A new study has found that graphic health warnings similar to those seen on cigarette packets could help the environment and reduce meat consumption.

Researchers at Durham University suggested reminders highlighting the impact meat farming has on global warming would help consumers make healthier food choices and reduce their carbon footprint.

Warnings about future pandemics, health risks and climate change were tested and discouraged people from having a meat-based meal.

According to the Climate Change Committee, which advises the Government, reducing meat and dairy consumption by one-fifth could help the UK meet its environmental commitments.

Psychology PhD student Jack Hughes, who carried out the food label research with supervisors, said: “Reaching net zero is a priority for the nation and the planet.

“As warning labels have already been shown to reduce smoking as well as drinking sugary drinks and alcohol, using a warning label on meat-containing products could help us achieve this if introduced as national policy.”

The study split 1,001 adults who eat meat into four groups and showed them pictures of hot canteen-style meals, which had either a health warning label, a pandemic warning label, a climate warning label or no label at all.

One label showed a deforested area, with factory smoke in the distance, and text saying: “Eating meat contributes to climate change”.

Interviewees were then asked a number of questions about how the anxious the warnings made them feel, how believable they were, what they would choose and if they would support these type of labels being implemented as policy.

Senior author on the paper Dr Milica Vasiljevic, from Durham University’s department of psychology, said: “We already know that eating a lot of meat, especially red and processed meat, is bad for your health and that it contributes to deaths from pollution and climate change.

“Adding warning labels to meat products could be one way to reduce these risks to health and the environment.”

If you’d like to become a more sustainable meat eater, experts explain the best way to start…

Cutting down

“If your focus is on sustainability and the environment, less meat is generally always better than sustainable meat,” explained Ed Steele, co-founder of Hoxton Farms.

You can take steps towards eating more plant-based meals – perhaps by doing meat-free Mondays, or only eating meat when you’re out.

“Two to three times a week is fine, so you can invest in quality meats,” said Mike Reid, a TV personality and chef at Rare Restaurants, Gaucho and M.

Eating consciously

Reid stressed how important it is for people to be more responsible in the way they consume meat.

“The best way is to know where your meat comes from,” he said. “That’s the biggest impact a consumer can make. I’m an advocate for regenerative farming and beef. Knowing it has been reared in an ethical and sustainable way is important.

“It’s not the consumers’ fault that the majority can only purchase their meat from supermarkets, which provides a more cost-effective offering to customers.

“So there’s no judgment on the consumer. But the cheaper something is – across the entire food chain – the more corners have been cut. It’s never usually good for you.”

If you’re buying meat from the supermarket, Reid advised taking a closer look: “When there is no specific label you probably don’t want to know where it comes from.”

He recommends buying from a butchers, and said: “It could sometimes be cheaper. Or you can also buy great meat online, too. It’s not easy to eat consciously, so it is about planning, just like anything in life.”

Choosing wisely

“When choosing animal proteins, eat more chicken, eggs and pork, which are generally more environmentally friendly than dairy, beef, and lamb,” Steele said – or better yet, swap out “with other protein sources, like peas and legumes”.

Reid said he’s a proponent for eating less popular meats, like goat, as well as alternative cuts.

“We need to look beyond beef and the prime cuts such us rump, fillet, sirloin and rib eye. We also have the skirt and shin, great for slow braising,” he said.

Reid grew up in a Caribbean home where he learnt to “respect the whole animal”. He said: “We had our own chickens and we ate every bit of it. I think we’ve lost that bit in society.”