Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 8/16/17



WildAid, a nonprofit originally focused on reducing global consumption of wildlife products such as shark fin and elephant ivory, has crossed over into a vegetarian agenda with a new campaign in China that encourages consumers to eat less meat.
A high-profile event in Beijing this month featured Chinese celebrities encouraging the public to eat less meat to improve personal health and fight climate change.

WildAid's Shu Shi campaign includes video public service announcements, billboards, social media, and partnerships that encourage the public to eat more fruits and vegetables, and consume less meat with the slogan: "Be fresh. Eat less meat - it's the new picky."

The announcement came as a part of the Summer Vibes event series at the popular Taikoo Li shopping center in Sanlitun, Beijing. Actress and singer Angelababy and actor Huang Lei are also featured in the media campaign.

The Shu Shi campaign messages are expected to reach hundreds of millions of people across China on national and local TV stations and China's leading online video sites. The campaign also includes billboard distribution to airports, subway stations, bus stops and high-traffic pedestrian areas in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing and Wuhan among other cities.

Shu Shi, which means vegetable in Chinese and has connotations of comfort and well-being, promotes adopting these dietary changes as a fashionable and playful way to help fight climate change.

China consumes about 28 percent of global meat production and about half of the world's pork. China is projected to add the equivalent of total U.S. consumption to global demand for meat between 2010 and 2030, according to WildAid. 

WildAid said Shu Shi is a part of its ongoing effort to support the Recommended Dietary Guidelines of the Chinese Nutrition Society, which suggest limiting annual meat consumption to a maximum of 27.4 kg per person, compared to current average intake of 63 kg in China.

The launch event at Taikoo Li featured vegetarian meals provided by three restaurants in the shopping district. Taikoo Li is Beijing's premier shopping district with nearly 100,000 daily visitors. Shu Shi messages will be further promoted by a partnership with Tianjin Airlines to provide vegetarian options on all international flights beginning later this year.

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