top cx logo
cx logo
Explorearrow down
search icon

Poll: French happy to cut meat intake but not dairy

The majority of the French public would like to reduce the environmental impact of their food, but would be more likely to cut their meat consumption than dairy to do so, a new survey has found.

The poll for news website Le HuffPost was timed to coincide with the start of the Salon de l’Agriculture, taking place from February 22 to March 1 at Expo Porte de Versailles in Paris.

More than four fifths (83%) of French people said they were “prepared to make an effort” to reduce the environmental impact of their food. An additional one third said they were “quite prepared” to do so.

Just 12% said they were “not really prepared to”, and just 2% said they “were not at all prepared” to do so.

Less meat and dairy?

While just 4% of respondents said they were totally vegetarian, a significant 68% said that they do not eat meat everyday, and 37% said they do not eat dairy products everyday.

Choosing to reduce your consumption of meat and dairy products without becoming a total vegetarian or vegan is often called “flexitarianism”.

Almost two thirds (60%) said they would be prepared to reduce their meat consumption. A similar number (57%) said that they would be prepared to eat less meat, to allow them to eat more organic produce.

Women were more likely than men to be prepared to eat less meat; 52% of men said they would be, compared to 67% of women.

Nicole Darmon, specialist researcher at agricultural research centre (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique) Inra, said this was to be expected, as “men eat, on average, more meat than women [anyway]”.

But French people appeared less amenable to cutting down on dairy, with just two in five (40%) saying they would be prepared to cut down their consumption of dairy products.

 

Other food options?

Just 19% said they would be prepared to eat insects if it was healthier for the planet, and only one in 10 people said they would be ready to eat “lab grown” meat.

Both have been touted as more eco-friendly sources of protein in recent years.

Commenting on the results, Ms Darmon said: “When you think of a sustainable plate of food, with a nutritionally-adequate diet, while also reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, we have to be aware of cultural acceptance.

“We must reduce our environmental impact, all the while diverting as little as possible from what is currently most socially acceptable to the French public.”

According to Le HuffPost, which has commissioned a special report on the impact our food has on agriculture and the environment, our food represents 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Agricultural use of land is one of the “major factors in the loss of biodiversity”, it said.

The new poll was conducted online from February 19-20, by agency YouGov France for Le HuffPost, across 1,003 people representative of the French public, aged 18+.

Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France

Resident or second-home owner in France?
Benefit from our daily digest of headlines and how-to's to help you make the most of life in France
By joining the newsletter, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy
See more popular articles
The Connexion Help Guides
featured helpguide
Healthcare in France*
Featured Help Guide
- Understand the French healthcare system, how you access it and how you are reimbursed - Useful if you are new to the French healthcare system or want a more in-depth understanding - Reader question and answer section Aimed at non-French nationals living here, the guide gives an overview of what you are (and are not) covered for. There is also information for second-home owners and regular visitors.
Get news, views and information from France