Placement and Labeling of Plant-Based Options Cut Grocery Basket Emissions by up to 16%, EU Project Finds

The EU research project VISIONARY found that positioning plant-based alternatives more prominently and adding climate labels to online supermarkets reduced the climate-related emissions of shopping baskets by 13 to 16 percent in several European countries. The project, which concludes at the end of August 2026, focused on testing how labeling, price incentives, and product placement can shift consumers' buying habits.

VISIONARY also highlighted the importance of addressing farmers, businesses, policymakers, and consumers together to meet European sustainability goals. The project emphasized the need for coordinated efforts across the agricultural production, processing, retail, foodservice, and public institutions sectors. The results of VISIONARY will help inform the further development of European agricultural, environmental, and food policy, with a focus on implementing changes throughout the entire supply chain.