How Consumers Prioritise Alternative Protein Sources: Evidence from Seven Northern and Baltic European Countries

Transforming food systems is critical to addressing environmental and public health challenges, and alternative protein sources (APs) are increasingly promoted as part of sustainable dietary transitions in Europe. However, consumers may not prioritise all AP sources equally. This study examines how consumers in seven Northern and Baltic European countries prioritise different AP sources simultaneously and identifies the characteristics associated with these preference patterns. Data were collected through an online survey of 4,671 respondents (50% women). Participants ranked six AP sources, including fermented plant-based, cultivated, fungi-based, algae-based, insect-based, and extruded plant proteins. Cluster analysis is used to identify preference profiles, and logistic regression models are applied to examine associations with socio-demographic characteristics, attitudes, and personal values. Four distinct preference profiles were identified: a Fermented and Fungi Preference Group, a Fungi Preference Group, a Cultivated Protein Preference Group, and a Fermented Protein Preference Group. Fermented proteins were most frequently prioritised, whereas insect-based proteins consistently occupied the lowest-ranked positions. No distinct preference profile emerged around algae- or insect-based proteins. Profile membership was more consistently associated with attitudes towards specific AP sources and personal values than with socio-demographic characteristics alone. These findings demonstrate that consumers do not share a single pattern of preferences for APs and alternative protein sources are not prioritised equally. By examining the relative prioritisation of multiple AP sources simultaneously, this study provides new insights into consumer heterogeneity and highlights the need for more differentiated approaches to communication and policy supporting sustainable protein transitions.