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A matter of identity: Promoting plant-based food among meat-eaters through a common identity priming
... Plant-based diets have become crucial as alternative protein sources, contributing to reducing environmental impact, promoting animal welfare, and providing healthful nutrients for human well-being (Donato et al., 2024;Reyes-Jurado et al., 2021;Sottile et al., 2023). ...
Food consumption trends have evolved significantly in recent years due to increased attention to environmental
sustainability and the search for nutritionally balanced, health-beneficial food. In this context, plant-based
beverages (PBBs) represent a rapidly growing segment. This study analyses the PBBs preferences and motivations
of consumption, studying how socio-demographic characteristics influence purchase drivers and identifying
the role of certification-related eating styles and habits in the importance attributed to PBBs characteristics. An
online questionnaire was conducted in the South-East of Italy with a sample of 233 respondents. A methodology
utilising a Combination of Uniform and Shifted Binomial random variables, the CUB model, was employed to
assess consumers’ perceptions across two key dimensions: feeling and uncertainty. Results suggest that the two
most important PBBs attributes considered in the decision-making process were taste and expiration date; the
main reasons for PBBs consumption were the presence of vitamins and minerals and beneficial health ingredients.
Moreover, considering socio-demographic characteristics and the consumption habits as covariates,
different profiles of consumers of this product emerged. This research fill gaps in the literature on consumer
characterisation of PBBs and offers a broader perspective, including the examination of attributes where consumers
are uncertain about the level of importance they attach.
... In the specific context of replacing animal proteins, tailoring efforts to different dietary consumer lifestyles influences uptake of the alternatives (Donato et al., 2024;Ishaq et al., 2025;Kerslake et al., 2021;Van der Meer et al., 2023;Wolfswinkel et al., 2024;Zhao et al., 2023). By positioning meat and meat substitutes in separate shelves, supermarkets particularly serve animal-based or plant-based diets (Van der Meer et al., 2023). ...
Positioning of retail assortments is a powerful way to create a choice architecture that facilitates consumers' sustainable product choices, for example the shift from animal-derived to plant-based proteins which benefits both planetary and public health. From the perspective of categorisation theory, we investigate whether changing choice architecture, specifically positioning meat substitutes in the meat shelf, increases purchases of meat substitutes and decreases meat sales, in two field experiments in two large supermarket chains in The Netherlands and a lab experiment. In field Study 1a, we positioned all meat substitutes in the meat shelf, which backfired and led to a decrease in meat substitute sales. In lab Study 1b, we explored the effect of merging meat substitutes into the meat shelf which shifted meat substitutes towards the meat category in the mind of consumers. In field Study 2, we placed a selection of meat substitutes in the meat shelf, while maintaining a separate vegetarian shelf. Positioning a selection of meat substitutes in the meat shelf led to an increase in meat substitute sales over the long term, especially amongst meat-eaters and flexitarians. However, meat sales did not decrease in both field studies. Maintaining a separate vegetarian shelf is important to keep serving meat reducers (i.e., vegans, vegetarians, and flexitarians). Altering choice architecture in the supermarket is an effective tool in enhancing sales of meat substitutes and sustainable alternatives in general.
... As a result, the study showed the usefulness of the valuedefined identity construct in explaining plant-based food consumption. Previous studies have already demonstrated the importance of self-identity in guiding dietary choices, e.g., the association between diet-related identity and diet quality [53], social identity and meat avoidance [54], and social identity and meat-free meal choices [55], but the links between self-identity and the decision to adopt a plant-based diet are still under-researched [55,56]. Thus, our results contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between valuebased self-identity and plant-based food consumption and offer insights for dietitians, marketers, and policymakers to encourage a more sustainable diet. ...
Objectives: This study aimed to identify the predictors of eating more plant-based foods and legumes in terms of previous changes in consumption, habitual frequency of consumption, intention to reduce the amount of meat consumed, and health and environmental identities. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between June and September 2023 in 881 Polish adults. Based on two self-descriptors, four groups of respondents were identified: no health identity and no environmental identity (nHI-nEI), health identity but no environmental identity (HI-nEI), no health identity but environmental identity (nHI-EI), and both health identity and environmental identity (HI-EI). A logistic regression analysis was used to verify associations between habitual eating of red meat, white meat, and legumes, changes in their intake over the past two years, familiarity with plant-based substitutes for animal products, health, and environmental identity, declared intentions to eat less meat, and the intentions to eat more plant-based food and eat more legumes next year. Results: Individuals were more likely to increase their consumption of plant foods (OR: 1.99, p = 0.001), including legumes (OR: 1.79, p = 0.045), when they represented the HI-EI group, had increased their consumption of legumes in the past two years (OR: 2.91, p = 0.009, and OR: 2.15, p = 0.017, respectively), declared an intention to reduce meat (OR: 8.02, p < 0.001, and OR: 12.08, p < 0.001, respectively), but also occasionally consumed plant-based meat substitutes (OR: 1.76, p = 0.002, and OR: 2.61, p < 0.001, respectively). However, individuals were more likely to increase their consumption of plant foods, but not legumes, if they currently consumed legumes frequently (OR: 1.36, p = 0.009, and OR: 1.22, p = 0.111, respectively) and had previously limited their consumption of red meat (OR: 2.40, p < 0.001, and OR: 1.09, p = 0.717, respectively). Conclusions: The habitual frequency of eating red and white meat did not predict the increased consumption of plant foods in the future. It is equally important to increase people’s awareness of the impact of the food they consume on health and the environment to support their health and pro-environmental motivation for food choices. Public health and sustainability campaigns should develop new methods to reach populations less willing to change.
