Leave the milk for the calf and spread the word: Exploring factors determining US consumers’ willingness to try plant-based milk alternatives and their word-of-mouth sharing about plant-based milk alternatives

Rombach, MeikeCong, LeiDean, David2024-04-142024-04-092024-062024-04-062306-5710WJ8B0 (isidoc)https://hdl.handle.net/10182/17097Plant-based milk alternatives are important beverages in US consumer markets. Sustainability, consumer awareness, lifestyle changes, and other value-based reasons are why these beverages are increasing in popularity. The present study is focused on plant-based milk alternatives. It builds on an online consumer survey that explores the factors explaining US consumers’ willingness to try plant-based milk alternatives and their word-of-mouth sharing about these beverages. Animal welfare concerns, environmental concerns, health consciousness, and dairy preferences are the factors under investigation. Results show that animal welfare, dairy preference, environmental concerns, and plant-based milk enthusiasm are significant predictors for willingness to try plant-based milk alternatives. Dairy preferences, environmental concerns, and plant-based milk enthusiasm predict the word-of-mouth factors. Overall, plant-based milk enthusiasm is the strongest driver for both consumer behaviours. Best practice recommendations address marketers in the US food and beverage industry and provide suggestions on how to target different consumer groups based on nutritional preferences and needs and on value-based product characteristics.16 pagesen© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.animal welfareconsumersplant-based milk enthusiasmLeave the milk for the calf and spread the word: Exploring factors determining US consumers’ willingness to try plant-based milk alternatives and their word-of-mouth sharing about plant-based milk alternativesJournal Article10.3390/beverages100200272306-5710ANZSRC::350602 Consumer-oriented product or service developmentANZSRC::350601 Consumer behaviourANZSRC::300601 Beverage chemistry and beverage sensory scienceANZSRC::3006 Food scienceshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Attribution