Many myths—i.e., false beliefs—about meat consumption exist among the German population. These include, for example, the health myth that meat is an essential part of a healthy diet, or the environmental myth that producing plant-based alternatives, such as tofu, is similarly harmful to the environment as producing meat. To enable people to make informed decisions about their eating habits, it is important to debunk such myths.
In our new study, we investigated whether the so-called “truth sandwich” can help debunk myths about meat consumption. This text format follows a clear structure: it begins with a fact, then presents the myth and explains why it is false, and ends again with a fact (fact – myth – explanation – fact).
A total of 537 regular meat consumers from Germany took part in the study. The sample was representative of the German population in terms of age and gender. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: they read either a truth sandwich addressing a health-related meat myth, a truth sandwich addressing an environment-related meat myth, or a control text. Immediately after reading the text, clear effects emerged: those who read a truth sandwich agreed significantly less with the respective myth. This effect was independent of participants’ trust in science or their level of education.
After two weeks, however, these effects were no longer detectable. A single exposure to a truth sandwich, therefore, does not appear to influence beliefs in the long term.
Our conclusion: The truth sandwich can effectively debunk common myths about meat consumption, but its effects are short-lived. To achieve lasting changes in beliefs, additional communication strategies are needed.