Does the environmental gain of switching to the healthy New Nordic Diet outweigh the increased consumer cost?

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Abstract

The New Nordic Diet (NND) was designed by gastronomic, nutritional and environmental specialists to be a palatable, healthy and sustainable diet containing 30-40% less meat than the Average Danish Diet (ADD), ≥75% organics, and more locally grown wholegrain products, nuts, fruit and vegetables. In this study, the NND was based on economic modelling to represent a “realistic NND bought by Danish consumers”. The objective was to investigate whether the ADD-to-NND diet-shift has environmental consequences that outweigh the increased consumer cost of the diet-shift. The diet-shift reduced the three most important environmental impacts by 16-22%, mainly caused by reduced meat content. The surcharge to consumers of the ADD-to-NND diet-shift was €216/capita/year. In monetary terms, the savings related to the environmental impact of the diet-shift were €151/capita/year. 70% of the increased consumer cost of the ADD-to-NND diet-shift was countered by the reduced socioeconomic advantage associated with the reduced environmental impact of the NND.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 9th International Conference on Life Cycle Assessment in the Agri-Food Sector
EditorsRita Schenck, Douglas Huizenga
Number of pages10
PublisherAmerican Center for Life Cycle Assessment
Publication date2014
Pages1184-1193
ISBN (Electronic)978-0-9882145-7-6
Publication statusPublished - 2014
Event9th International Conference on Life Cycle Assessment in the Agri-Food Sector - San Francisco, United States
Duration: 8 Oct 201410 Oct 2014
Conference number: 9

Conference

Conference9th International Conference on Life Cycle Assessment in the Agri-Food Sector
Number9
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Francisco
Period08/10/201410/10/2014

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