Why Some People, But Not Others, Choose A Plant-Based Diet
People with general consumption orientations favoring communication, ethics, and exploration are most willing to switch to plant-based diets, while those who favor choice are least willing to change.
MICHAEL GREENBLATT: ‘Understanding why some people are amenable to a veg*n diet but others are not is extremely valuable, not just for animal advocates who are trying to reduce animal suffering, but also for companies that are trying to facilitate a shift toward plant-based diets by offering plant-based alternatives to animal products. In a study of consumption preferences, the authors hoped to learn what motivates consumers to purchase products by surveying people about their consumption habits and orientations.
‘The researchers aimed to achieve this by classifying respondents’ preferences into different categories, both in terms of their views of consumption generally and their views on food consumption specifically. They then compared the answers in these categories to the answers the participants gave when the researchers asked about their current eating habits, factors that enable them to start eating plant-based meals, and about their willingness to adopt a plant-based diet. In this way, they were able to rate how favorably each person responds to statements regarding plant-based diets.
A higher score indicates they are more likely to adopt a plant-based diet. To conduct the survey, the researchers questioned 1,600 people in Portugal between November and December 2018. The authors categorize general consumption orientations in eight ways: constraint, hedonism, prosumerism, choice, communication, ethics, exploration, and sufficiency. Meanwhile, they classified food consumption orientations in seven categories: health, convenience, pleasure, naturalness, sociability, price, and social image…
Respondents with general consumption orientations favoring communication, ethics, and exploration are most willing to switch to plant-based diets, while those who favor choice are least willing to change. Those leaning toward prosumerism and hedonism favor their current diets. Similarly, those with food consumption orientations that favor health, naturalness, price, and sociability will consider adopting plant-based diets.
Interestingly, the authors note that the sociability preference is positively associated with a willingness to reduce meat consumption, but not with a willingness to adopt a plant-based diet. This presents a complex challenge for companies and advocates that want to eliminate negative associations with plant-based diets… In general, the researchers conclude that there is no single strategy for getting an entire population to change their diets; instead, we need multiple strategies simultaneously to appeal to each individual orientation’. SOURCE…
RELATED VIDEO: