Why do people purchase plant-based meat products from retail stores? Examining consumer preferences, motivations and drivers

Plant-based meats (PBMs) are being projected as novel and sustainable alternative protein sources amid rising ecological and health issues associated with traditional meat production and consumption. Notably, the plant-based meat retail market is at its nascence stage, and there remains a dire need to comprehend the meat-eater's perceived green values, attitudes, and intentions towards PBM for its commercial success. To discern the complex psychological mechanism of meat eaters' perceptions toward PBM, the current study aims to extend and integrate the theory of consumption values (TCV) and the theory of value-attitude-behavior (VAB) in the PBM context. Partial least square-based structural equation modelling was used to analyze cross-sectional data collected from a sample comprising 458 meat eaters approached through the mall intercept technique. Consumers' green perceived values (GPV) emerged as a vital background factor in influencing consumers' involvement and attitude towards PBMs. Also, consumers' involvement showed a significant partial mediating effect between their GPV and attitude towards PBM. Further, consumers' attitudes towards PBM displayed a relatively substantial positive impact on addition intention compared to replacement intention. This study provides retailers with a nuanced understanding of the value proposition of PBMs through the lens of green consumption values, which may facilitate the value-based positioning of PBM products. Further, it may help policymakers project PBMs as a novel alternative to traditional meat, which can potentially address consumers' ecological (e.g., carbon emissions, excessive land and water usage) and health concerns associated with conventional meat production and consumption.