People will switch to plant-based meat if it is cheaper than real meat

Plant-based meat alternatives have grown in popularity, yet many consumers remain hesitant to fully embrace them.

While ethical, environmental, and health concerns drive interest, practical factors still play a crucial role in shaping consumer behavior. A new study sheds light on what really matters to people when choosing between meat and its substitutes.

A team of researchers from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), Humboldt University Berlin, and Georg August University Göttingen conducted a survey of 2,100 U.S. consumers. Their findings reveal that price has a greater influence on purchasing decisions than similarity to meat.

The study challenges common assumptions about consumer behavior in the growing market of meat alternatives.

Most people do not oppose plant-based meat

Despite an increasing variety of plant-based options, meat remains the dominant choice for most consumers. Many people still prefer traditional meat over substitutes, even though plant-based alternatives have been widely available for years.

“Even though the supply of plant-based alternatives has been growing for years, the demand for meat persists. Unfortunately, there is very little reliable data on the general acceptance of meat alternatives, what conditions are required to make them more attractive, and whether or not they are just a fad,” noted study lead author Steffen Jahn.

This knowledge gap has made it difficult for food producers and policymakers to understand how to promote plant-based options effectively. The researchers focused on the U.S. market because of its exceptionally high levels of meat consumption.

“The United States is a country with one of the highest rates of meat consumption in the world. For example, around 25 kilograms of beef was consumed per capita alone in 2023,” said Jahn.

Consumers’ burger preferences

To understand consumer preferences, researchers presented participants with four burger choices.

The options included a real beef burger, a plant-based burger designed to mimic meat (analog), a vegetarian burger that resembled meat in appearance but not taste or texture (semi-analog), and a falafel burger (non-analog). Participants viewed pictures and written descriptions of each burger before making a choice.

As expected, the majority of respondents – around three-quarters – chose the traditional beef burger. What surprised researchers was how the different plant-based options performed. The falafel burger turned out to be the most preferred meat alternative, while the plant-based analog burger ranked the lowest.

“However, we did not expect to find that the falafel burger was the most popular meat alternative, while the analog burger came in last place. This contradicts the widespread assumption that meat substitutes are only competitive if they are as close as possible to the original,” explained Jahn.

The findings suggest that consumers may not necessarily want plant-based products that replicate meat. Instead, they might be more interested in options that stand on their own, rather than attempting to mimic animal-based foods.

Price parity does not change consumer choices

The second phase of the study examined whether lowering the price of meat alternatives would make them more attractive.

Many advocates argue that plant-based foods should be priced the same as or lower than meat to encourage people to switch. However, the study found that simply matching prices does not significantly affect consumer decisions.

“Meat alternatives are currently more expensive than meat, which is why there are discussions about adjusting the prices into alignment. However, we found that price parity has no real effect on people’s choices,” noted Jahn.

This means that if plant-based alternatives and meat cost the same, most consumers will still choose traditional meat. Price alone does not drive them toward substitutes unless there is a noticeable financial advantage.

Consumers choosing plant-based meat

Although price parity does not influence consumers, meaningful discounts do. The study found that when plant-based burgers were at least 10% cheaper than their meat counterparts, sales of meat alternatives increased by 14%.

When the price of a plant-based burger dropped to half the price of a beef burger, the number of consumers choosing the alternative doubled.

These results indicate that a strong financial incentive can shift consumer behavior. Price-sensitive shoppers, especially those who do not have a strong preference for meat, may opt for plant-based alternatives if the price difference is large enough.

Men switch to meat alternatives faster

An interesting trend emerged when researchers examined the impact of price on different demographic groups.

The study found that men, who are generally more attached to meat-based diets, are more likely to switch when the price of plant-based options drops. Even those who had never tried a meat alternative before were more willing to give it a chance if they saw a significant price advantage.

This challenges the common assumption that women are more likely to adopt plant-based diets. While women may show more interest in vegetarian or vegan foods for health and ethical reasons, men appear to be more motivated by financial savings.

Role of perception in consumer choices

Beyond price, perception plays a key role in how people view meat alternatives. Consumers often associate plant-based burgers with ultra-processed foods, which have a negative reputation.

Some may avoid them due to concerns about artificial ingredients or the belief that they are not as healthy as whole-food plant-based meals.

“Restaurants and food manufacturers might actually be able to increase their sales of vegetarian or vegan alternatives if they offered meat substitutes at lower prices than the meat options. A truly faithful imitation is not the goal here, our study suggests. Maybe it’s because many people associate them with ultra-processed foods, which have a bad reputation,” said Jahn.

This insight suggests that businesses should focus not just on lowering prices but also on improving the perception of plant-based products. Marketing efforts that emphasize natural ingredients and health benefits might help attract more consumers.

More options in plant-based meat

One of the key takeaways from the study is the importance of variety. Consumers have different preferences, and no single alternative will satisfy everyone. While some people prefer products that closely resemble meat, others are more open to entirely different plant-based options.

Based on these findings, the researchers recommend offering a broad range of plant-based choices rather than focusing solely on meat-like substitutes. Consumers may be more willing to try products that stand on their own rather than those that attempt to replicate meat exactly.

The study challenges traditional assumptions about meat alternatives and highlights the importance of price in shaping consumer choices. While plant-based products continue to grow in popularity, businesses and policymakers must consider what truly influences purchasing behavior.

Lower prices and a diverse selection of options may be the key to encouraging more people to adopt plant-based diets.

The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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