Raptou, E, Tsiami, Amalia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1122-4814, Negro, G and Varzakas, T. (2024) Gen Z’s Willingness to Adopt Plant-Based Diets: Empirical Evidence from Greece, India, and the UK. Foods, 13 (13).

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Abstract

Comprising the largest population cohort on this planet, Gen Z presents a future-oriented consumer segment driven by climate change and food. This study sought to investigate Gen Z’s perceptions toward plant-based foods and diets and explore the relationship that attitude components, meal preparation involvement, personal and lifestyle factors, and perceived barriers in adopting a plant-based diet have with willingness to adopt green-eating practices. Using cross-sectional data from university students in Greece, India, and the UK, various tools were employed to determine the factors influencing youths’ consumer behavior toward animal-protein substitutes. PCA indicated the underlying dimensions of students’ viewpoints on plant-based foods, whereas hierarchical and k-means clustering provided the cluster structure. An ordered probit model was estimated to delineate Gen Z’s willingness to adopt plant-based diets and distinguish among mostly unwilling, somewhat willing, and mostly willing youths. Our findings identified two consumer segments, namely proponents and opponents of plant-based foods and diets, with statistically significant differences in the perceived health benefits of plant-based diets, attachment to animal-based proteins, perceived exclusion of animal-based foods, dissatisfaction with plant-based foods’ attributes, and demand for ensuring adequate protein intake. The ordered probit model estimates showed that there is a “homogeneity” in the factors influencing youths’ intention to adopt plant-based diets, with attitude components, meal preparation indicators, perceived barriers to eating “green”, and personal factors, such as self-assessed knowledge of healthy eating and physical activity, being strongly associated with students’ willingness to switch to plant-based diets in all three countries. Mapping potential obstacles and enablers in terms of shifting to more green-eating behaviors, our findings could add information to better understand the factors affecting food choice and youths’ transition to a more sustainable lifestyle.

Item Type:	Article
Identifier:	10.3390/foods13132076
Subjects:	Hospitality and tourism > Culinary arts > Food studies
Depositing User:	Marc Forster
Date Deposited:	25 Sep 2024 12:57
Last Modified:	25 Sep 2024 13:00
URI:	https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/12723

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