Unsustainable burgers? Deploying carbon footprint labels to enhance sustainability perceptions of animal-based food products

Environmental sustainability stands at the forefront of global issues, with many consumers changing their habits to reduce their carbon footprint. A prime example is the cutback in meat consumption and increased adoption of a plant-based diet by consumers across the globe. This research examines this phenomenon and considers the impact of the carbon footprint label in shifting consumers' perceptions of environmental sustainability of plantbased and animal-based food products; identifying implications for purchase intent. Additionally, the research explores how the effect varies with different levels of consumer perceived believability. A study of 605 online Proflific participants from the US provided data for analysis using PROCESS macro in SPSS. Results indicate that as perceived believability increases, a carbon footprint label has an increasingly positive effect on perceived environmental sustainability for animal-based products but not for products derived from plant protein. We add to current theory and practice by examining emerging nuances in plant-based food consumption, identifying a halo effect for plant-based foods that impact consumer perceptions derived from package labels.