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Cost of Living Crisis Encouraged Sustainable Diets but Long-Term Trends Pose Challenges

Key Findings from Recent Research

A study published in the Journal of Environmental Management analyzed food price changes in the UK from 2015 to 2023 to understand their effect on sustainable diets amid the cost of living crisis between 2021 and 2023. Researchers developed two innovative indices—the Environmental Impact Price Index and Nutrition Impact Price Index—to measure affordability and sustainability of diet options.

• Short-Term Effect (2021-2023): Prices of products aligned with healthy and sustainable diets became relatively cheaper compared to other food items during the peak of the cost of living crisis. This temporary price shift incentivized consumers to choose more sustainable food options.

• Long-Term Trend (2015-2023): Despite this short-term effect, sustainable food products have generally increased in price markedly over the longer term relative to non-sustainable alternatives. This trend undermines affordability and the wider adoption of sustainable diets.

• Impact of Meat Pricing: The study highlighted that persistently low meat prices have reinforced unsustainable consumption habits. Meat-free alternatives and eco-labelled products tend to be more costly, presenting a barrier for many consumers trying to shift to sustainable diets.

Recommendations for Policy and Behaviour Change

The researchers emphasized that to promote lasting behaviour change toward sustainable and healthy diets, strategies should:

• Use price as a key lever, ensuring sustainable options become competitively priced over time.
• Implement proactive policies such as category-wide environmental labelling—highlighting meat and dairy as high-impact foods and fruits and vegetables as low-impact.
• Consider fiscal tools like a meat tax to realign consumption patterns with sustainability goals.

Conclusion

While the cost of living crisis temporarily made sustainable diets more financially accessible, entrenched pricing patterns continue to favor less sustainable options, especially meat. Systematic policy interventions combined with long-term pricing strategies are vital to support consumers in making environmentally and nutritionally better food choices.

This summary is based on Footprint’s report published on January 8, 2026, reflecting research tracking UK food price trends and their influence on sustainable eating habits.

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