Excessive consumption of meat challenges global food security and environmental sustainability. In the mounting literature on identity as a motivator of behaviour, meat consumption has been associated with a handful of identities. Identity theory suggests that people hold multiple identities on different levels of abstraction, but how identities at different levels of abstraction interact and possibly co-determine intentions and behaviour remains largely unanswered. Inspired by research on attitudes and goal hierarchies, this study investigates a hierarchical model of meat-related identities and their relation to intentions to consume red meat. By means of a survey of Danish consumers (n = 1001), we identified identities related to the consumption of red meat (e.g., flexitarian identity), using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. We also controlled for the most important additional antecedents identified in prior research. Evidence was found that more abstract identities (e.g., national identity, environmental identity) mostly influence intentions to eat meat indirectly, meditated through more behaviour-specific identities (e.g., flexitarian identity). However, some higher-order identities also appear to have a direct impact on intentions to eat meat after controlling for more behaviour-specific identities, which suggests a less hierarchical structure manifesting itself, possibly due to the behaviour being instrumental at reaching different, functionally unrelated goals that are related to different identities. Policy recommendations towards reducing meat consumption are proposed.
Objective
To explore changes in plant-based and meat product sales during and after implementation of a multi-component in-store intervention implemented by a major UK food retailer. Secondary objectives included exploring differences by store format and area affluence.
Design
The intervention increased the visibility, accessibility, affordability, and availability of a selection of plant-based products. Unit sales of plant-based and meat products during the intervention (January 2021) were compared with pre- (November 2020) and post-intervention (February & March 2021). Non-meat product sales were assessed as a control. Negative binomial mixed models were used to explore sales changes differences by store format or affluence.
Setting
The intervention was applied in a real-world supermarket setting during Veganuary.
Participants
Stores that applied the full intervention (n=154) were included for analysis. Weekly sales data for each store was obtained from the retailer.
Results
Average weekly unit sales of plant-based products increased significantly (57%) during the intervention period (Incidence Rate Ratio 1.52 [95% CI, 1.51-1.55]). Plant-based product sales decreased post-intervention but remained 15% higher than pre-intervention (IRR 1.13 [95% CI, 1.12-1.14]). There was no significant change in meat sales according to time period. The increase in plant-based product sales was greatest at superstores (58%), especially those located in below average affluence areas (64%).
Conclusions
Results suggest that increasing visibility, accessibility, affordability, and availability of plant-based products led to increased sales, with evidence of lasting effects. No significant changes in meat sales were observed. Variation according to store format and area affluence indicates targeted intervention approaches are needed.
Reduced meat intake by Western consumers would benefit public health and the environment. However, meat consumption is notoriously difficult to change, among other things because it is often the outcome of automatic and habitual behavior. Interventions that make use of automatic decision-making processes are therefore promising, but these too vary in their success. The effectiveness of interventions may be improved if different types of meat-eaters are separated. Thus, the aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of two kinds of intervention (namely, changing to a vegetarian default on a menu and changing the attractiveness of a food label) on vegetarian food choice for two distinct groups: meat-eaters who are not reducing their meat intake (non-reducers) and meat-reducers. We also explored whether the effect of these interventions could be strengthened by activating different roles (i.e. a consumer role versus a citizen role). The online study included two European countries, Denmark (n = 740) and the Netherlands (n = 749), and involved two experiments. It was found that a vegetarian default significantly increased vegetarian food choice among the non-reducers but did not significantly do so among meat-reducers. Attractive labeling marginally increased vegetarian food choice for non-reducers but had no impact on meat-reducers. The activation of roles did not influence food choice. We conclude that meat-reducing interventions, especially where the menu default is concerned, could benefit from increased focus on a more specific target audience (i.e. non-reducers). More generally, we recommend that future meat-reducing interventions should consider different groups of meat-eaters.
The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of consumer attitudes and beliefs on three different types of plant-based meat alternatives (covering two highly processed Plant Based Meat Alternatives (PBMA) products: a. vegetarian nuggets and b. soy mince, and pulses: c. pre-cooked beans). The analysis was based on data obtained from a questionnaire-based survey (N = 483) conducted in Sweden in November 2020. Consumers were separated into four food preference groups (all of whom consume meat): 1. flexitarians (meat reducers), 2. omnivores (mixed diet), 3. consumers who prefer meat and fish (avoid vegetarian food) and 4. consumers who explicitly prefer to only eat meat (avoid vegetarian food and fish). Products were chosen with the intention that they represent products from a scale ranging from a less processed product (pre-cooked beans), via soy mince (a processed PBMA product) to vegetarian nuggets (ready-to eat processed PBMA). The two PBMA products were also chosen to represent one convenience product (vegetarian nuggets) and one product mainly used as an ingredient (soy mince). Gender, age, education, consumption frequencies, food neophobia, health concern, ranking of qualities, awareness of climate change, and the link between food and climate were explored. The results illustrate differences and similarities between the four groups in attitudes and beliefs as well as the three products. Flexitarians represent the group that expresses the most positive and sustainably connected attitudes and beliefs. Results also show that for all groups, PBMA products are perceived as more modern, artificial and expensive compared to pulses, which, in turn, are perceived as healthier and a better climate choice compared to PBMA products. Meat and “meat and fish” eaters attach much importance to taste, perceived protein content, satiety and domestic origin (from Sweden), whereas omnivores are guided by taste, ease of cooking, health, climate change, and the link between food and climate. The outcome is expected to support policymakers and market actors in developing target group applied strategies addressing differences among the four food preference groups, thereby increasing consumers’ intake of sustainable plant-based protein-rich products.
Meat reduction might become a new extension of the personal climate actions in the European Union (EU), but this development is not without challenges. Focusing on consumers, this paper investigates 1) how meat reduction is related to other climate actions and 2) how adopters of meat reduction and those who just take other actions differ in concerns about world problems and sociocultural characteristics. The data are from Eurobarometer 95.1 (Spring 2021). The analyses revealed that the adoption of meat reduction was related to the adoption of other climate actions, but that it was not on par with mainstream pro-environmental actions. Participants who incorporated meat reduction in their climate actions were more than the others motivated by broad environmental, social and public health concerns. Those who did not incorporate meat reduction scored lower on these concerns and might have been negatively affected by incongruences between the cultural meaning of meat reduction and their cultural identities in terms of right-wing positions, masculinity or social class. The results showed that meat reduction is part of an adoption process and that the Northwestern countries were somewhat further on in this process than the Southern and Eastern countries.
