Barriers to climate-friendly food choices among young adults in Finland

• Barriers perceived as most relevant were different from those that hindered choices.
• High prices were perceived as the most relevant barrier.
• Habit and disbelief in the climate effects had the greatest effect on food choices.

The aim of the study was to examine how young adults in Finland perceive barriers to climate-friendly food choices and how these barriers are associated with their choices. The participants were 350 university students of the social and behavioral sciences who completed a questionnaire during class. The study found that the barriers the participants perceived as being the most relevant were different from those that were associated with the omission of climate-friendly food choices. High prices were perceived as the most relevant barrier, but were only weakly associated with the participants’ food choices. Instead, habit and disbelief in the effects of food consumption on the climate were found to be the barriers that had the greatest association with climate-friendly choices. Moreover, women considered high prices and poor supply more important compared to men, whereas men considered disbelief and habit more important. In addition, vegetarians perceived fewer barriers than those who followed other diets. The findings increase our understanding of young adults’ perceptions of barriers to climate-friendly food choices, as well as their effects.