Ford, Hannah Lily
(2024)
Understanding consumer behaviour regarding sustainability in the food sector:The role of meat reduction and protein alternatives.
PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.
Abstract
The need to better understand and shift current consumer behaviour towards more sustainable food consumption habits is imperative for achieving a more food secure future. Increasingly, consumers are encouraged to reduce consumption of animal-sourced protein and transition towards a wider array of protein sources to alleviate associated environmental pressures and to address public health issues. Yet, the success of a protein transition is partly underpinned by consumer acceptance towards alternative products and changes to consumption habits. Considering the multifaceted nature of sustainability and the complexity of food choice behaviour, it is important to target and explore the influence of certain variables on consumer behaviour to inform behavioural change strategies.
Addressing growing sustainability concerns, this thesis understood consumer perceptions, motivations and attitudes towards sustainable food, specifically focusing on consumer acceptance towards meat reduction and a range of protein alternatives (i.e., plant-based meat substitutes, edible insects, cultured meat) some of which are comparatively under-explored (i.e., plant-based seafood, cultured seafood and precision fermented dairy). It also reviewed some of the key variables likely to influence sustainable food behaviours, specifically socio-demographic (i.e., age and gender), socio-cultural (i.e., comparing Australian, Chinese and UK consumers) and psychological factors (i.e., food neophobia, meat attachment, personality traits). Different data collection techniques were utilised to explore these variables, including; focus group discussions, online surveys and sensory evaluations. In addition, a basic machine learning technique (i.e., regression tree analysis) was applied to analyse complex datasets.
Overall, important insights on the socio-demographic, cultural and psychological factors influencing consumer behaviour regarding sustainable foods were discovered. For example, Australians, especially those aged 35-54 were more attached to meat and were significantly less willing to reduce and adopt alternatives compared to Chinese and UK consumers. Conversely, Chinese females were more attached to meat, with Chinese males more willing to reduce meat and adopt alternatives. The opposite trend was found in the UK, with males more attached to meat and less willing to reduce and adopt alternatives. Differences in acceptance towards protein alternative type was also apparent. Specifically, Australians were more willing to adopt edible insects, whereas Chinese and UK consumers were more willing to adopt plant-based meat substitutes. Moreover, consumers associated with high meat attachment were lower in the personality trait neuroticism in the UK and Australia and higher in neuroticism in China.
Results also provide an improved understanding of the differing motivations, barriers and attribute trade off’s consumers face when considering meat reduction and the acceptance of protein alternatives. In general, food safety and the environmental benefits were the most important motives irrespective of cultural backgrounds. However, the magnitude of importance differed for some protein alternative types. For example, Chinese consumers rated food safety as more important in the context of accepting edible insects. In terms of barriers towards meat reduction and protein alternatives, the mindsets of extremely unwilling consumers, which are a currently under-explored cohort, were reviewed. Open-ended responses related to the belief that meat consumption is necessary for health reasons and that protein alternatives are Unnecessary, Unappealing, Unnatural, Unsafe, Unhealthy and Unsustainable.
Findings contributed to the current literature in the field of sustainable consumer food behaviour and extended findings by considering gaps in the research field. Particularly, novel aspects related to the comparisons between a range of protein alternatives and between western and non-western consumers. It also considered novel technologies (i.e., precision fermented dairy) including within a sensory tasting (i.e., ‘hypothetical’ precision fermented yoghurt). This thesis also reviewed under-explored psychological associations (i.e., meat attachment and personality traits) and consumer cohorts (i.e., extremely unwilling consumers). Subsequently, results highlight the need to include country-specific meat reduction strategies, which include appropriate protein alternatives, applicable to specific consumer-segments. The suggestions provided in relation to how best to support protein transitions are therefore of interest to the wider food industry, policy makers and fellow researchers.
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