Supervisors: Susanne Pedersen & Jessica Aschemann-Witzel
Discussants: Sascha Steinmann & Jakob Arnoldi

Abstract
Consumer acceptance towards plant-based ingredients and alternative proteins is a crucial driver for shifting societal preferences for a more sustainable food system, which has potential to impact market growth. Understanding consumer preferences and attitudes towards plant-based ingredients requires thorough investigation so that these products can be designed and promoted according to consumer expectations. The main aim of this project is therefore to map and evaluate consumption patterns and communication tactics to address consumer perception and food choices regarding plant-based ingredients and develop consumer-targeted communication strategies.

The project is divided into three major studies, namely studies on social media patterns, a segmentation study of the market for plant-based ingredients, and communication framing. The first paper analyses the development of citizen-consumer associations and sentiments regarding plant-based ingredients on social media over time using case studies of micro and macro influencers both in Denmark, UK, Spain, and Italy. The second paper segments the market for plant-based ingredients and evaluate the different consumer strategies based on a) a systematic review of the psychographic and sociodemographic factors of influence in consumer segmentation studies in the field of ‘plant-based’ foods, b) a content analysis of market reports, and c) market expert interviews, with a particular focus on products and ingredients of relevance for proteins that replace ingredients likes eggs. The third paper will test the relative effect of different communicational framings in a realistically designed experimental shopping environment, using a virtual reality supermarket.

The first year PhD presentation will cover the overall project description as well as the three planned studies with an emphasis on the first study. Further, it will present the progress of the other mandatory PhD activities.

Everyone is welcome!