Consumers more inclined to eat ‘alternative’proteins compared to 2015

Alternative proteins are not widely accepted yet by consumers. Alternative proteins which are already known, like fish and pulses, are most accepted by consumers and insects are least accepted. A comparison across years reveals that consumers have a higher acceptance towards all alternative proteins, and identify less as meat eaters, in 2019 compared to 2015. However, self-reported consumption of alternative proteins shows no differences across years, which indicates a gap between intentions and behaviour. The most relevant drivers of intention are emotions and social norms, indicating the relevance of unconscious and affective factors in understanding consumer acceptance of alternative proteins.