Food choice motives confirm this, with meat abstainers valuing animal welfare and a good feeling higher than committed meat reducers and avid meat eaters. In attitudes and norms, large differences exist with meat abstainers being least pro-meat and avid meat eaters being most pro-meat. In terms of demographics, we largely confirm the stereotype of vegans and vegetarians being highly educated females.

Comparisons show that meat abstainers ( N = 198) differ from committed meat reducers ( N = 171) and avid meat eaters ( N = 344) on the four included categories of variables. A survey has been conducted among a representative sample of Dutch adults. This study aims to in-depth research meat abstainers (vegetarians and vegans), and to explore how and to what extent they differ from avid meat eaters and committed meat reducers in terms of their (1) socio-demographic characteristics, (2) attitudes and norms, (3) food choice motives, and (4) food preferences and behavior. In supporting consumers to shift their diets, it is important to understand consumers’ attitudes, motivations, and preferences related to meat consumption and to take differences across consumers on these aspects into account. Although most consumers agree that these are important topics, many consumers are not particularly willing to decrease the meat intensity of their diets. Shifting our eating patterns toward less animal-based and more plant-based diets is urgently needed to counter climate change, address public health issues, and protect animal welfare. Wageningen Economic Research, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands.

Avid depth of knowledge chart