Social Media Algorithms Hinder Scots' Move Towards Plant-Based Eating
Social media platforms are actively preventing Scottish residents from reducing their meat intake, according to a significant new scientific study. Cutting out foods like sausages and bacon is considered crucial for tackling the nation's obesity epidemic and meeting ambitious Net Zero environmental targets. However, fresh research points the finger at sites including TikTok and Instagram for persistently serving meat-based recipes to younger audiences, who increasingly rely on social media influencers for meal inspiration.
Algorithmic Echo Chambers Reinforce Traditional Habits
Researchers from the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde discovered that individuals searching online for recipes encounter only what they describe as 'algorithmic echo chambers, where content is tailored to existing preferences and engagement'. This means vegetarians or vegans are frequently the sole group directed towards meat-free recipe options, while meat-eaters remain within a digital bubble that reinforces their current dietary patterns.
Those aged 16 to 24 are demonstrating the greatest interest in vegetable-based diets across Scotland. Yet scientists argue that Scots remain culturally attached to traditional ingredients because technology companies continuously strengthen these established habits through their platform algorithms.
Young Women Show Interest But Face Digital Barriers
The latest study, published in the journal Appetite, represents a collaboration between Scottish researchers led by Dr Tess Davis and Radboud University in the Netherlands. It states clearly: 'Both women and young adults in the UK are more likely than men and older age groups to adopt plant-based diets and consume plant-based alternatives, while national dietary data show women aged 16–24 in Scotland consume the least amount of meat.'
Despite this demographic showing promise, the market for explicitly labelled 'plant-based' vegan products has actually declined recently, with supermarkets reducing their dedicated lines. To investigate this paradox, the study conducted in-depth interviews with thirty young Scottish women.
Social Media: A Source of Inspiration and Limitation
The research concludes: 'Social media, particularly TikTok, was a highly influential and accessible source of recipe inspiration, with most participants mentioning its influence unprompted. But this inspiration revolved around participants' existing dietary habits i.e., meat-eating and non-meat-eating echo chambers.'
Participants displayed a concerning lack of awareness regarding the negative health and environmental impacts associated with high meat consumption. Many expressed a 'sense of safety in familiarity' with meat dishes. Ultimately, meat was perceived as natural, normal, necessary, and nice, while plant-based foods were often viewed as the opposite.
One 21-year-old meat-eating interviewee explained: 'I think social media has a massive impact. If I see something that I fancy, then I want to have it within, like, a few days of seeing that.' Another 19-year-old added: 'I think probably [would choose meat over a meat substitute] just because it's safe and... it's something that I know, like, will taste nice.'
Creator Perspectives on the Algorithmic Challenge
Gill Murray, from Bridge of Earn in Perthshire, provides vegetarian recipes through her Violet Kitchen Studios on Facebook and Instagram. She observed: 'Among younger people, predominantly women, there's a clear shift towards eating less meat, but not necessarily giving it up entirely. Meat still holds a strong place in our society, perhaps tied up with ideas of tradition, comfort and what a "proper" meal looks and tastes like.'
Murray suggested many women feel pressured to choose between being a meat-eater or a vegetarian/vegan, with little room for a flexible middle ground. She believes much of her audience inhabits that middle space: 'curious, flexible and interested in plant-based food without wanting to put a label on themselves.'
She noted that young people turn to online channels because they are 'easy, practical and not judgmental,' allowing them to try recipes without feeling they are making a major lifestyle statement. On algorithms, Murray stated: 'Algorithms are the bane of every creator's life. I'm torn because being shown content you already enjoy is part of what makes social media appealing. But I do think there's room for more gentle cross-over if people can see that non-meat-based meals can be satisfying, flavourful and ordinary, rather than labelled as substitutes or sacrifices.'
Broader Health and Environmental Imperatives
The findings arrive amid serious public health projections. Scottish Government forecasts indicate there will be 1.55 million obese Scots by 2030—an increase from 1.4 million today—with a further 1.72 million classified as overweight. Concurrently, the SNP ministers' Climate Change Committee has recommended a substantial '20 per cent shift away from all meat consumption in Scotland by 2035' to meet environmental commitments.
This research highlights a critical conflict: while public health and climate policies push for dietary change, the very digital platforms shaping modern food culture are inadvertently cementing the status quo, creating a significant barrier to achieving these vital national goals.
