Meat substitutes: Understanding the consumption and promotion of protein alternatives

Abstract

Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the plethora of environmental, social, economic, and health issues that surround the production of meat and other animal-based foods. While many consumers continue to engage in consumption of these products, a growing faction of consumers are electing to substitute meat for alternative proteins. This has led to exponential growth in the investment of alternative food innovations as organisations compete to retain the consumer dollar. Ergo, this research aims to understand the consumption drivers and market for alternative proteins, or ‘meat substitutes’. The objective for this research is three-fold: (1) understand the attitudes, perceptions and motivations of consumers, and barriers to the consumption, of meat substitutes; (2) identify key variables related to consumption for the purpose of segmenting the market for meat substitutes; and (3) determine effective persuasion strategies to facilitate behavioural adoption and encourage the substitution of meat. Consequently, this research will adopt a multi-study approach comprising three consecutive studies addressing each research objective in turn. Study One will utilise in-depth interviews and—though the details are yet to be determined—it is expected that Study Two and Three will involve a survey and an experimental design respectively. It is predicted that this research will bridge the gap in academic understanding of the consumer behaviour and market for meat substitutes and will provide knowledge for marketing practitioners. Implications for industry will arise from the ability to better understand consumers of meat substitutes, potential market segments, and appropriate promotional strategies.