Influence of eating environment and protein context in a meal on consumer perceptions, acceptance and expected consumption of alternative proteins: An online study
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Influence of eating environment and protein context in a meal on consumer perceptions, acceptance and expected consumption of alternative proteins: An online study
Influence of eating environment and protein context in a meal on consumer perceptions, acceptance and expected consumption of alternative proteins: An online study
R. Janani, Jia Wen Xanthe Lin, Ai Ting Goh, Keri McCrickerd, Pey Sze Teo,
Influence of eating environment and protein context in a meal on consumer perceptions, acceptance and expected consumption of alternative proteins: An online study,
Science Talks,
Volume 16,
2025,
100488,
ISSN 2772-5693,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sctalk.2025.100488.
Abstract:
Consumer acceptance of alternative proteins (APs) remains low, requiring efforts to identify
ways to encourage shifts in consumer perceptions and behaviors towards APs. We investigated
how meal contextual factors such as evoked protein context and eating environment,
independently and in combination, influenced consumer perceptions, acceptance and expected
consumption of APs in Singapore, and whether associations varied across consumer segments.
Participants (N=822) were pre-grouped into omnivores (n=381) and flexitarians (n=441) in an
online study. Participants rated the perceived healthiness, naturalness, expected liking and
consumption of a ‘chicken-noodles’ dish presented with three protein contexts (animal-based,
plant-based, or an animal/plant hybrid) in four eating environments (home, hawker centre, urban
restaurant, and nature restaurant). Results showed that independently, protein context
influenced expected liking and consumption (both, p<0.001) whereas environment influenced
perceived healthiness and naturalness (both, p<0.001) in all consumers. Omnivores rated liking
and consumption as higher for the hybrid vs. plant-based meal, highlighting the potential of
hybrid protein sources to facilitate the transition towards APs. Participants’ expected
consumption was highest at home (p<0.001). No combined effect was observed (p>0.05). Our
findings suggest meal context could be modified to shift consumer acceptance and consumption
towards APs and aid public health guidance in promoting meat-reduced diets.
License type:
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Funding Info:
This research / project is supported by the Singapore Food Story R&D Programme - Industry Alignment Fund-Pre-Positioning (IAF-PP) on Theme 2 – Future Foods: Alternative Proteins (HBMS Domain)
Grant Reference no. : H20H8a0002