Why Consumers Still Choose Meat Over Plant-Based Alternatives

< p>When Dutch consumers weigh health, sustainability, and price in everyday meal choices, conventional meat remains the preferred option over plant-based replacers and legumes when all other product attributes are held equal. Published in the journal Current Developments in Nutrition, a recent study examined the decision-making patterns of 272 Dutch adults across two distinct meal scenarios, highlighting the complex behavioral barriers standing in the way of widespread dietary transitions in high-income nations.

Dietary Transition Challenges in High-Income Nations

Current dietary patterns in high-income nations, including the Netherlands, can harm both human and planetary health. Cooking skills, cultural factors, and familiarity are possible reasons for the low use of plant-based protein foods, and understanding consumers’ food-choice motives can help identify factors that accelerate or impede a shift in diet.

Discrete Choice Experiment Methodology and Meal Scenarios

To examine those trade-offs, the researchers used a discrete choice experiment, a stated-preference method used to estimate preferences, trade-offs between product attributes, and willingness to pay. The final sample was broadly representative for age, sex, and region, but highly educated adults were overrepresented. This criterion excluded vegetarians, vegans, and people who had not recently eaten from one of the categories. They were presented with two meal scenarios: a pasta meal and a traditional Dutch potatoes-meat-vegetables meal. In each scenario, participants completed 10 choice tasks, each requiring them to select one option from meat, a meat replacer, or legumes.

Attribute Evaluation and Preference Findings

The attributes varied across tasks and covered nutritional, environmental, and production considerations. Price varied across three levels. The researchers analyzed the choices using a multinomial logit model and latent class analysis to identify the relative importance of each attribute and examine preference patterns among consumer subgroups. In both the pasta and traditional meal scenarios, participants preferred meat over meat replacers and legumes when the listed attributes were held equal. In baseline questions, 77.9% of participants rated meat as the tastiest of the three categories.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and scientific communication purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical condition, diagnosis, or treatment plan.