A recent University of Exeter study reveals that some regular meat eaters feel genuine disgust toward meat. Researchers showed food images to over 700 participants, including omnivores, flexitarians aiming to cut back on meat, and vegetarians.
Strikingly, about 7% of meat eaters—including 15% of flexitarians and 3% of omnivores—displayed a "quite strong aversion reaction" to everyday meat dishes like fried chicken or bacon. Overall, omnivores rated meat images roughly twice as disgusting as carb-heavy foods such as bread, chips, or rice.
The findings suggest that leveraging this "yuk factor" could outperform sheer willpower for those looking to eat less meat.
“We were surprised to find that so many people are annoyed by meat—even those who eat it regularly,” said Elisa Becker from the University of Exeter. “Our results don’t explain why they continue eating it, but social customs, family habits, and cultural traditions likely play a key role.”
“With meat consumption increasingly viewed as unsustainable, unhealthy, and unethical, many want to reduce it. Relying solely on willpower might fall short—tapping into the 'yuk factor' could be more effective.”
The study involved 711 participants—402 omnivores, 203 flexitarians, and 106 vegetarians—who completed surveys and quick-response tasks to gauge instinctive "meat aversion," alongside taste preference assessments. Roughly 75% of omnivores and over 20% of vegetarians showed a strong preference for meat.
"Fairly strong" meat aversion required rating six meat images as closer to "very much" than "not at all" on a sliding scale, confirmed by the fast-response task.
Among flexitarians—the group actively trying to eat less meat—meat aversion proved a stronger predictor of reduced intake than self-control (assessed via questionnaire). It also correlated with lower consumption over the next six months.
“We hope these insights inform new interventions to support meat reduction,” said Professor Natalia Lawrence of the University of Exeter. “For those motivated to cut back, we’re developing engaging computer tasks to harness disgust effectively.”
“Importantly, this study doesn’t prove causation—more research is needed to determine if aversion drives less eating, or if avoiding meat fosters these reactions.”
Becker added: “Most of us feel meat aversion at times, like with unfamiliar cuts such as squirrel or beef heart. This may stem from evolution: spoiled meat poses greater risks than slightly off produce.”
