Influence of eating environment and protein context in a meal on consumer perceptions, acceptance and expected consumption of alternative proteins: An online study

Consumer acceptance of alternative proteins (APs) remains low, requiring efforts to identify ways to encourage shifts in consumer perceptions and behaviors towards APs. We investigated how meal contextual factors such as evoked protein context and eating environment, independently and in combination, influenced consumer perceptions, acceptance and expected consumption of APs in Singapore, and whether associations varied across consumer segments. Participants (N = 822) were pre-grouped into omnivores (n = 381) and flexitarians (n = 441) in an online study. Participants rated the perceived healthiness, naturalness, expected liking and consumption of a ‘chicken-noodles’ dish presented with three protein contexts (animal-based, plant-based, or an animal/plant hybrid) in four eating environments (home, hawker centre, urban restaurant, and nature restaurant). Results showed that independently, protein context influenced expected liking and consumption (both, p < 0.001) whereas environment influenced perceived healthiness and naturalness (both, p < 0.001) in all consumers. Omnivores rated liking and consumption as higher for the hybrid vs. plant-based meal, highlighting the potential of hybrid protein sources to facilitate the transition towards APs. Participants' expected consumption was highest at home (p < 0.001). No combined effect was observed (p > 0.05). Our findings suggest meal context could be modified to shift consumer acceptance and consumption towards APs and aid public health guidance in promoting meat-reduced diets.