Survey: a quarter of Americans following sustainable diets

One-quarter of American shoppers are choosing more sustainable food options out of concern for global warming, according to a new study by Spoon Guru.

London-based Spoon Guru, a global artificial intelligence food technology start-up, reported over a quarter (27%) of American shoppers are actively choosing more sustainable food options to tackle global warming. The survey found 15% are following a more eco-conscious diet to address animal welfare and 13% are eating more sustainably to tackle eco issues due to agriculture expansion.

The Spoon Guru study said that COVID-19 is changing eating habits for a third (31%) of American consumers. That Spoon Guru said, highlights the growing trend for conscious eating and the link between eating healthily and eating sustainably.

The research found 30% of American consumers would welcome more help from retailers when it comes to choosing more sustainable food options. Forty-five percent of those polled said the government should collaborate with retailers to promote a dietary shift from meat to plant-heavy diets.

“This study reinforces the fact that a healthy planet and healthy people are intertwined,” Adrian Hodgson, chief health officer at Spoon Guru, said in a news release. “We’ve seen a significant rise in calls for dietary shifts from meat to more plant-heavy diets to combat the impact that farming animals has on the environment, with 1 in 10 Americans now following a vegetarian or plant-based diet.”