Good and bad vegetarian food

University of Vaasa marketing researchers Roosa-Maaria Malila, PhD researcher, Kyösti Pennanen, Research Director, and Harri Luomala, Professor of Consumer Behaviour at the University of Vaasa, have studied attitudes towards vegetarianism and why meat substitutes still do not make it off the shelf and into the shopping basket.

Food is a surprisingly strong part of each of our identities. It is no longer a completely private matter what choices you make as you wander between supermarket shelves, or what you load onto your plate from the supermarket aisle. As part of the fight against climate change, many plant-based meat substitutes have been launched in recent years, but they have not been a success on the market.

– The consumption of meat and meat substitutes is a highly charged social phenomenon. According to our research, consumers who prefer plant-based alternatives are perceived as socially different - and not in a good way, Malila concludes.

Fear and loathing

According to the research by Malila and partners, people who prefer vegetarian food are associated with a range of positive images. They are admired and appreciated. They are seen as environmentally friendly, health-conscious and moral people.

But the preference for vegetarian options also causes resentment among people. In fact, a research revealed that in addition to positive images, the promotion of vegetarianism also arouses fear, envy, contempt and anger. 

– In our research, we found that people even wanted to act aggressively towards vegetarians or exclude them from social circles.

In the research, participants were asked to form a perception of a fictional consumer based on their shopping list. Participants were presented with three different shopping lists, which varied based on the inclusion or exclusion of animal and plant-based protein products from similar product categories. All lists included the same five staple foods: pasta, bread, apple juice, carrots and bananas, to blur the primary purpose of the research.

One shopping basket was a meat eater's shopping basket, which included items such as minced meat, cold cuts and sausages. The other basket was a so-called “flexible” basket, which contained chicken rolls and vegetable sausages in addition to the basic products. The third basket was rich in meat substitutes, such as vegetable-based dumplings, vegetarian sausages and so on.

– The mixed feelings towards vegetarians reflect the prevailing climate in which the need to reduce meat consumption for environmental reasons will certainly no longer come as a surprise to anyone. Understandably, changing one's own consumption habits is not so simple. This can be reflected in frustration and channeled through those who are already driving change. Of course, the fear of giving up the benefits gained also causes similar feelings, even though a vegetarian diet need not really be a compromise, but the image around it may be perceived as such.

Social challenges

The introduction of the new Nordic dietary recommendations caused a real cut-up frenzy among Finns. The recommendations suggest cutting down on red meat, meat products and salt.

The new dietary recommendations call for vegetarian food. The recommendations aim to put vegetables, berries and fruit, whole grains, pulses and sustainably caught or farmed fish on people's plates. The new recommendations divided opinion in public debates. This phenomenon is in line with research by Malila and partners.

Most of us know how we should eat to do the right thing for the environment and for ourselves. What's the problem that many people still don't?

According to Malila, change starts first and foremost with each individual, but the prevailing structures of our society also play a major role.

– Food is quite a strong part of our social identity. If and when vegetarian food evokes negative feelings, not many people want to risk being associated with it. Belonging to a group is an evolutionary motive. We need acceptance from our fellow human beings.

The focus turns to how those products are marketed to us.

– Reducing meat consumption is essential if we are to ensure a viable future for humans and animals on our planet. The critical question is how to mainstream vegetarianism?

Research shows that marketing could be more creative to appeal to people who have not yet made a change in their diet. Different consumers need to be addressed in different ways. Malila suggests that marketing messages could emphasise how vegetarianism is a better option for the individual rather than highlighting the environmental benefits.

– Encouraging people to make more sustainable food choices is not just about pricing or whether a product tastes like a Michelin-starred masterpiece. It is clear from these findings that sustainable food needs an image makeover if it is to be perceived as socially acceptable. New marketing strategies need to address prevailing prejudices, and thus make skilful use of stereotypes, emotions and behavioural tendencies to overcome them.

Social acceptance requires systemic change

There are many arguments for not switching to a plant-based diet. One of the most frequently raised arguments is cost.

– We have plenty of domestic research to show that the cost of vegetarianism is not the main barrier to adoption, although it is one of them. Social reasons are significantly more of a barrier.

Malila's message is clear: vegetarianism should become the new norm, and for this to happen, major systemic changes in society are needed.

– Such a change must be committed to in the long term. Vegetarianism itself needs a systemic change in image, involving the EU, the state, businesses, consumers and organisations.

First steps have already been taken to change this image. For example, Malila highlights the Vegan Challenge, in which many familiar faces from the public sphere have joined in. However, individual public challenges alone will not be enough for long. Our perception of normality is also shaped by what we see on the shelves of shops and how food is presented, for example in lunch lines.

– The practice of Lidl and S Group, for example, of putting plant-based products on the shelves alongside animal-based products is a good start. The threshold for experiencing products is lowered when a new product is readily available among familiar products. Such concrete actions are particularly important in a country like Finland, where grocery stores play an important role in guiding consumers' choices thanks to their small markets.