Transformative design strategies for plant-based diets

Abstract

Pressing societal challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, increased concerns for
animal welfare, and public health, have been linked to the amount of animal proteins in our diets. These complex issues have led to the call for a ‘plant-based protein transition’, implying a shift away from animal proteins towards plant-based proteins. This paper presents opportunities for design to foster the protein transition, building on two preceding studies – one involving four scenarios for the Dutch protein transition for the year 2035, and one presenting eight ‘transition design frames’ which each foster the transition in a distinct way. A transition design frame (or TD frame) is understood as a strategy for intervention, which proposes a solution direction for a societal issue. For instance, a TD frame could involve the mimicking of meat and dairy products (solution direction) to help consumers eat more sustainably without having to change their eating practices (societal issue). Designers embody their chosen framing in concrete products, services and other (behavioral) interventions. We summarize the two studies in this paper and continue by mapping the frames onto the scenarios. The mapping revealed that the scenarios provide directionality for the frames. We also find that designers can play a crucial role in fostering scenarios beyond ecomodernism. In every scenario, the TD frames can be tailored to actors other than consumers as well. Two opportunities for new TD frames emerged, one supporting people in letting go in transitions, and one helping people embrace new types of food and eating experiences. We warmly invite researchers and practitioners to experiment with the findings from this paper.