Research ProjectsResearch for better advocacy.
Our studies are designed to generate clear, practical evidence that can support more effective animal advocacy.
Published Research
Toward Plant-Forward Diets in Türkiye: Consumer Motivations and Potential Barriers
— Animetrics, May 2026
Industrial animal agriculture has major impacts on animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and public health, making dietary shifts toward plant-based eating increasingly important. Yet most research on what drives or limits these shifts comes from Western countries, leaving regions like the Middle East and North Africa underexplored. This report helps address that gap through a survey of 2,499 adults across Turkey, examining dietary habits, perceptions of plant-based diets, and motivations for reducing animal-based foods. The findings offer insights and recommendations for organizations working to promote sustainable, plant-forward diets in Turkey and similar cultural contexts.
Questions, feedback, or need help applying the findings? Take this 2-minute feedback survey.
Muslim Consumers’ Perspectives On Animal Welfare in Halal Production and Dietary Choices in Türkiye
— Animetrics, March 2026
Despite a rapid worldwide growth in the Muslim population, we still know surprisingly little about how Muslim consumers connect halal with animal welfare, or how faith influences their dietary choices. Understanding these perspectives is crucial as it can help organizations develop more effective and culturally grounded ways to improve animal welfare in halal food systems. To explore this, we surveyed 788 Muslim adults in Türkiye, asking whether they see animal welfare as a requirement of halal, who they believe is responsible for ensuring animal welfare standards in halal food production, and whether avoiding animal-based products is compatible with Islam.
Questions, feedback, or need help applying the findings? Take this 2-minute feedback survey.
Ongoing Projects
Muslim Perspectives on Animal Welfare and Halal Food Systems
— Animetrics and Kaleem Ahmid
How do Muslims around the world perceive farmed animal welfare? What role do religious beliefs, values, and dietary guidelines—such as halal—play in shaping attitudes toward meat consumption and animal treatment? We are conducting the first large-scale, cross-country study of Muslim perspectives on farmed animal welfare and the halal food system, spanning 15 countries. This research is particularly timely as the global Muslim population continues to grow and gain economic influence, making their consumer choices increasingly impactful on animal welfare outcomes. By examining the intersection of Islamic teachings, dietary practices, and animal welfare concerns, this study will provide essential insights for animal advocacy organizations—especially those that include Muslim communities within their target audience. The findings will support the development of effective, culturally grounded strategies for improving farmed animal welfare standards and reducing animal-based product consumption.
Direct and Spillover Effects of Educational Interventions on Attitudes Toward Plant-Based Diets: Evidence from a Controlled Experiment
— Animetrics, Mercy for Animals, and Bryant Research
We explore how educational programs can directly change attitudes about plant-based diets and how these changes might spread to friends. Using a controlled experimental design with university students, we aim to understand if students who receive the intervention change their views and if their peers, who don’t participate, also change their opinions through spillovers. This is important because understanding these spillover effects provides a more complete view of how educational strategies influence broader dietary shifts and helps us design more effective interventions that reach beyond the initial participants.