Effects of intrinsic and extrinsic product characteristics related to protein source, health and environmental sustainability, on product choice and sensory evaluation of meatballs and plant-based alternatives

Abstract

Health is cited as a major driver for substituting meat with plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs). In contrast, many consumers are reportedly unaware of the difference in environmental impact between meat and PBMAs. This study determined relative effects of internal (protein source) and external (health/origin/sustainability) product attributes on product choice and (expected) liking of meat and PBMAs.Participants (n = 144) ranked ten sets of three product concepts from best to worst in a discrete choice experiment (DCE). Random combinations of four product attributes were presented on hypothetical product packages: i) protein source (beef/chickpea/soy protein); ii) health-star rating (1.5/4.5 stars); iii) ingredient origin (local/imported); iv) sustainability rating (green tick absent/present), and product worth, related to each of the 24 possible attribute combinations, was determined. Secondly, commercially-available beef, soy, and chickpea products were sensorially evaluated for expected/actual liking, both blindly and alongside combinations of internal/external product attributes used in the DCE.The DCE indicated all product attributes affected product worth. However, two consumer segments were established: i) a ‘Protein Cluster’ (47%) comprising consumers who chose ‘beef’ products regardless of the remaining attributes present, and ii) a ‘Health/Sustainability Cluster’ (53%) of consumers whose choices were driven by positive health/sustainability claims. Protein source drove both expected and actual liking of the samples (p < 0.001). Health/origin/sustainability also contributed to expected liking (p < 0.05), but only health consistently affected actual liking ratings (p < 0.05).In conclusion, half of consumers chose products based on health/origin/sustainability claims, whereas the other half selected products based on protein source. Origin/sustainability claims affected product choice, but minimally affected product experience of plant-based samples.