Plant-based foods offer great promise for ensuring environmental sustainability. However, encouraging people to replace meat-based meals with plant-based meals is a difficult feat, as people often perceive meat consumption as socially normal, evolutionarily natural, and satisfying in taste. In the current research, we tested a subtle strategy for changing eating behavior. Through a 10-week field experiment, we investigated how different frames for vegetarian and vegan menu items influence consumer behavior in a real-world setting. We randomly varied whether vegetarian and vegan items on a restaurant's menu were referred to as “vegetarian” and “vegan” vs. “plant-based.” Throughout the experiment, we tracked 167,637 consumer decisions. Items were 24% more likely to sell when they were marketed as vegetarian/vegan than when they were marketed as plant-based. These findings highlight the potential for frames to promote plant-based food choices, offering a subtle strategy for changing consumer behavior and supporting sustainability efforts.
High consumption of animal-source foods, specifically meat, adversely affects human health and the environment. Dietary habits are shaped at younger ages and a reduction in meat consumption may be facilitated by the life course transitions in early adulthood, but studies are limited. This study among young Dutch adults aimed to describe their perceptions on the influence of life course transitions on meat consumption, barriers and enablers to reduce meat consumption, and strategies for reducing meat consumption. Barriers and enablers were grouped applying the COM-B model that includes capability, opportunity, and motivation. This quantitative cross-sectional study included a representative sample of 1806 young adults from two Dutch consumer panels who completed an online survey. Young adults frequently reported life course transitions, especially those related to moving house, to have decreased their meat consumption. Barriers and enablers to reduce meat consumption were identified for all three factors of the COM-B model. Important barriers included taste, perceived high prices of meat alternatives, and habits. In contrast, important enablers included care for the environment and animal welfare, enjoyment of smaller portions of meat and saving money. However, barriers and enablers largely differed by groups of meat consumption frequency. Self-perceived effective strategies for reducing meat consumption were price reduction of meat alternatives, recipes for vegetarian meals, and more attractive meat alternatives. The findings of this study are relevant for the development of targeted behaviour-change programmes including interventions in the physical and the social environment (like lowering prices and improving the offer of meat alternatives).
Restaurants are characterized by high levels of meat being consumed in this out-of-home setting, while plant-based meat alternatives remain a niche product, thus preserving a high environmental impact of food consumption. We tested whether subtly re-designing the restaurant menu, so that plant-based meat alternatives were perceived as the default to a greater extent, increased consumer selection of plant-based meat alternatives. Consumers' freedom of choice was preserved by leaving all choice options on the menu. An online experiment in The Netherlands showed that consumers choose plant-based meat alternatives more often relative to meat when the plant-based option is framed as the default. In a field experiment in a Dutch restaurant, we found that the amount of ordered plant-based meat alternative dishes increased relative to an equivalent meat dish when implementing a default nudge (bean alternative: from 8.6% to 80.0%; seaweed alternative: from 16.1% to 58.3%). Thus, re-designing the menu in a way that suggests that plant-based meat alternatives are the default, while preserving autonomous decision-making, is a promising route to promote out-of-home adoption of plant-based meat alternatives in restaurants.
Current levels of meat consumption in Western societies are unsustainable and contribute to the climate emergency. However, most people are not reducing their intake. Here, we examine the language used on social media to describe meat and plant-based foods, since the ways people think and communicate about food could hinder the transition towards sustainable eating. In two pre-registered studies, we analysed the degree to which the language in food posts on Instagram reflects eating simulations, which have been found to be associated with desire for appetitive stimuli. Specifically, thinking about or presenting foods or drinks in terms of rewarding simulations (i.e., re-experiences of enjoying their consumption) has been found to increase their appeal. Here, we analysed the words used in Instagram hashtags (NStudy1 = 852; NStudy2 = 3104) and caption text (NStudy1 = 682) to examine how much they refer to eating simulations (e.g., taste, texture, enjoyment, eating context) or to other food-related features (e.g., ingredients, preparation, health, category information). As hypothesised, meat posts contained more eating simulation hashtags than plant-based and vegetarian posts, which instead contained more eating-independent hashtags, for example referring to health or to vegan identity. Findings for the text words were generally in the same direction but much weaker. Thus, meat food posts contained hashtag language that is likely more appealing to mainstream consumers, because it refers to the enjoyable experience of eating the food, rather than the food being healthy or identity affirming. This pattern reflects polarisation surrounding sustainable foods, which may hinder the shift towards plant-based diets needed to curb climate change.
Even though pulses are nutritious and environmentally friendly high-protein crops, they are commonly regarded as old-fashioned. Consumption of pulses is low in developed countries, and it has received very limited attention in agricultural and behavioral research over the past years. Based on a pan-European survey, the present study aims to provide extensive insights into consumer perceptions towards pulses. The objective is to identify effective measures to increase consumer acceptance of pulses, and thus potentially increase their share in the daily diets across Europe. Quantitative data was collected in May 2020 through a web-based survey conducted in five different European countries, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Poland, and the United Kingdom (N = 4,916). Quota-based sampling was used to ensure comparability across samples and wide coverage in terms of age, gender, and locality of residence. Using cluster analysis with a subsequent logistic regression, cross-cultural differences were found in terms of relatively high consumption of pulses among Spanish respondents, somewhat lower for Polish, German and UK respondents, and even lower among Danish respondents. Drivers of consumption significantly differed across surveyed samples, mainly being health first, followed by sensory preferences. For respondents from Poland, Spain, and Germany the main reason for not consuming pulses related to problems with digestion, whereas in the Danish and UK samples a neglect related to preparation. Future product development as well as increased information about nutrition and cooking of pulses could potentially increase consumer acceptance. Though, considering cross-cultural differences is important when developing strategies to promote consumption of pulses.
