1. Replacement of meat by meat substitutes. A survey on person- and product-related factors in consumer acceptance
- Author
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Frans J. Kok, Pieternel A. Luning, Wim Engels, P.L.G. Weijzen, Cees de Graaf, Annet C. Hoek, Hoek, Annette, Luning, PA, Weijzen, P, Engels, W, Kok, FJ, and de Graaf, C
- Subjects
Male ,Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ,neophobia ,Choice Behavior ,meat ,meat substitutes ,consumption frequency ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Food choice ,Marketing ,General Psychology ,Sensory Science and Eating Behaviour ,media_common ,Netherlands ,Nutrition and Dietetics ,attitudes ,Diet, Vegetarian ,vegetarian ,Neophobia ,Product Design and Quality Management Group ,familiar ,Product (business) ,quality ,vegetarianism ,Psychology ,Attitude to Health ,food choice motives ,Attractiveness ,Adult ,Meat ,life-style ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Diet Surveys ,Food Preferences ,motives ,medicine ,Humans ,Quality (business) ,VLAG ,Related factors ,Consumption (economics) ,Food, Formulated ,Global Nutrition ,Analysis of Variance ,Wereldvoeding ,food choice questionnaire ,Leerstoelgroep Productontwerpen en kwaliteitskunde ,Consumer Behavior ,food neophobia ,medicine.disease ,United Kingdom ,Consumer survey ,Sensoriek en eetgedrag ,Socioeconomic Factors ,consumer attitudes ,integrative model - Abstract
What does it take to increase the consumption of meat substitutes and attract new consumers? We identified main barriers and drivers by a consumer survey (n= 553) in the U.K. and the Netherlands. Person-related factors (food neophobia and food choice motives) and product-related attitudes and beliefs towards meat and meat substitutes were compared between non-users (n= 324), light/medium-users (n= 133) and heavy-users of meat substitutes (n= 96). Consumer acceptance was largely determined by the attitudes and beliefs towards meat substitutes and food neophobia. Key barriers for non-users and light/medium-users were the unfamiliarity with meat substitutes and the lower sensory attractiveness compared to meat. In addition, non-users had a higher tendency to avoid new foods. Hence, the less consumers were using meat substitutes, the more they wanted these products to be similar to meat. Although non-users and light/medium-users did recognize the ethical and weight-control aspects of meat substitutes, this was obviously less relevant to them. Actually, only heavy-users had high motivations to choose ethical foods, which explains their choice for meat substitutes. In order to make meat substitutes more attractive to meat consumers, we would not recommend to focus on communication of ethical arguments, but to significantly improve the sensory quality and resemblance to meat Refereed/Peer-reviewed
- Published
- 2011