Does “better” mean “less”? Sustainable meat consumption in the context of natural pasture-raised beef

Summary

This paper investigates how consumers conceptualise sustainable meat consumption when natural pasture-raised beef is considered, interrogating whether sustainability is equated with eating less meat or with choosing higher-quality, ecologically embedded production systems. Drawing on qualitative methods, the study explores tensions between quantity-reduction narratives dominant in sustainability discourse and alternative framings that valorise biodiversity-supporting pasture systems. The paper likely contributes to understanding how product-specific sustainability credentials shape consumer reasoning about dietary change.

UK applicability

Whilst conducted in a Finnish context, the findings are broadly applicable to the UK, where similar tensions exist between 'less meat' messaging and advocacy for high-welfare, pasture-fed beef produced on biodiverse grasslands; UK initiatives such as the Pasture for Life certification scheme reflect comparable debates around meat quality versus quantity.

Key measures

Consumer attitudes and discourses; framing of sustainable meat consumption; quality vs quantity trade-offs in dietary choice

Outcomes reported

The study examined how consumers understand and negotiate sustainable meat consumption in relation to natural pasture-raised beef, exploring whether sustainability is framed primarily in terms of reduced quantity or improved quality of meat consumed. It likely reports on consumer attitudes, values, and discourses around 'better' versus 'less' meat narratives.

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