Hands On/Off the Plate: Disentangling Resistance to Change in Practice and Discourse in the Case of Less Meat

Why is it so difficult for people in affluent societies to eat less meat, even when they know it is necessary and many support it? Meat consumption remains high, despite numerous technological innovations substituting meat and a wealth of knowledge on how to influence individual choices. This PhD thesis looks beyond personal preferences and technological fixes for achieving a protein transition. By analyzing online debates about meat reduction policies and interviewing restaurant chefs, it shows that resistance to change stems from deeply ingrained culinary routines, cultural traditions, and shared beliefs about market logic, personal freedoms, and government interference. Resistance is far more complex than merely a consumer response to a push for change. Only when we recognize that resistance is woven into the details of everything we say and do can we anticipate and navigate it to support meaningful dietary change.