice. Sociologia Ruralis, 53(4), 432-453. https://doi.org/10.1111/soru.12009
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