Only a few years ago, people interested in novels or movies had no choice but to use physical media such as books or DVDs. Technological advances allowed dematerializing these products, making consumption instantly accessible with a download. The trend towards dematerialization has been steady across product domains, and recent confinement measures might further accelerate it. We investigate how preferences for dematerialized products depend on people’s identity motives in consumption. In a series of studies, we find that the identity‐relevance of a product increases the appeal of its physical versions. Even when the hedonic experience is identical (e.g., watching a movie), material products are better tools for consumers to self‐verify (i.e., provide better feedback to consumers about the identity which is implicated in consumption). As a result, identity‐motivated consumers are more likely to forgo the benefits of dematerialization. This finding has implications for our understanding of digitized consumption and for the marketing of media products.
Adopting plant-based, or vegan, diets can have a number of benefits, including mitigating climate change, promoting animal welfare, or improving public health. In the current research, we use social psychological theory to better understand what motivates vegans to engage in collective action on behalf of this social group - that is, what motivates individuals to promote, or encourage others to adopt, a vegan lifestyle. We develop and test a Social Identity Model of Vegan Activism, which highlights the roles of individuals' social identities, sense of efficacy, emotions and moral convictions in fostering collective action. In two pre-registered studies, the first with self-identified vegans from Australia and the UK (N = 351), and the second with self-identified vegans recruited via Prolific (N = 340), we found that individuals more frequently engaged in vegan activism (i.e., actions to promote vegan lifestyles) when they had stronger moral convictions (i.e., deontological or consequentialist), greater collective efficacy (i.e., beliefs that vegans can make a positive difference), anger (i.e., when thinking about the reasons why they are vegan), and identification (both with vegans, and with animals). Deontological and consequentialist moral convictions had significant indirect effects on vegan activism via different mediators. We conclude by discussing the implications and importance of studying dietary behavior from a social identity perspective, including its ability to help explain how and why individuals become motivated to not only adopt a certain (e.g., vegan) lifestyle themselves, but to also ‘act collectively’ on behalf of that shared group membership (e.g., promote vegan-friendly behaviors). We also highlight some key insights for policy makers and campaigners aiming to promote plant-based diets.
Agriculture and land use are major sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions but previous estimates were either highly aggregate or provided spatial details for subsectors obtained via different methodologies. Using a model–data integration approach that ensures full consistency between subsectors, we provide spatially explicit estimates of production- and consumption-based GHG emissions worldwide from plant- and animal-based human food in circa 2010. Global GHG emissions from the production of food were found to be 17,318 ± 1,675 TgCO2eq yr−1, of which 57% corresponds to the production of animal-based food (including livestock feed), 29% to plant-based foods and 14% to other utilizations. Farmland management and land-use change represented major shares of total emissions (38% and 29%, respectively), whereas rice and beef were the largest contributing plant- and animal-based commodities (12% and 25%, respectively), and South and Southeast Asia and South America were the largest emitters of production-based GHGs. The quantification of greenhouse gas emissions related to food production and consumption is still largely hindered by the availability of spatial data consistent across sectors. This study provides a detailed account of emissions from land-use change, farmland, livestock and activities beyond the farm gate associated with plant- and animal-based foods/diets—culminating in local-, country- and global-level emissions from each major agricultural commodity.
Background
Much scientific evidence has been found about positive effects of lowering meat consumption on the environment, human health and animal welfare. Nevertheless, particularly in developing economies demand for meat is rising whereas in high-income countries meat intake remains at high levels. Although many of today's Western consumers are unwilling to cut their meat consumption, it appears that a fraction is receptive to limit meat consumption by abstaining from eating meat occasionally. This is called flexitarianism. A great deal of hope has been placed lately on a flexitarian diet to help solving food-related environmental sustainability and human health problems. To determine whether flexitarianism can meet such high hopes, it is – to begin with – important to get an idea about the extent of contemporary food consumers' shift towards more meat-restricted diets. Such an overview has so far been lacking.
Scope and approach
This study collected recent consumer research on meat eaters and meat reducers conducted in various affluent countries to explore the state of play in the field of flexitarianism.
Key findings and conclusions
The present work demonstrates that multiple studies point to the existence of a group of flexitarians that is distinct from consumers who are deeply attached to meat eating and have no intention whatsoever to limit their meat intake, let alone are already changing meat-eating behaviours. Flexitarians not only differ from meat lovers but they also differ from each other. Against the backdrop of numerous devoted meat eaters, and flexitarians who frequently reduce their meat consumption only slightly, the question is raised whether flexitarianism is enough to tackle the pressing environmental and human health problems.
The purpose of this study is to explore the significant factors that drive consumers’ willingness to adopt a more plant-based diet, in both an Asian developing country (China) and a Western developed country (New Zealand), on the basis of three theories: meat attachment factors, the theory of planned behaviour and food choice motives. The data were collected through online surveys in China (n=604) and New Zealand (n=581). Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used for the data analysis. Consumers’ willingness to adopt a more plant-based diet was significantly linked to all the four meat attachment factors (Hedonism, Affinity, Entitlement and Dependence), four factors based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Subjective norms, Personal norms, Perceived behavioural control and Attitudes), and one food choice motive (Environmental concern). There were differences between China and New Zealand in the impact of the meat attachment factors and the theory of planned behaviour factors on the willingness to adopt a more plant-based diet.
The connection between plant-based diets and compassion is intuitive. Prior research has demonstrated that food of ethical origin subjectively tastes better to consumers who embrace ethical values. Since meat avoiders generally internalize the values associated with the avoidance of animal-derived products, higher levels of compassion are expected to enhance the subjective taste of meatless food choices, which has implications for lowering barriers to the adoption of vegetarian diets.
Three experimental laboratory studies demonstrate that compassion improves the subjective taste of meatless foodstuffs and increases meat avoidance intent, which translates into a higher probability to choose a vegetarian wrap rather than a meatcontaining wrap. Two online studies illuminate the underlying psychological process, which is mediated by perceived self-similarity to human and non-human animals.
Identifying individual traits that are associated with heightened enjoyment of meatless foods facilitates marketing segmentation for meatless foodstuffs. Furthermore, the tested compassion-inducing visual stimuli can be adapted for product packaging or employed in restaurant décor to elevate consumers’ subjective taste of meatless foods, potentially counteracting the negative individual and societal health effects of excessive meat intake.
