How perceptions of meat consumption norms differ across contexts and meat consumer groups

Area of Science:

• Behavioral science
• Social psychology
• Food consumption studies

Background:

• Social norms, encompassing descriptive (what is done) and injunctive (what is acceptable), significantly impact meat consumption behaviors.
• Understanding individual differences and contextual variations in norm perceptions is crucial for effective meat reduction strategies.
• Limited research exists on the nuanced differences in norm perceptions within and across individuals and contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine how descriptive, injunctive, and personal norm perceptions favoring meat consumption vary across different contexts (supermarket, restaurant, worksite cafeteria).
• To investigate differences in generic dynamic norm perceptions among distinct meat consumer groups.
• To identify meat consumer typologies and analyze their norm perception patterns.

Main Methods:

• Online cross-sectional survey of 1205 British meat eaters (25-65 years).
• Meat consumption assessed using the adapted Oxford Meat Frequency Questionnaire.
• Norm perceptions measured across supermarket, restaurant, and worksite cafeteria contexts; dynamic norms assessed generically. A two-step cluster analysis identified consumer groups.

Main Results:

• Descriptive norms favoring meat were strongest in supermarkets and restaurants compared to worksite cafeterias.
• Injunctive and personal norms favoring meat were strongest in supermarkets, followed by restaurants, and weakest in worksite cafeterias.
• Four meat consumer groups emerged: higher meat intake groups (Meat lovers, Exceeders) perceived pro-meat norms more strongly and anti-meat norms weaker than lower intake groups (Flexitarians, Moderates).

Conclusions:

• Norm perceptions related to meat consumption are context-dependent, with supermarkets and restaurants showing stronger pro-meat norms.
• Distinct meat consumer groups exhibit varying norm perception profiles, with higher consumers internalizing pro-meat norms more intensely.
• Interventions aimed at reducing meat consumption should consider both specific contexts and identified consumer groups for tailored approaches.