Value attitude behaviour and social stigma in the adoption of veganism: An integrated model

Anne Renée Brouwer,Clare D'Souza,Stephen Singaraju,Luis Alfredo Arango-Soler

doi:10.1016/j.foodqual.2021.104479

Anne Renée Brouwer, Clare D'Souza + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2021.104479

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Abstract

While veganism has been growing and receiving increasing attention, there is a gap on how factors such as health and environmental beliefs and anti-speciesism values, that create attitude towards their diets, influence their vegan behaviour. Furthermore, the role of social stigma experienced by vegans has not been examined within this context. Building on the value-attitude-behaviour model, the present study addresses this gap by conceptualizing these different streams of variables to build a testable conceptual framework for understanding how these factors contribute to maintaining a vegan lifestyle. The study uses structural equation modelling to analyse the data on 315 vegan consumers, testing the framework and its variables. The study shows that the value‐attitude‐behaviour model can successfully be applied to vegan behaviour. The findings show that anti-speciesism values are strong predictors of a positive attitude toward a vegan diet. Furthermore, social stigma does not inhibit consumers from maintaining a vegan lifestyle. Ultimately, the study contributes to a novel multifaceted model for understanding veganism in broader terms, allowing for the examination of other influencing factors on a complex outcome. The findings are useful for policymakers and marketing practitioners to engage in understanding behavioural segments.

Highlights

Veganism has grown in popularity in recent years and is forecasted to keep rising
Building on the value-attitude-behaviour model, the present study addresses this gap by concep tualizing these different streams of variables to build a testable conceptual framework for understanding how these factors contribute to maintaining a vegan lifestyle
As discussed in the preceding paragraph, one of the main features of the value-attitude-behaviour theory (VAB) model is the emphasis on the role of attitudes on the values and behaviours relationship, and so the current study provides much-needed insight into the relationship between vegan values and beliefs and at titudes through the following hypotheses: H1: Environmental beliefs have a positive direct effect on attitudes

Summary

Introduction

Veganism has grown in popularity in recent years and is forecasted to keep rising. In 2016, market research found that Britain’s vegan popu lation had tripled from 2006 to 2016, going from 150,000 to 542,000 (Finnerty & Townend, 2020). The market value for plant-based prod ucts is forecasted to be $14.3 billion in 2025, compared to an estimated $8.9 billion in 2019 (Statista, 2021). An example of a multina tional company joining the vegan movement through expanding its scope of plant-based alternatives is McDonalds. They recently rolled out its McPlant burger in Denmark and Sweden, co-developed with Beyond Meat Inc. The latter formed a joint venture with PepsiCo to establish The PLANeT Partnership to develop, produce and market innovative food products made from plant-based protein (Pep siCo, 2021)

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