Plant-based food – Purchasing intentions, barriers and drivers among different organic consumer groups in Denmark

How do we design policies that support a shift in eating habits towards a diet that includes more vegetable-based products and less meat, and in particular red meat? To inform policy, more information is needed about consumers' perceptions of the plant-based protein alternatives that have become available on the market. The present study of 1000 Danish consumers examined oat drink and plant-based mince as substitutes for cows' milk and minced beef. While the popularity of these is increasing, in 2021 70% of Danish consumers had nonetheless never tried using oat drink or plant-based mince. Respondents who stated that they often bought organic food were more likely to associate the plant-based products with benefits as well as being more likely to have tried using the plant-based products. While plant-based products were associated mainly with public good characteristics, it was private good characteristics that explained consumption of the products. Therefore, improving taste – or changing people's expectations about it – and reducing price are ways to reduce barriers to consumption. Initiatives to improve public understanding of the ways in which plant-based and animal-based products differ are also important, as many respondents were somewhat unclear about which characteristics they associated with the two products.