The moderating effect of meat avoidance intent on subjective taste suggests that, for people who consider reducing their meat intake, transitory zones exist where the perceived enhancement in taste of vegetarian food is not sufficiently motivating to change dietary practices permanently and it may appear more rewarding to simply revert to meat consumption. Social marketers can focus on these zones where moral conflict about meat consumption is salient by providing support to make dietary transitions less frustrating.
This set of studies is the first to articulate the connection between compassion and ethical food choices in a consumer-relevant context. The findings point towards avenues to promote meat reduction, improve individual physical and mental health, and reduce the environmental impact of meat production.
Although consumer interest in organic food has risen over time, resulting in a generally positive attitude toward these organic food products, scholarly research suggests a comparatively low volume of its consumption in the market. This has resulted in an urgent need to study the motivations which enhance consumers’ proclivity to purchase food items produced organically. The current research attempts to understand potential associations between motivations (intrinsic and extrinsic), attitude, and buying behaviour towards organic food. Self-determination theory (SDT) was applied to develop a theoretically grounded framework which was evaluated with 378 organic food consumers. The hypotheses were tested by analyzing the data through structural equation modelling (SEM), wherein environmental concerns and trust were the moderating variables. The study results demonstrate the significant influence of intrinsic motivation, integrated and external regulation on consumer attitude, and buying behaviour. But, attitude had no significant association with buying behaviour. The findings indicate consumers’ motivation may be stimulated to encourage higher frequencies of purchasing organic food by emphasizing values that reflect motivations arising from ethical or green consumerism, health, and social benefits. Furthermore, policymakers should focus on avenues to integrate organic food as permanent parts of individual lives and a socially exalting behavioral action.
The consumption of meat contributes significantly to undesirable effects on the environment. In order to reduce the impact of animal husbandry, one approach is to decrease meat consumption by substituting plant-based meat alternatives. Because the consumption of such meat alternatives is currently rather low, the aim of this research was to identify the barriers that keep people from consuming meat alternatives and increase the probability of future consumption. This was accomplished by exploring free associations people have towards meat and meat alternatives, comparing selected meat products with their respective meat alternatives using the semantic differential, and studying the perceived appropriateness of eating meat alternatives in different consumption situations. To achieve these objectives, we carried out an online survey with participants from Germany (N=1039). Our results suggest that while meat is being associated with positive terms, meat alternatives were viewed more negatively. The previous findings that meat alternatives should be similar to meat with regard to taste, texture, and ease of preparation were confirmed. Results from the direct comparison of meat with corresponding meat alternatives indicate that meat alternatives are similarly perceived to their processed meat counterparts. Regarding different consumption situations, our results show that eating meat alternatives is perceived to be more appropriate in situations where one eats alone or with family and friends. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that meat alternatives have the best chance of successfully replacing meat when they closely resemble highly processed meat products in taste and texture and are offered at competitive prices. The recommendation for producers of meat alternatives is thus to focus on replicating processed meat products instead of trying to imitate meat cuts such as steak or escalope.
Consumers have started to become aware of the negative aspects of conventional meat, including concerns about environmental issues, animal welfare, and consumer health. Alternative meats (i.e., cultured meat and plant-based meat alternatives) have been introduced recently to address these problems, and the rapid growth of the alternative meat market could pose a threat to the conventional meat market. It is necessary to identify the features of alternative meat that affect consumers’ purchasing intentions. Thus, we aimed to: (1) explore the positive and negative feelings toward alternative meat and (2) compare the differences in factors influencing alternative meat buying intentions. This study conducted an online survey with Korean participants in two separate sections (cultured meat: n = 513; plant-based meat alternatives: n = 504), and relationships between the variables and willingness to buy were analyzed using the partial least squares method. The results showed that sustainability and food neophobia are two of the different factors, and food curiosity, unnaturalness, and distrust of biotechnology are the common factors affecting consumers’ purchasing choice. The results of this study provide useful guidelines for effective promotional messages about cultured meat, plant-based meat alternatives, and conventional meat marketers focusing on the positive and negative aspects of significant factors.
The issue of one's identity has loomed large recently and has unfortunately been used more and more as a wedge to separate subgroups. It is important to understand the ramifications of identity, both to limit the negative consequences (such as so-called identity politics) and to be able to use one's sense of identity as a positive force in the world. What are effective approaches to allow positive identities and pride about one's social identity to be reinforced for the greater good? Recent work suggests that some forms of team competition can induce greater effort, which can be applied to areas such as microlending, charitable giving, and organization of the gig economy. And yet many fascinating questions remain; for example, what is the interaction of salience, social norms, and preferences on the effects of social identity in our society?
Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Economics, Volume 12 is August 3, 2020. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Drawing on Branscombe et al.’s conceptualization of social identity threat, we developed and validated a multidimensional measure of this concept: the Social Identity Threat Scale (SITS). We conducted three studies that examined social identity threat to U.S. Americans (Study 1, N=468; Study 2, N=457) and e-cigarette users (Study 3, N=395) when they read negative messages directed at their social groups. Results provided evidence for the reliability, criterion-related validity, and construct validity of the SITS. Moreover, findings showed that social identity threat can be represented by five types of threat—categorization, distinctiveness, competence, morality, and generalized threats. The measure can be an essential tool for future research on social identity threat and for studies of intergroup relations more broadly.
The expanding market in plant-based dairy products (PBDPs) is challenging traditional markets for animal-based dairy products (ABDPs). Using an extended ordered probit model, the drivers and barriers of PBDP consumption were investigated across six European countries for indicators of broader changes in consumption. Results revealed country-specific consumer core groups with a pronounced willingness to extend PBDP consumption, e.g. among individuals already following largely plant-based diets in Denmark or France. However, price or product characteristics, such as taste or variety, constituted country-specific barriers to PBDP consumption. Furthermore, consumers’ willingness to obtain information about the sustainability of PBDPs seemed to provide the basis for a general and profound trend towards their consumption across the six European countries studied.
