Price-, taste-, and convenience-competitive plant-based meat analogues would not currently replace the majority of meat consumption: A narrative review

Abstract

Plant-based meat analogues, like Beyond Sausage or Impossible Burger, have become a source of optimism for environmental, public health, and animal welfare advocates hoping to mitigate the impacts associated with overconsumption of animal-based foods by replacing them with perfect alternatives. Some have proposed that these substitutes might soon replace animal-based meats based on the supposition that price, taste and convenience (PTC) are the primary drivers of food choice. Thus, it is conjectured that if a plant-based meat analogue matches (or exceeds) its animal-based counterpart in terms of PTC, a majority of consumption would shift from animal-based to plant-based. However, this conjecture has received little critical attention. To fill this gap, we will review evidence testing the PTC conjecture, including cross-sectional surveys, hypothetical discrete choice experiments, a field experiment and commercial case studies. Ultimately, given current consumer preferences, we do not find support for the PTC conjecture. However, plant-based meat analogues may still have important potential as a tool for mitigating excessive meat consumption.