Reducing demand for illegal wild meat consumption

Environment

The problem

Despite legal changes to make it unlawful, Illegal consumption of wild meat was still occurring in and around Pu Mat National Park in Con Cuông, Vietnam.  The endemic wildlife species are under growing threat from both habitat destruction and illegal wildlife trade. Rising domestic demand for wild animal products, particularly wild meat, was believed to be increasing consumption locally. Acting for Good and Save Vietnam’s Wildlife faced a clear challenge: how to reduce illegal wild meat consumption through understanding drivers of consumer and supplier behaviour, and by shifting actions in a way that felt credible and socially reinforced within the community.

The solution

INFLUENCE AT WORK partnered with Save Vietnam’s Wildlife to design a data-led behaviour change approach targeting both consumers and suppliers. The strategy prioritised credibility and authority by involving a trusted local government organisation as the campaign messenger. The programme combined two distinct consumer-facing print campaigns, one focused on health and one designed to increase perceived social disapproval. In parallel, a restaurant-focused intervention was introduced to reduce supply and increase accountability, using public pledges and commitments alongside a certification label that enabled visible recognition for compliant venues and made expectations easier for the community to track.

The impact

Following the interventions, there was a 46% decrease in reported illegal consumption of wild meat.  Preference for wild meat consumption over conventional meat reduced from 19% to 5%.

Local people became more disapproving of wild meat consumption themselves and increasingly believed that others in their community were disapproving, indicating a measurable shift in social norms.

“Working with IAW brought real clarity and momentum to our efforts in Con Cuông. They took time to understand the local context and the realities of both demand and supply, and then translated behavioural insight into a campaign approach that felt credible, culturally appropriate, and practical to deliver. The team were thoughtful, responsive, and highly collaborative throughout, strengthening the quality of our decision-making and helping us build confidence in what would genuinely shift behaviour. The results speak for themselves, but just as importantly, the partnership has improved how we design and evaluate future interventions, leaving our organisation better equipped for the long term.”

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