Människors mjölkval - En lokal studie kring bakomliggande orsaker till valet av komjölk eller växtdryck

Sammanfattning: Sweden has for the last half-century had a very high consumption of dairy products compared to other European countries. This high demand in cow’s milk puts a lot of pressure on the dairy industry which requires a high amount of feed, water and energy to produce dairy products. These factors combined with the rumination that occurs when cows eat is the origin of the release of greenhouse gases (GHG) such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide which contribute to global warming. In order to prevent further increase in GHG emissions a shift in milk consumption towards more plant-based options is needed. The purpose of this study is to analyze human behavior around milk consumption by conducting interviews with students that frequent cafés surrounding the campus of Lund University in order to see which factors influence people’s choices and to identify possible tools for directing their choices in a more sustainable direction. The results from the conducted interviews show that health, environment, price, taste, habits, values and information are factors that influence behavior. When it comes to milk choice made by café owner’s supply and demand, low price difference between cow’s milk and plant-based options as well as a will to reflect an image of environmental awareness are important influencing factors. Nudging is a potential tool for breaking down barriers and directing consumption of cow’s milk towards plant-based alternatives by providing meaningful and relevant information to influence behavior and making plant-based alternatives more visible and available. Other useful tools for influencing behavior are information campaigns, subsidies and fees originating from the authorities. A focus for future studies could be to test nudging methods based on the factors identified in this thesis in order to achieve a more sustainable consumption behavior.