Clean meat shows great potential as an alternative to conventional meat and may help to mitigate sustainability problems stemming from the meat industry. However, this novel method of producing meat is currently being met by consumer hesitancy due to perceptions of unnaturalness and feelings of disgust. While prior research has shown that appeal positioning based on naturalness and ethicality, for example, may enhance the acceptance of clean meat, these findings are limited because prior research has only examined different appeals in isolation, and no research has explored the psychological mechanism underlying the effect of these appeals. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine how a joint appeal based on both natural and ethical aspects of clean meat is more effective in enhancing consumer preference. Specifically, two experiments were conducted among participants from the US (n = 302) and the UK (n = 303) to examine whether a joint appeal is more effective than a single appeal focusing on either naturalness or ethicality, and no appeal. Extending the current literature, our findings show that the joint appeal increases the effectiveness of the communication, with participants in this condition showing a significantly higher preference toward the product when compared to those in the single-appeal or no-appeal conditions. The results also demonstrate that disgust and compassion underlie the effect of the joint appeal on consumer preference. Taken together, the current research provides insights to enhance the effectiveness of marketing interventions in promoting consumer preference for and acceptance of clean meat.
The climate crisis, coupled with the COVID‐19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, are contributing to a shift in what people eat. For environmental sustainability, social justice, ethical, and health reasons, people are moving toward plant‐based diets, which involve consuming mostly fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans and little or no meat and dairy products. Drawing on insights from consumer psychology, this review synthesizes academic research at the intersection of food and consumer values to propose a framework for understanding how and why these values—Sustainability, Equity, Ethics, and Dining for health—are transforming what people eat. We term our model the SEED framework. We build this framework around a report assembled by the Rockefeller Foundation (2021) that describes how to grow a value‐based societal food system. Finally, we highlight insights from consumer psychology that promote an understanding of how consumer values are shifting people's diets and raise research questions to encourage more consumer psychologists to investigate how and why values influence what consumers eat, which in turn impacts the well‐being of people, our environment, and society.
Identifying psychological barriers that prevent individuals from adopting a meat-free diet is a key to success for environmentalists. The current study experimentally investigates the relation between sex, sex role identification, and meat-eating justification by exposing participants to a gender identity threat or affirmation. In the threat condition, participants received the information that they had below-average levels of masculinity/femininity, whereas in the affirmation group they were told to be above average with regard to their masculinity/femininity. Two-hundred female and 132 male participants were randomly assigned to these conditions. The findings suggest that men and women rationalize their meat consumption differently: While men directly and unapologetically defend their behavior, women tend to avoid recognizing their own responsibility. Moreover, masculinity was associated with direct meat-eating justifications among male, but not among female participants. The experimental manipulation did not affect direct or indirect meat-eating justification. However, further exploratory analyses suggest that how threatening the manipulated feedback was perceived was not primarily dependent on the participant’s sex, but rather the individual identification with sex roles. Therefore, simply basing gender identity threats on participant’s sex might be outdated. The results highlight the association between meat and male masculinity and encourage future studies to take a more nuanced approach to gender identity threats.
In response to health, environmental, ethical, and cost concerns, growing numbers of individuals are reducing their meat consumption. However, while people are now subscribing to “flexitarian” or reduced-meat diets, these flexitarian and more “traditional” omnivore diets are usually not well defined. Using an online survey, this research examined the attitudinal and behavioral differences between meat eaters, meat reducers, and occasional meat eaters in terms of their meat consumption (consumption frequency of red and white meat, fish, and meat substitutes) and their reasons for and against meat reduction. We also investigated respondents’ attachment to eating red and chicken meat and their healthy and sustainable food beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors as well as attitudes towards future foods. Our findings suggest lamb and pork consumption was the only factor that differed significantly between meat eaters, meat reducers, and occasional meat eaters, while beef was consumed similarly by meat eaters and reducers, suggesting this may be more difficult to reduce. There were differences in motivations to eat meat between the dietary groups, but little difference between these groups regarding their reasons for meat reduction. We also found significant differences in attitudes toward future foods such as plant-based substitutes, fortified foods, and cultured meat with meat reducers compared to meat eaters finding these options more appealing. A comprehensive and specific understanding of meat consumption and reduction preferences, attitudes, and beliefs is important for providing segmented marketing and social marketing strategies aimed at encouraging more sustainable and healthy food behaviors.
This paper suggests looking at veganism as a set of knowledge that produces and reproduces habitual food practices and changes in semiotic habits and the meanings attached to foods. A semiotic analysis of veganism as a system of knowledge suggests its being a translated text that recognizes scientific and medical knowledge and the non-vegan alimentary system. However, it reconfigures them by communicating a series of signs whose meanings reverse those suggested by omnivores. The identification of signs that constitute the vegan knowledge enables me to look at veganism as complex system, in which syntagmatic and associative relationships are not fully determined (Barthes [1984]. Elements of Semiology. New York: Hill and Wang). Although contesting the essentiality of animal-based foods, vegan meals suggest two overlapping approaches to meals. In one, the plant-based protein serves as the centrepiece of the meal, imitating conventional meals. The other offers an alternative meal structure, in which syntagmatic relations are constructed as a sequence of daily meals, each consisting of an aggregation of simultaneously served dishes out of which diners construct their own repast, thus broadening the scope of associative relationships .
This research aimed to understand the consumption practices of plant-based meat substitutes (PBMS). Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with consumers and Social Practice Theory (SPT) was adopted as the theoretical framework to explore emerging themes relating to consumer practices. Findings indicate that consumers engage in a number of related practices that include the acquisition, preparation and consumption of PBMS which were embedded within a larger network of practices that included storage, substitution, and food safety, as well as broader meat-based, meat-free, plant-based, and social and cultural practices. This paper highlights the importance of social and cultural structures in facilitating product awareness, meaning and skill development in the context of dietary and behavioural change. Implications for research, marketing and policymaking practices are discussed with regard to the marketing of plant-based meat substitutes as well as shifting consumer behaviour.
