Drivers and Barriers for Plant-Based Cheese Alternatives Adoption: Insights from Diverse Consumer Clusters

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Consumer Behavior
• Sustainable Consumption

Background:

• Plant-based diets are promoted to reduce environmental impacts from animal agriculture.
• Understanding consumer drivers and barriers is crucial for promoting plant-based alternatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the primary drivers and barriers influencing Danish consumers' adoption of plant-based cheese alternatives.
• To identify consumer segments based on sensory preferences for plant-based cheese.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was conducted with 550 Danish consumers.
• Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering was used to group consumers based on flavor and texture preferences.
• Analysis of motivations and barriers across different consumer segments.

Main Results:

• Four consumer groups were identified based on sensory preferences: dairy-mimicking (flavor & texture), dairy-like flavor/flexible texture, dairy-like texture/flexible flavor, and novelty seekers.
• Product availability was a significant barrier for consumers preferring dairy-like alternatives.
• Sensory perception and convenience were less influential for consumers seeking novelty.

Conclusions:

• Consumer preferences for sensory attributes (flavor, texture) are critical in shaping adoption of plant-based cheese.
• Tailored market strategies are needed, considering that product availability is a barrier for some segments, while sensory appeal is less critical for others.
• Dietary patterns (omnivore, flexitarian, vegetarian, vegan) did not significantly differentiate these consumer clusters.