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Abstract
To get more insight into consumers’ habits, wishes and attitudes with regard to meat analogues, an international survey was designed and carried out in the Netherlands (NL), Germany (DE), the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States of America (USA) to answer the questions of “what”, “where”, and “when” consumers eat, or would like to eat, meat analogues, and the familiarity with (preparation of ) meat analogues. For each country, 1000 persons participated in the survey. These participants represented the population in socio-demographic characteristics, and were evenly distributed over four groups with regard to their weekly meat consumption frequency, ranging from vegetarians (no meat at all) to people who eat meat 6 or 7 times a week. Topics that were covered in the questionnaire were: current meat analogue consumption habits, preparation skills and knowledge, and desires regarding meat analogues. The current report focuses on country differences specifically; unless indicated otherwise, responses were averaged across meat consumption frequency groups. The main findings can be summarized as follows: • Meat analogue eating habits. Meat analogues are eaten at least one day a week by almost half of the respondents (46%); this percentage is considerably lower in Germany (36%). Meat analogue consumption frequency is higher for consumers that eat meat less often. Consumers typically associate meat analogues with warm meals, home settings, and everyday eating situations, especially in the Netherlands. • Preparation skills and knowledge. Preparing meat analogue products is considered to be quite easy and enjoyable, and not more difficult than preparing meat. German consumers are overall least skilled; only US consumers express a preference for ready-made over selfprepared meals with meat analogues. • Wishes and desires regarding meat analogues. o A considerable part of consumers would like to see more product variety in the supermarkets, but product-specific wishes and desires beyond what is currently available were limited. So consumers indicate they want more variety, but they do not know which specific products they want. o Seasoned products are preferred by more consumers than unseasoned products. Product forms typically used in warm dishes (large piece, chunks, mince) are overall desired most; relative preferences for small/large pieces or mince differ according to the type of meat being substituted (chicken, beef, pork). US consumers are most open to product types and forms other than those typically used in warm dishes. o Consumers express no strong preference for meat analogues to resemble their animal counterparts, but preferences are stronger for flexitarians relative to both frequent meat eaters and no-meat eaters (especially in the Netherlands). • For the vast majority of questions in the survey, differences between countries were small. Attitudes, habits and wishes regarding meat analogues were found to vary more strongly with consumers’ meat eating habits, such that attitudes, habits and wishes regarding meat analogues were more positive and stronger for consumers who less often eat meat (Not the scope of this report). Based on these insights, a number of recommendations is formulated for product developers and marketeers, as well as suggestions for follow-up consumer studies to investigate how consumer acceptance of meat analogues can be further increased to accelerate the shift from an animal-based to a more sustainable diet.
Original language | English |
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Place of Publication | Wageningen |
Publisher | Wageningen Food & Biobased Research |
Number of pages | 45 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2021 |
Publication series
Name | Rapport / Wageningen Food & Biobased Research |
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No. | 2151 |
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Dive into the research topics of 'Consumer perspectives on meat analogues: an international survey: Comparison of consumer perspectives from the USA, the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands PPS PlantPROMISE, WP3'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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DFI-LWV19027 - PlantPROMISE: Plant PROtein Meat alternativeS using Extrusion (BO-57-105-002, BO-46-003-014)
Pouvreau, L. (Project Leader)
1/06/19 → 31/12/23
Project: LVVN project