A study released by the Institute of Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has shown that Australians have the ability to read and understand plant-based labels. In fact, confusion is more likely to relate to animal-product labeling.
The National’s Senator Susan McDonald recently led the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee inquiry into food labelling. Senator McDonald has more than a little bias in the inquiry, with her family’s business, MDH Pty Ltd, owning cattle stations spanning over 38,000 square kilometres. Senator McDonald has also been a board member of Beef Australia.
Based entirely on anecdotes, the inquiry aimed at labels such as “meat”, “sausage”, “mince”, “beef”, and “pork”, when used in relation to plant-based foods. To counter this attacl, No Meat May and Vegan Australia requested the Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) to undertake an independent survey.
The ISF surveyed over a thousand Australians across the country, from capital cities to regional tows. Images of products were shown to the participants, who were then tasked with deciding if the product was plant-based, animal-based, or if they were not sure.
Key Points
Little confusion amongst Australias:
Only 4% of people surveyed inadvertently purchased a plant-based product because of confusion with labels. Of those respondents who purchased plant-based products believing them to be animal products, 67% indicated this was because they were in a hurry or distracted and did not read the product label.
Plant-based demand rising:
22% of respondents indicated they want to eat more plant-based foods, and reduce the amount of animal products they consume, with 26% of respondents indicated they are likely to substitute a plant-based product for an animal product in the next 12 months.
Plant-based consumers more likely to accidentally buy meat:
41% of plant-based respondents having bought a product to later discover it contains animal ingredients.
