Ethics on the Grill: Exploring Vegan Consumer Reactions to the Mainstreaming of Veganism, Marketing of Meat Alternatives, and Plant-Based Brand Identities

Abstract

This study investigates veganism's transition from a radical ideology to a mainstream consumer trend. It focuses on the perceptions of vegan consumers in the United Kingdom, specifically examining their views on the branding and marketing of plant-based (PB) meat alternatives. This study explores how consumer identity, socio-psychological factors and product marketing affect purchasing behaviour. Findings reveal a complex relationship between personal beliefs, ethical convictions, and actual purchasing behaviour. The research also highlights mixed attitudes toward the influence of flexitarians and non-vegan groups on the vegan movement's cultural and ideological direction, as well as the interplay between corporations and grassroots activism. 

Keywords: veganism, plant-based meat, meat alternative, flexitarian, vegan, consumer research, vegan marketing, social movement, market research, vegan market, mainstreaming veganism