What Europeans think about alternative protein foods
Author: SWPS University
Published: 2024/05/27
Post type: Findings – Peer Reviewed: Yeah
Content: Summary – Introduction – Major – Related
Synopsis: Researchers from SWPS University analyzed European consumers’ attitudes towards alternative protein food products. The research showed that many consumers value hybrid products, that is, those that combine conventional and alternative proteins, more than meat products in terms of the attributes of being healthy, ethical, environmentally friendly and nutritious. Studies show that consumers in Poland and the Czech Republic have less knowledge about innovative food products and a greater reluctance to adopt novel foods compared to Danish and German consumers.
Introduction
Why do people in Paris like seaweed and tofu salad? Will Italians be tempted to try a beetle skewer? How many young Polish consumers are “food innovators” eager to eat chickpea pate? In an international project, researchers from SWPS University analyzed the attitudes of European consumers towards alternative protein food products.
Main summary
In the fight against climate change, more and more people are modifying their diets, giving up or limiting conventional sources of protein (for example, beef, pork, poultry and animal dairy) in favor of those with a lower environmental impact. These are so-called alternative protein food products (APF), which can be based on legumes, algae, mushrooms, crustaceans and insects.
Although Europe is the leading market for APF production and sales and original research on this topic is growing, there has been no synthesis of cross-country differences in APF options across Europe.says Hanna Zaleśkiewicz from the CARE-BEH Center for Applied Research on Health and Health Behavior at SWPS University.
Researchers from SWPS University, together with experts from Germany, Denmark, Greece, Norway and Italy, analyzed research from 11 peer-reviewed journal databases. In total, their analysis included 25 studies conducted in 18 European countries. The results were published in Food quality and preference. The researchers especially focused on data from Denmark, Finland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Germany.
Healthy and ethical in theory, but what about practice?
Research shows that many consumers value hybrid products, that is, those that combine conventional and alternative proteins, more than meat products in terms of the attributes of being healthy, ethical, environmentally friendly and nutritious. This trend is especially observed among Danish consumers, but also among consumers in other countries, for example the United Kingdom and Spain.
However, positive attitudes and beliefs do not always translate into the intention to purchase such products. 60% of studies addressing APF-related purchase intentions indicate that Danish consumers have a relatively low intention to purchase APF products. In one study, only 46% of them were willing to buy hybrid meat (a product that combines plants and meat), compared to 63% of consumers in Spain and 53% in the United Kingdom.1
Few Polish “food innovators”
Studies show that consumers in Poland and the Czech Republic have less knowledge about innovative food products and a greater reluctance to adopt novel foods compared to Danish and German consumers.
These patterns should be considered in the context of persistently high meat (compared to legumes) intake per capita in the years between 2018 and 2020 in countries such as Poland.2explains Hanna Zaleśkiewicz.
A comparison between German and Polish consumers (aged 55 years and older) indicated that Polish respondents had significantly lower levels of knowledge about innovative food products (including those containing APF), were more hesitant in their decisions, and decided less frequently to purchase such products. products.3.
A study4 of young consumers indicated that among Germans, “food innovators” (i.e. those who buy soon after various innovative foods become available) and “early followers” (those who buy after some consideration) constitute 73 % of the population.
This contrasts with findings observed among young people in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In those countries, “food innovators” and “early adopters” make up only 24 to 36 percent of young consumers. While a strong reluctance to purchase innovative APFs was not found among young consumers in Germany, it was present among 13-17% of consumers in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Insects on a plate?
Analysis shows that consumers are reluctant to purchase insect-based APF. Only between 18 and 22% of consumers in the United Kingdom and Spain declare that they are willing to buy this type of product. Consumers in Sweden and Finland report more positive beliefs about insect-based foods than consumers in Germany and the Czech Republic. Consumers in Italy are much less likely to choose these products than consumers in northern or western Europe (e.g. Denmark, Belgium).
Food culture and eating patterns in Northern Europe might have changed in recent decades, while Italian food culture is considered one of the strongest in Europe, with more than 200 food products, where meat plays an important role. . says the SWPS University researcher.
Algae conquer cosmopolitan cities
Specific differences in consumer acceptance and interest in APFs are observed in certain cities.
Rural-urban differences within the country can be explained not by the size of the city but rather by its multicultural and cosmopolitan character. comments the researcher.
For example, cities such as Paris and Helsinki, which are more ethnically diverse, tend to exhibit higher levels of consumer acceptance of APF compared to consumers in cities with less ethnically diverse consumers.5 6. Consumers in such major cities are also more likely to have restaurants that offer alternative cuisine or introduce new food trends, including alternative proteins.
A good example is Paris, where the average consumption of algae-based APF is higher than that of five other French cities. This can be explained by a relatively large population of inhabitants of Asian origin who accept algae-based foods.
Promote consumer motivation
The authors of the analysis emphasize that their findings can help develop strategies aimed at increasing APF options. Taking into account different approaches and levels of knowledge about APF in each country will allow different promotion strategies to be used.
Taking into account the level of weak or moderate consumption and the declared intention to purchase APF, it is necessary, for example, to develop and implement promotional campaigns that increase consumer motivation. Motivational factors could include perceived health benefits, environmental benefits, and animal welfare motives.comments Hanna Zaleśkiewicz.
The study was carried out as part of the international project “LIKE-A-PRO From niche to mainstream: alternative proteins for everyone, everywhere”, led on behalf of SWPS University by Professor Aleksandra Łuszczyńska. The project is funded by the European Union within the Horizon Europe Framework Programme.
References
1. Grasso, S., Asioli, D. and Smith, R. (2022). Consumer co-creation of hybrid meat products: a European cross-country survey. Food Quality and Preference, 100, Article 104586.
2.FAO (2023). FAOSTAT. Accessed August 27, 2023.
3. Zabrocki, R. (2017). A comparative analysis of the determinants of the behavior of Polish and German consumers over 55 years of age in the innovative food market. Handel Wewnętrzny, 1(366), 413-423.
4. Barska, A. (2014). Attitudes of young consumers towards innovations in the food market. Management, 18(1), 419-431.
5. Lucas, S., Gouin, S. and Lesueur, M. (2019). Seaweed consumption and labeling preferences in France. Marine Resources Economics, 34(2), 143-162.
6. Nevalainen, E., Niva, M. and Vainio, A. (2023). Is a transition to plant-based diets coming? Meat substitutions by consumers in their diets in Finland. Food Quality and Preference, 104, Article 104754
Attribution/Source(s):
This peer-reviewed publication titled European consumer attitudes towards alternative protein food products was selected for publication by the editors of Disabled World due to its relevance to the disability community. While content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity, it was originally written by SWPS University and published on 05/27/2024. For more details or clarifications, you can contact SWPS University directly at swps.edu.pl Disabled World does not provide any warranty or endorsement related to this article.
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