Research papers by FOODCoST on true pricing and reduced meat consumption
FOODCoST is a four-year project, funded by the EU Horizon Europe Framework Programme. FOODCoST aims to support the transition towards sustainable food systems by proposing a harmonising methodology to calculate externalities in climate, biodiversity, environmental, social and health along the food value chain. TAPP Coalition takes part in FOODCoST's advisory group (Community of Practice expert).
In the past period, FOODCoST published four research papers on subjects linked to true pricing and reduced meat consumption.
Towards true prices in food retailing: the value added tax as an instrument transforming agri-food systems
March 2024
In this study, FOODCoST examined whether an adaptation of value added tax (VAT) levels works as a financial incentive to amplify resilient agricultural practices and sustainable dietary patterns. The researchers modeled the effects of adapting the current German VAT system by (1) reducing VAT on organic vegetarian food to 0% and (2) raising VAT on conventional meat and fish to 19%. They found that annual environmental costs of €5.31 billion can be avoided as a result of lower external climate costs of organic and vegetarian food. Therefore, adjusting VAT rates in the food market can be a political instrument to drive organic food consumption and reduce animal livestock.
Read the full study here.
Environmental co-benefits of health policies to reduce meat consumption: a narrative review
March 2024
This paper examines health-related policy instruments and potential economic mechanisms that could reduce meat consumption. Health-related taxation could be the most effective instrument. Other policy instruments, such as informational and behavioural instruments, along with regulations, could discourage meat consumption depending on the policy design. The research also provides evidence on the link between meat consumption and the environment, including climate, biodiversity, water use, and pollution.
Read the full study here.
A method for calculating the external costs of farm animal welfare based on the Welfare Quality® Protocol
March 2024
The production of food from animals poses societal concern about the welfare of these animals in Western countries and increasingly also in economically developing countries. Animals and people may experience disutility from animal suffering, which can be seen as an external cost that is not (fully) included in the cost of production. Thus, consumers will consume too much of the good from an aggregate utilitarian perspective. A potential way to solve this issue is by including these external costs in the production costs. The aim of this paper was to provide a method that can be used to estimate the external costs of animal welfare (AW) of animals kept at farm level.
Read the full study here.
Also read this study by Eurogroup for Animals on the subject: External Costs of Animal Sourced Food in the EU.
The true price of external health effects from food consumption
August 2023
Although global food consumption costs more in terms of impact on human life than money is spent on it, health costs have not been consistently quantified or included in food prices to date. In this paper, a method to determine the external health costs of nutrition and dietetics is developed by employing the cost-of-illness (COI) and true cost accounting (TCA) approaches.
Read the full study here.