Do ingredients matter? Exploring consumer preference for abstract vs. concrete descriptors of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives

It is widely accepted that reducing the consumption of animal-based products bodes well for improving planetary and human health. Plant-based meat and dairy alternatives (PBMDAs) can contribute to this transition. How products are described is an important mechanism in enhancing their appeal. Product descriptors of PBMDAs vary in abstraction, ranging from indicating the absence of animal-based ingredients (e.g., meat-free burger) to identifying the presence of plant-based ingredients (e.g., plant-based burger) to highlighting the primary ingredient (e.g., lentil-based burger). Considering this, the study explored how British consumers (n=1073) rationalise abstract to concrete product descriptors and how this influences appeal, taste, health, and sustainability expectations. Many consumers find PBMDAs most appealing when described with high levels of abstraction, by simply describing the product as meat-or dairy-free. Similarly, the mentioning of explicit ingredients can carry pre-existing connotations. While appeal for PBMDAs differed significantly by abstraction, this variation was less pronounced in taste expectations, and even less so in terms of health and sustainability expectations. This implies that manufacturers can leverage abstract product descriptors for more flexibility in product formulation. Additionally, it helps integrate economical, functional and underused substitutes, including food by-products and novel proteins, which may not otherwise have widespread appeal.