Implications for nutrition, expenditure, and environmental impacts of different protein purchase preferences

Background and objectives: How food groups perform on nutrition, environmental impacts, and expenditure requires research on observed food consumption. Previously, we identified clusters of food purchases based on the main protein source utilizing loyalty card data. In the order of decreasing red meat content, the clusters were Red meat, Red meat mixed (mainly red meat, occasionally poultry and fish), Red meat + poultry, Mixed, Fish, and Plant-based. The aim was to analyze the implications of the clusters’ food purchases for nutrition, environmental impacts, and expenditure by food group. Methods: Between-cluster comparisons of purchases scaled to 2500 kcal (n = 22,860). Results: Differences in nutrient contents between the clusters were attributable to the main protein source only for SFA and salt. Both declined across clusters with decreasing red meat purchases (difference between the extremes: salt 1.4 g, SFA 3 E%). Although folate, fiber, and iron content increased in the decreasing red meat order (difference between the extremes: fiber 14 g, folate 103 µg, iron 4 mg), the differences were explained mainly by fruit, vegetable, and grain purchases. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), land use, and marine eutrophication declined across clusters in the decreasing red meat order (difference between the extremes: 1.3 kg CO2-eq., 2.4 m2 crop eq., and 1.5 g N eq., respectively). Freshwater eutrophication and water use were the highest in the Fish cluster (2.48 g P eq., 0.303 m3, respectively). The between-cluster differences were mainly attributable to fish, but water use also to fruits. Fish and Plant-based buyers spent the most money on food (9.8 €, 9.0 €, respectively) and Red meat buyers the least (7.5 €). The main contributors to the between-cluster differences were expenditures on fruits and vegetables. Discretionary foods had a large contribution to sucrose content, all environmental impacts, and expenditure in all clusters. Discussion: Differences in the main protein source preference relate to preferences for other food groups, which contributes to nutrition and environmental impacts, and expenditure. Large differences for nutrient content, water use, and expenditure stem from fruits and vegetables, whereas discretionary foods have large implications independent of the protein source preference.