Reducing the beef with beef. How a food retailer could reduce their environmental impact by changing what and how they sell

Abstract: Current food consumption habits in wealthy countries continue to drive biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Food retailers play a key but currently understudied and underleveraged role in shifting consumer habits away from foods with high climate and biodiversity impacts (e.g. beef, lamb, milk) towards lower-impact alternatives. Through partnering with a Swedish food retailer and analysing their existing product portfolio and its climate impact, scenarios were developed that could help retailers reduce their climate footprint through their in-store offerings. A literature review provided evidence that a combination of nudging, labelling, educational programs, and goal setting, in conjunction with retailer driven product promotions, could be employed to reduce the retailer’s 2026 GHG emission intensity by 25%, their absolute GHG emissions by 20%, whilst also benefiting biodiversity, compared to 2021 levels. The results also contrast the difference between making no changes and the opportunity that is created if interventions are made.