Opportunities for the Adoption of Health-Based Sustainable Dietary Patterns: A Review on Consumer Research of Meat Substitutes

Abstract

This article reviews empirical research on consumers’ adoption of meat substitutes published up to spring 2018. Recent meat substitutes often have sustainable characteristics in line with consumers’ concerns over aspects of healthy food and the environmental impact of food production. However, changing lifestyles with less time for cooking, any transition from a strongly meat-based to a more plant-based diet depends on the successful establishment of convenient meat substitutes. This article reviews the growing body of research on meat substitutes. These research articles were classified into five different stages in line with the innovation-decision process of: knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation and confirmation. The research was analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively, with results suggesting that although health, environmental and animal welfare aspects can persuade consumers and influence their decision to try a meat substitute, the appearance and taste of those meat substitutes are crucial factors for their consumption on a regular basis. However, there still remains a gap in research articles focusing on the regular consumption of meat substitutes.

Plant-Based Meat Substitutes in the Flexitarian Age: An Audit of Products on Supermarket Shelves

“…According to a recent review of consumer research, Weinrich found that environmental arguments were not the basis for decisions to purchase and consume from this category of plant-based meat substitutes. Taste, appearance and availability were far more important [14]. The number of products available in mainstream supermarkets is five times that of 2015 and now products are often placed in the chilled meat section adjacent to meat, many with a clear window as part of the packaging so the appearance and similarity to meat is in view.…”

“…Increasing consumption of plant-based foods, and decreasing animal foods, has been described as a health and environmental ‘win-win’ by authors of the EAT Lancet report, which describes targets for a healthy diet and sustainable food production system [13]. Greater knowledge and awareness means sustainability has emerged as a significant focus for food producers and consumers alike, based on three dimensions; ecological, social and economic, and now a fourth dimension focused on health [14].…”

“…Since 2015, launches of plant-based meat substitutes that mimic the taste, texture, and appearance of animal-based products have exceeded 4400 products worldwide [20]. Modelling suggests the plant-based meat market in Australia alone may reach $3 billion in sales by 2030 [21], however it is unknown if consumers are truly viewing these as a direct substitute for meat, with little consumer research [14], and a poor understanding of how these products compare with currently available meat cuts and traditional forms of meat such as burgers, mince and sausages.…”

Considering Plant-Based Meat Substitutes and Cell-Based Meats: A Public Health and Food Systems Perspective

“…The implications of such drastic economic transitions should be further explored, especially for the well-being of farmers and farmworkers, who already experience poor mental health outcomes compared to other professions due to a variety of factors including financial stress, pesticide exposure, and climate variabilities (Daghagh et al, 2019). This is especially pertinent given recent media attention (the scientific literature has not caught up yet) to a looming economic and suicide crisis among American farmers considering the persistent agricultural recession, diminished farm income, rapidly increasing debts, and extreme flooding events (Harvie, 2017;Weingarten, 2018;Simpson, 2019). Moreover, if cell-based meat were produced in cities, it could also further perpetuate rural population loss and the associated disintegration of rural economies, which are largely dependent on agriculture (Tuomisto and Teixeira de Mattos, 2011;Johnson and Lichter, 2019;Pender et al, 2019).…”

Gender Differences in Attitudes to Vegans/Vegetarians and Their Food Preferences, and Their Implications for Promoting Sustainable Dietary Patterns–A Systematic Review

“…While the relationship between diet and sex/gender, especially in the context of meat consumption, has been the subject of scientific debate for a long time [30][31][32], scientists have only recently begun to empirically study people who exclude meat from their diet, i.e., vegans/vegetarians. The purpose of this review is to raise awareness of the gender differences as regards social perceptions, but also in terms of individual attitudes to vegetarian/vegan diets.…”