Essays on Pro-Environmental Behaviors and Plant-Based Food Choices

Climate crisis requires individual and collective actions to be modified in order to reduce human environmental pressures. This means that consumers’ behavior should change to be- come compatible with ecosystem preservation. Among the Pro-Environmental Behaviors (PEBs) that humans can under- take, more plant-based food choices represent a viable strat- egy to mitigate the climate crisis through the reduction of pol- lutant emissions, soil depletion, and biodiversity loss. This dissertation examines PEBs by underlining that they are more effective when they occur collectively, while particu- larly focusing on plant-based food choices. Specifically, Chapter 2 analyzes PEBs within the traditional individual-centered (i-framed) approach, which conceptual- izes environmental actions as influenced by cognitive biases and responsive to behavioral tools. It also critically discusses the limitations of this perspective by highlighting the impor- tance of collective (c-framed) action and systemic (s-framed) support in enabling large-scale change. Using data from a UK representative sample (N = 300), Chap- ter 3 examines the potential of plant-based options as PEBs by evaluating alternative dietary scenarios with reduced or com- pensated consumption of animal products. It also investi- gates socio-demographic and psychological predictors of di- etary change. The results show that reducing animal prod- uct consumption significantly reduces environmental impact, even when compensatory plant-based options are allowed. Personal norms emerge as a key predictor of both the likeli- hood and the extent of dietary shifts. xxiii Chapter 4 examines the potential of behavioral tools to cause a reduction in animal-based consumption. Using an online grocery store experiment with a UK-based sample (N = 1380), the study evaluates the effectiveness of four nudging strate- gies: eco-labels, social norm nudges, personal norm reflec- tion, and a combination of the three. The findings indicate that eco-labels effectively guide participants towards plant- based options, while the effectiveness of norm-based inter- ventions varies depending on socio-demographic character- istics and individuals’ baseline predisposition towards sus- tainable diets. Combining interventions does not generate additive effects and, unexpectedly, reduces the impact of eco- labels when they are applied in isolation. The study also in- troduces a novel “truth-telling-compatible” incentive mecha- nism designed to align stated preferences with actual choices. The findings underline the potential of eco-labels as policy in- struments to encourage more sustainable food choices, in line with the European Union’s Farm-to-Fork strategy.