Challenge your customer: How businesses may trigger change in perceived barriers, capability, and consumption

The global environmental issues require that we redesign food systems. Transitioning towards more plant-based diets is crucial, but there is a gap observed between consumers’ intention and behaviour. We propose that businesses in the food sector can play a role by challenging their potential customers to overcome the gap. Drawing on the holistic COM-B model of behaviour change as well as the concept of self-nudging, we conduct an intervention study that shows how a business-driven marketing campaign that mimics challenges in the style of Veganuary could provide an opportunity for change. The mixed methods evaluation reveals that participants significantly reduced meat consumption frequency and maintained this at two months after the challenge. Perceived barriers to eating more plant-based food decreased, while perceived capability to reduce meat consumption increased. Participants talk about health and environment as motives as well as social eating contexts as barriers. We discuss implications for the role of businesses and their marketing activities in the transition to a more sustainable food system.