Noticeable and comprehensible eco-labels are needed to promote sustainable products. So far, researchers have mostly studied consumers' evaluations of eco-labels, without analyzing eco-label's visual complexity. Through two experimental studies this paper proposes that consumers' evaluations of sustainable products increase when zoom-in feature provided in online stores, and they are labelled through eco-labels that have high design and low feature complexity due to increased perceptual fluency. The findings demonstrate that while design complexity increases consumer product evaluations due to increased perceptual fluency, feature complexity increases - instead of decreases – consumers' evaluations due to conceptual – and not perceptual – fluency. Consequently, it is advised to design and adapt eco-labels easy-to-understand, visually eye-catching and highly visible (i.e., in large size) to enhance ease of processing and increase product evaluations.
The growing movement of veganism culture is drawing increasing scientific attention but falls short of an empirical investigation to examine antecedents and catalytic experiences for maintaining vegan diets. An integrated theoretical framework is proposed using the Theory of Planned Behaviour Model (TPB) and includes ethical concerns to investigate the interrelationships. Comparisons are also made by adopting the strength of high and low ethical catalytic experiences of each consumer group to identify moderating results. The proposed conceptual model was tested using Structural Equation Modelling from the responses of 478 vegan consumers. Results indicate that the TPB factors exert positive effects on the buying intention and ethical concerns mediate the relationship between attitudes and intention, as well as between PBC and intention, however, social norms did not impact ethical concerns.
While consumers experiencing high catalytic experience had no significance, low catalytic experience consumers showed an inverse significant moderating relationship on PBC and maintaining vegan diets. Whereas the relationship for ethical concerns influencing the intention to buy vegan foods was significant and positive for the high catalytic experienced consumer, but not significant for the low catalytic experienced consumer. The moderating results for social norms were not significant on ethical concerns for the high catalytic experienced consumer but were negatively significant for the low catalytic experienced consumers indicating that the effect of peer pressure increase, results in a decline for ethical considerations.
These findings offer strong theoretical and practical implications by contributing to the understanding of consumers’ behavioural intention to undertake vegan diets and extending our knowledge for formulating retail strategies to effectively tailor their offerings for this consumer segment.
Game meat can be considered an alternative to traditional meats and is growing steadily. Previous literature has not investigated why consumers choose or buy game meats. The study draws on the theory of Consumer Choice Value and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). The moderating influence of food neophobia/neophiliac behaviour is also examined. The data was analysed using Structural Equation Modelling, cluster-analysis, and multigroup analysis. Regarding consumer's choice value, epistemic and social value were found significant. TPB shows that perceived behavioural control was non-significant and to some extent, consumers with food neophobia/neophiliac behaviour moderated the purchase behaviour. Consumer's perceived well-being mediates the relationship between intention and purchase behaviour. It contributes to the breadth of the current theoretical-framework and provides useful insights for retailers and researchers.
This study assessed the effect of providing information on the consumers’ sensory evaluation of three burgers: 100% beef, 100% plant-based and a hybrid (60% beef and 40% vegetables). A total of 99 UK consumers with balanced age and gender were recruited. Consumers assessed the burgers under blind, expected and informed conditions and answered questions on liking, Check-all-that-apply (CATA), willingness to buy (WTB) and willingness to pay (WTP). In addition, under blind and informed conditions, consumers were asked to indicate their likes and dislikes about each sample. Results show that consumers are positive towards hybrid burgers, in terms of overall acceptability, purchase intent, WTP and subjective comments. Hybrid meat products could represent an effective way for consumers to lower their meat consumption without compromising too much on the sensory quality and could represent a transition product to a more plant-based diet. These results are valuable and should inform future marketing, labelling and reformulation efforts of new hybrid meat product launches.
Retailers are increasingly extending their private label assortments with meat-substitute, vegetarian and vegan foods (here called veg foods) to respond to emerging consumer trends. However, no studies on consumer buying behavior with regard to veg private labels exist. Accordingly, this work analyses the impact of ethical motives (i.e., environmental, animal welfare, health, and spiritual concerns) and perceptual factors (i.e., trust, perceived quality, and perceived value) as drivers of consumers' buying intentions of regular and occasional buyers of veg private labels, identified by their purchase frequency. The multigroup structural model findings show that occasional buyers are motivated by perceived quality, environmental, and animal concerns, while regular buyers opt for veg private labels on the grounds of their trust in the retailer's own-brand and environmentally-friendly claims. The perceived value is key for both segments.
Why might some meat-eaters and meat-avoiders express negative attitudes toward each other? We investigated intergroup attitudes and potential underpinnings of these attitudes across three different dietary groups—veg*ans (vegetarians and vegans), flexitarians (people who restrict their meat intake partially), and meat-eaters—in Turkey (NStudy 1 = 366; NStudy 2 = 450). In both studies, veg*ans showed the greatest ingroup favouritism and reported the highest ingroup identification and perceived discrimination. Meat enjoyment, moral consideration, and perceived veg*an threat (among meat-eaters) predicted dietary ingroup identification in Study 1, whereas perceived discrimination towards one’s dietary group was the strongest predictor of identification among all dietary groups in Study 2. Among meat-avoiders, but not among meat-eaters, stronger dietary ingroup identification was associated with more negative outgroup attitudes. Findings are discussed in light of social identity theories and intergroup perspectives.
Lower meat consumption benefits public health and the environment. This study examined public willingness to reduce meat consumption in Denmark, and the drivers and barriers involved. An online survey (n=1005), representative of the Danish population, carried out in 2019 measured meat dietary habits and willingness to reduce intake using the Stages of Change model, and barriers to, and drivers of, reduction. Approximately 3.5% of those surveyed did not eat meat (vegetarians/vegans), 57% had no intention to reduce their meat consumption (with 5% planning to increase it). About 11.5% intended to reduce, and 27.5% had already reduced meat intake (slightly higher than previously observed). Importantly, those stating that they had already reduced also ate significantly fewer meals with meat than those with no intention or an intention only. Drivers of meat reduction included awareness of the climate impact of meat and social networks containing meat reducers and avoiders. Barriers included food neophobia, incongruence with meat identity, habitual behavior and practical difficulties. Strategies should focus on meat reduction, not exclusion, as completely removing meat from the diet was unpopular. As barriers and drivers differed with stage, we call for specialized campaigns. Consumers not intending to reduce meat intake could potentially be persuaded by climate awareness campaigns, and by promotion of small adaptations to familiar meals. Consumers intending to reduce meat intake may be prompted to do so by health awareness campaigns, changes to choice architecture and increased availability of meatless meals.
