Why are young people choosing alt meat –Summary
- Younger consumers show highest awareness and willingness to try alt meat
- They are less sceptical about ultra-processed foods and health benefits
- Meat alternatives feel normal to them due to lifelong supermarket presence
- Environmental and ethical concerns strongly influence younger consumer choices
- Price remains a barrier despite strong interest and openness to new products
Meat alternatives are declining in popularity, in part driven by scepticism around ultra-processed foods and a desire for clean-label products.
Young people, however, seem to be less affected by this scepticism.
This is according to a new report from Lumina Intelligence, commissioned exclusively for FoodNavigator.
The 18-24 demographic has both the highest awareness of technologies such as meat alternatives, mycoproteins, cell-cultivated meat and precision fermentation, as well as the highest willingness to try.
They are also less sceptical about UPFs, and more willing to accept their potential health benefits. They believe that UPFs can be part of a balanced diet if they are formulated well.
Younger consumers are more used to meat alternatives
A key reason that younger consumers are more willing to consume meat alternatives (and less sceptical about UPFs) is that they’re more accustomed to these foods.
“Meat alternatives and food technologies have always been part of food on supermarket shelves for younger consumers, making them seem normal and less suspicious – they simply don’t know a world without them," explains Flora Zwolinski, insight lead at Lumina Intelligence.
For older consumers, meat alternatives became more mainstream later in their lives, and they are therefore more likely to view them as ‘unnatural’.
When it comes to food technologies, this level of acceptance is even more pronounced.
“Technology is an engrained and dominant part of younger consumers’ lives. Commonly described as ‘digital natives’, the concept of using technology to develop new foods or improve existing ones feels like a logical solution, rather than unsettling or unnatural.”
Why age matters when it comes to alt meat
One of the key reasons that young people are more attracted to alt-meats is openness to new things.
Younger consumers are attracted to meat alternatives because they’re marketed as both new and healthy, explains Marija Banovic, associate professor of consumer behaviour at Aarhus University.
The caveat to this is that younger people have less money, and meat alternative products can be more expensive. Therefore, while they may be more enthusiastic about meat alternatives, they may not buy more of them.
By contrast, older consumers are often less open to change, suggests Jade Chapman, communications manager at advocacy group ProVeg UK.
Meat has been a dietary staple for many consumers for years, she points out. Older consumers are more likely to view meat alternatives as UPF without considering the nuances.
Younger consumers care more about the environment
While many consumers are turning away from sustainability, young people often care more about it than the population at large.
“Ethical and environmental considerations will play a part” in the enthusiasm of younger consumers for meat alternatives, says Lumina’s Zwolinski.
“Younger consumers can be more concerned around sustainability and animal welfare than their older counterparts.”
Because meat alternatives and new technologies are often positioned as solutions to environmental problems, they are seen by younger consumers as more desirable.
“It’s likely that those aware of our unsustainable reliance on meat would want to opt for products that mimic meaty textures and flavours without the huge impact on our natural resources‚” says ProVeg’s Chapman.
Future Food: the inside scoop on consumer insights
A new report from FoodNavigator and Lumina Intelligence reveals consumer barriers to adopting new ingredients, technologies, and ultra-processed foods, as well as the opportunities to drive change and sales.
