Consumer Acceptance of Plant-Based Meat Alternatives
Summary
Consumer acceptance of plant-based meat alternatives has grown steadily underpinned by concerns for health, environmental sustainability and animal welfare. Taste, texture and price remain the primary determinants of purchase decisions, with familiarity and sensory likeness to conventional meat products driving trial and repeat consumption. Health perceptions and nutritional adequacy are increasingly important, although misunderstandings about nutritional profiles and fortification can hinder uptake. Social norms, cultural preferences and levels of food neophobia influence openness to these products, creating distinct consumer segments ranging from early adopters and flexitarians to sceptical meat loyalists. Market innovation continues to focus on close sensory replication and clear labelling to reduce barriers, while communication strategies aim to align private‐good benefits (e.g. taste, convenience) with public‐good messages (e.g. lower carbon footprint). As product portfolios diversify globally, targeted interventions and tailored marketing across demographic and cultural contexts are proving essential to accelerate the transition towards plant-based protein sources.
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Consumer Acceptance of Plant-Based Meat Alternatives publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in consumer acceptance of plant-based meat alternatives across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Plant-based meat alternatives: Foods designed to mimic the sensory attributes and functionality of meat using plant proteins and other ingredients.
Food neophobia: A reluctance to eat or avoidance of novel foods, often influencing initial trial and acceptance of new products.
Flexitarian diet: A predominantly plant-based eating pattern that permits occasional consumption of meat and animal products.
References
- Plant-based food – Purchasing intentions, barriers and drivers among different organic consumer groups in Denmark. Journal of Cleaner Production (2023).
- A comparative analysis of nutritional quality, amino acid profile, and nutritional supplementations in plant-based products and their animal-based counterparts in the UK. Food Chemistry (2024).
- The shift from meat to plant-based proteins: consumers and public policy. Current Opinion in Food Science (2024).
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