Introduction
colorectal cancer
COLORECTAL CANCER, TYPE 2 DIABETES, DISEASES, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
Red meat consumption negatively impacts both the environment and consumers’ health. Red meat production is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, land clearing, and biodiversity loss, and red meat consumption has been found to increase the risk of several noncommunicable diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and colorectal cancer [Public policies are a critical tool for reducing red meat production and consumption because they can affect entire populations and stimulate changes in supply and demand. The landmark 2019 EAT-Empirical data in this area are important because it is unclear whether taxes and warning labels on red meat would have similar effects as they have on other products like sugary drinks, tobacco, and alcohol. In the US, meat is typically consumed as the main part of a meal. Because of its more central role in the American food basket, it is possible that consumers are less likely to view red meat products as “discretionary” or “nonessential” than they would with sugary drinks, and, thus, they may be less likely to change their behavior in response to taxes or labels. On the other hand, relative to sugary drinks, where the majority of Americans are aware of common health harms associated with consumption [Health behavior and economic theory and research indicate that these policies could lead to reductions in purchases through multiple pathways. Meat taxes reduce consumption by increasing prices and, thus, reducing demand for these products [Although prior research suggests that warnings and taxes reduce purchases of products like sugary drinks, tobacco, and alcohol, it is not clear whether these policies will have similar effects on red meat. In the US, meat is typically consumed as the main part of a meal [To address these gaps and inform policymaking, the main study question was, will taxes and warning labels reduce red meat purchases? To address this question, we tested the impact of taxes, warning labels, and taxes combined with warning labels on red meat purchases among US red meat consumers using a randomized controlled trial in a naturalistic online grocery store. Secondary objectives included testing the impact of these policies on nutrient purchases, psychological outcomes, and policy support.