Regulatory instruments to stimulate a transition away from animal-source food in the EU

A transition to sustainable food systems without reducing the reliance on animal-source food is impossible. This paper addresses the question how we can achieve a transition towards plant-based diets. Current attempts in several EU member states show that persuading consumers through information campaigns, sometimes with a little help of some regulatory instruments such as a meat tax, only have a minor impact. This paper aims to do a first attempt to assess the regulatory interventions that are to be considered at the EU level should EU lawmakers decide to set a broad and deep transition towards plant based and cell based food into motion. Based on insights from sustainable transition management and smart regulation theories, I focused on three categories of regulatory interventions: those aimed at reducing meat and dairy production and consumption, those aimed at stimulating production and consumption of plant-based alternatives for meat and dairy, and those aimed at assisting livestock farmers in the agro-food transition. The assessment shows that many existing regulatory instruments can or must be used in this instrument mix, be it in an adapted form. The biggest challenge will be to achieve a just transition: livestock farmers must be enabled to reinvent their farm.