Predicting and promoting the consumption of plant-based meat

Abstract

PurposeThe present research aimed to understand how to predict and promote plant-based meat (PBM) consumption.Design/methodology/approachIn Study 1 (N = 550), the authors investigated the psychosocial antecedents of the intentions to add PBM and to replace animal meat with PBM. In Study 2 (N = 390), the authors tested the effectiveness of different environmental messages promoting PBM consumption. The authors compared the effects of an addition message condition (i.e. a message promoting the addition of PBM to one's diet), a replacement message condition (i.e. a message promoting the replacement of animal meat with PBM) and a control condition (i.e. no message). In both studies, the authors considered the moderation of past PBM consumption (PMB eaters vs PBM noneaters).FindingsStudy 1 showed that a positive attitude towards eating PBM and a high awareness of the environmental consequences of meat production were key antecedents of participants' intention to eat PBM. The role of the other psychosocial antecedents varied according to past PBM consumption. Study 2 showed that both addition and replacement messages increased non-PBM eaters' positive attitude towards eating PBM and in turn willingness to pay for PBM. Instead, only replacement messages increased PBM eaters' willingness to pay for PBM.Originality/valueThe present research developed a model integrating the key psychosocial predictors of people's intentions to eat PBM. Furthermore, it is the first research that compared the persuasiveness of different environment messages to promote PBM consumption.

Legumes or Meat? The Effectiveness of Recommendation Messages towards a Plant-Based Diet Depends on People’s Identification with Flexitarians

“…In a previous study on the promotion of plant-based meat, not only addition but also replacement messages were immediately effective [ 30 ]. We can interpret the difference between these findings and the present ones by referring to two main considerations.…”

“…Addition refers to the inclusion of a specific food in the diet, replacement regards the substitution of a food option with another one, and elimination relates to totally giving up a certain food. Only one study compared the effectiveness of addition and replacement messages with the aim of promoting a flexitarian diet, that is, a diet based on a reduced consumption of meat but not on its complete elimination [ 30 ]. The results of this study indicated that when people had never eaten plant-based meat, both addition and replacement messages increased positive attitude toward plant-based meat, and in turn willingness to pay for it.…”

“…However, prior research did not observe a significant effect of these messages on actual behavior. Precisely, the former did not include a measurement of participants’ food consumption changes [ 30 ]. The latter included this measurement but did not record any significant changes [ 44 ].…”

Psychosocial drivers influencing local food purchasing: beyond availability, the importance of trust in farmers

“…However, changes in local food purchasing during the COVID-19 period might also modulate the impact of psychosocial antecedents on future intention to purchase local food. Indeed, a large number of studies have already shown how past behavior and the actual stage of change moderate the effect of multiple predictors of food choices on future intention (35)(36)(37). To date, no study has conducted a similar investigation regarding the purchase of local food.…”

Plant-based food is unhealthy—that’s not true! How can corrective messages help promote plant-based menus in quick-service restaurants?

“…The effectiveness of communication messages to promote sustainable food products in the hospitality field has been examined using construal level theory (Shao et al , 2020), prospect theory (Carfora et al , 2022) and self-construal theory (Zhang et al , 2021). These studies have tested the effectiveness of messages that describe the values or benefits of the promoted foods.…”