Attitudes toward milk alternatives and motives for (non-)consumption: an interview study with adolescents from Germany.

Abstract

Background: Consuming alternatives to cow's milk (CM) could help counteract current environmental problems. Plant-based milk alternatives (PBMA) and precision fermentation-based milk alternatives-also called "animal-free milk" (AFM)-are potentially more sustainable alternatives to CM. Therefore, our study aimed to analyze young peoples' attitudes toward PBMA and AFM and their motives for/against consuming these milk alternatives.

Methods: For this purpose, semi-structured interviews were conducted with adolescents from Germany (N = 25; M_Age = 17.6). The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

Results: The results show that the young people in our study have positive attitudes toward PBMA, as they perceive PBMA as healthy and environmentally friendly. In addition, they have predominantly positive attitudes toward AFM, as they perceive AFM as an environmentally friendly and suitable alternative to CM. Animal welfare and environmental protection motivate the young people in our study to consume these milk alternatives. In contrast, sensory properties (PBMA) and food safety concerns (AFM) were identified as barriers to the consumption of milk alternatives.

Conclusions: Adolescents generally have positive attitudes toward milk alternatives, motivated by perceived health, environmental, and animal welfare benefits. However, sensory properties and production-related uncertainties are barriers to consumption. These findings highlight the importance of addressing these concerns to foster the acceptance of sustainable milk alternatives among young people.