Plant-based diets are beneficial to human health and environmental sustainability but suffer from low rates of adherence. For example, many people who self-identify as vegetarian sporadically eat meat and eventually give up their vegetarian diet entirely. We theorize that valuing a lifestyle of pro-environmental behaviors can enable people to adhere to a plant-based diet more successfully. In the current survey study, we tested this prediction among plant-based dieters for two outcomes: short-term adherence (for the past three days) and future-intended dietary adherence (intention to continue one’s diet for the next 1-2 years). Over and above other dietary, motivational, and demographic factors, pro-environmental behavior positively predicted both short-term and future-intended adherence to plant-based diets. Moreover, pro-environmental behavior mediated links between (a) connectedness to nature and dietary adherence and (b) political ideology and dietary adherence. These findings highlight pro-environmental behavior as a tool for explaining and predicting adherence to plant-based diets.
This paper investigates what types of Instagram marketing tools are the most effective in relation to Generation Z's impulse purchasing behaviour within fashion industry in the context of the United Kingdom. The research applies Stimulus-Organism-Response model to the context of Instagram. The findings of this qualitative study based on eight extensive focus groups conclude that there are significant gender differences in relation to impulse purchasing behaviour on Instagram. Instagram is vastly influential in encouraging impulse purchases amongst females, however, this was not the case for male participants. A revised Stimulus-Organism-Response model is proposed to Instagram, concluding that advertisements, opinion leaders and user-generated content act as stimuli (S) in evoking positive emotions (O), which subsequently trigger impulse purchases (R) in Generation Z females.
The production of meat is a main contributor to current dangerous levels of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the shift to more plant-based diets is hampered by consumers finding meat-based foods more attractive than plant-based foods. How can plant-based foods best be described to increase their appeal to consumers? Based on the grounded cognition theory of desire, we suggest that descriptions that trigger simulations, or re-experiences, of eating and enjoying a food will increase the attractiveness of a food, compared to descriptions emphasizing ingredients. In Study 1, we first examined the descriptions of ready meals available in four large UK supermarkets (N = 240). We found that the labels of meat-based foods contained more references to eating simulations than vegetarian foods, and slightly more than plant-based foods, and that this varied between supermarkets. In Studies 2 and 3 (N = 170, N = 166, pre-registered), we manipulated the labels of plant-based and meat-based foods to either include eating simulation words or not. We assessed the degree to which participants reported that the description made them think about eating the food (i.e., induced eating simulations), and how attractive they found the food. In Study 2, where either sensory or eating context words were added, we found no differences with control labels. In Study 3, however, where simulation-based labels included sensory, context, and hedonic words, we found that simulation-based descriptions increased eating simulations and attractiveness. Moreover, frequent meat eaters found plant-based foods less attractive, but this was attenuated when plant-based foods were described with simulation-inducing words. We suggest that language that describes rewarding eating experiences can be used to facilitate the shift toward healthy and sustainable diets.
Scientific literature has shown that a partial replacement of meat-based foods with plant-based foods would be beneficial for public health and the environment. However, both lack of sensory attractiveness and lack of consumer awareness regarding benefits of rebalancing diets in favor of plant protein partially explain the low market shares for meat alternatives. In the context of a possible substitution of a meat product (pork-based sausage) by a visually very close counterpart based on vegetable proteins, the objective of this work was to study the possibility of changing consumer preferences towards the plant-based product by gradually providing information concerning the health or environmental consequences of consuming both types of products. We studied consumers’ preferences after a blind tasting, after a tasting in the presence of the packaging, and after the dissemination of two stages of information. The assessment of consumer preferences was carried out using purchase preferences (PP) and willingness to pay (WTP). After the blind tasting, PP were clearly oriented towards the meat product. After the tasting with packaging information, the gap between the two products narrowed, but PP were still turned towards the meat product. The dissemination of a first informative message about either health or the environment was not enough to modify consumers' WTP. Adding a second message concerning health led to an equivalence of the two products studied in terms of WTP and PP. The combination of the two environmentally informative messages also made it possible to obtain an equivalence of the WTP for both products, but the PP were still turned towards the pork product. This suggests that the impact of additional information depends on the information disseminated. Overall, these results militate in favor of the dissemination of information presenting the consequences of the consumption of meat-based or vegetable protein-based products.
In laboratory studies, exposure to social norm messages conveying the typical eating behaviour of others has influenced participants' own consumption of food. Given the widespread use of social media, it is plausible that we are implicitly exposed to norms in our wider social circles, and that these influence our eating behaviour, and potentially, Body Mass Index (BMI). This study examined whether four perceived norms (perceived descriptive, injunctive, liking and frequency norms) about Facebook users' eating habits and preferences predicted participants' own food consumption and BMI. In a cross-sectional survey, men and women university students (n = 369; mean age = 22.1 years; mean BMI = 23.7) were asked to report their perceptions of Facebook users' consumption of, and preferences for, fruit, vegetables, energy-dense snacks and sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs), their own consumption of and preferences for these foods, and their BMI. Multiple linear regression revealed that perceived descriptive norms and perceived frequency norms about Facebook users' fruit and vegetable consumption were significant positive predictors of participants' own fruit and vegetable consumption (both ps < .01). Conversely, perceived injunctive norms about Facebook users' energy-dense snack and SSB consumption were significant positive predictors of participants' own snack and SSB consumption (both ps < .05). However, perceived norms did not significantly predict BMI (all ps > .05). These findings suggest that perceived norms concerning actual consumption (descriptive and frequency) and norms related to approval (injunctive) may guide consumption of low and high energy-dense foods and beverages differently. Further work is required to establish whether these perceived norms also affect dietary behaviour over time.