14 November 2019

New study of consumers' attitude towards a plant-based diet

Research

Consumer knowledge and attitudes towards the term “plant-based diet” has been investigated in Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain, in a new study carried out at UCPH FOOD.

Both a higher awareness of human health and the environment drives the transition towards consumption of a more plant-based diet.
But how do the consumers understand and what is their attitude towards the term “plant-based” compared to other terms as vegetarian or vegan diets?
This is what Armando Perez-Cueto and colleagues at Department of Food Science at University of Copenhagen (UCPH FOOD) have explored in their new study.

Young adults in Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain were asked to fill out a questionnaire regarding their understanding, awareness, attitude towards and the overall appeal of the terms plant-based, vegetarian and vegan diets.

Overall, plant-based diet was found to be a less known and understood concept than both vegetarian and vegan diets and often regarded the same as a vegan diet. However, participants e.g. in BE and NL had a better understanding of the concept, and also found plant-based diet more appealing than the other options.

Improving the consumers’ knowledge and awareness of plant-based diets could then possibly contribute to increase the appeal and intake of plant-based diets in the future, hence to a more sustainable and responsible consumption.

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