The Power of Words: Investigating Linguistic Nudges to Reduce Meat Consumption

Meat consumption contributes significantly to environmental degradation and public health burdens. Yet, altering dietary behavior remains a challenge, particularly due to cognitive and cultural resistance. This study investigates whether linguistic nudges, specifically, labeling food options without meat using health-oriented language versus a language that underlines the vegetarian identity alone, can influence consumer food preferences. A survey-based experiment was conducted to compare preferences for sandwiches labeled as “The Vegetarian Choice†versus “The Healthy Choice†, incorporating demographic, attitudinal, and behavioral variables. Results from a Wilcoxon signed-rank show no statistically significant difference in preference between the two labels. However, patterns suggest growing openness to vegetarian options and minimal evidence of social stigma toward vegetarianism among the respondents, all of whom were Italian. These findings point to cultural shifts in dietary norms and suggest that health-related labels alone may not be sufficiently persuasive to alter food preferences. The results provide new insights into consumer behavior and the nuanced role of framing in sustainable consumption strategies.