Consumer understanding of upcycled foods – Exploring consumer-created associations and concept explanations across five countries

Jessica Aschemann-Witzel; Daniele Asioli; Marija Banovic; Maria Angela Perito; Anne Odile Peschel

doi:10.1016/j.foodqual.2023.105033

Consumer understanding of upcycled foods – Exploring consumer-created associations and concept explanations across five countries

Jessica Aschemann-Witzel^*, Daniele Asioli, Marija Banovic, Maria Angela Perito, Anne Odile Peschel

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Management - MAPP - Research on Value Creation in the Food Sector

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

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Abstract

To secure future protein demand in a sustainable food system, protein needs to come from a variety of alternative and novel sources, amongst others otherwise wasted side-streams. Such upcycled food is yet relatively unknown to consumers which makes it difficult for producers to decide on the best approach to communicating the product benefit to consumers. In a unique mixed-methods approach, we quantify qualitative data from a consumer survey of 2,405 respondents in five European countries to explore which type of associations emerge to the new concept and explore examples of how consumers with different associations would choose to explain it to a peer. We also test whether abstract or concrete presentation of the concept and different types of framing of the benefit (climate, frugal and taste) influences the associations and explore how this differs among socioeconomic consumer groups. Results show that consumers have mainly positive associations about the concept of upcycled food using words like innovation, recycling, avoid food waste, sustainability, while negative association include terms like sceptical, dislike, disgusting. Concrete (rather than abstract) presentation of upcycled foods leads consumers to provide fewer negative associations. Depending on the type of benefit framing, consumers have different associations towards upcycled foods: A climate framing of upcycled food leads to associations of innovation and environment and appears to steer associations away from ‘waste’. Moreover, socio-demographic characteristics affect consumers associations to upcycled foods; Overall, females and younger consumers are more positive. Findings provide insights into communication of upcycled food to different target groups.

Original language	English
Article number	105033
Journal	Food Quality and Preference
Volume	112
Number of pages	11
ISSN	0950-3293
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2023.105033
Publication status	Published - Dec 2023

Keywords

Climate
Creation and engagement
Frugality
Qualitative
Sustainability
Upcycled food

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abstract = "To secure future protein demand in a sustainable food system, protein needs to come from a variety of alternative and novel sources, amongst others otherwise wasted side-streams. Such upcycled food is yet relatively unknown to consumers which makes it difficult for producers to decide on the best approach to communicating the product benefit to consumers. In a unique mixed-methods approach, we quantify qualitative data from a consumer survey of 2,405 respondents in five European countries to explore which type of associations emerge to the new concept and explore examples of how consumers with different associations would choose to explain it to a peer. We also test whether abstract or concrete presentation of the concept and different types of framing of the benefit (climate, frugal and taste) influences the associations and explore how this differs among socioeconomic consumer groups. Results show that consumers have mainly positive associations about the concept of upcycled food using words like innovation, recycling, avoid food waste, sustainability, while negative association include terms like sceptical, dislike, disgusting. Concrete (rather than abstract) presentation of upcycled foods leads consumers to provide fewer negative associations. Depending on the type of benefit framing, consumers have different associations towards upcycled foods: A climate framing of upcycled food leads to associations of innovation and environment and appears to steer associations away from {\textquoteleft}waste{\textquoteright}. Moreover, socio-demographic characteristics affect consumers associations to upcycled foods; Overall, females and younger consumers are more positive. Findings provide insights into communication of upcycled food to different target groups.",

keywords = "Climate, Creation and engagement, Frugality, Qualitative, Sustainability, Upcycled food",

author = "Jessica Aschemann-Witzel and Daniele Asioli and Marija Banovic and Perito, {Maria Angela} and Peschel, {Anne Odile}",

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Consumer understanding of upcycled foods – Exploring consumer-created associations and concept explanations across five countries. / Aschemann-Witzel, Jessica; Asioli, Daniele; Banovic, Marija et al.
In: Food Quality and Preference, Vol. 112, 105033, 12.2023.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Consumer understanding of upcycled foods – Exploring consumer-created associations and concept explanations across five countries

AU - Aschemann-Witzel, Jessica

AU - Asioli, Daniele

AU - Banovic, Marija

AU - Perito, Maria Angela

AU - Peschel, Anne Odile

PY - 2023/12

Y1 - 2023/12

N2 - To secure future protein demand in a sustainable food system, protein needs to come from a variety of alternative and novel sources, amongst others otherwise wasted side-streams. Such upcycled food is yet relatively unknown to consumers which makes it difficult for producers to decide on the best approach to communicating the product benefit to consumers. In a unique mixed-methods approach, we quantify qualitative data from a consumer survey of 2,405 respondents in five European countries to explore which type of associations emerge to the new concept and explore examples of how consumers with different associations would choose to explain it to a peer. We also test whether abstract or concrete presentation of the concept and different types of framing of the benefit (climate, frugal and taste) influences the associations and explore how this differs among socioeconomic consumer groups. Results show that consumers have mainly positive associations about the concept of upcycled food using words like innovation, recycling, avoid food waste, sustainability, while negative association include terms like sceptical, dislike, disgusting. Concrete (rather than abstract) presentation of upcycled foods leads consumers to provide fewer negative associations. Depending on the type of benefit framing, consumers have different associations towards upcycled foods: A climate framing of upcycled food leads to associations of innovation and environment and appears to steer associations away from ‘waste’. Moreover, socio-demographic characteristics affect consumers associations to upcycled foods; Overall, females and younger consumers are more positive. Findings provide insights into communication of upcycled food to different target groups.

AB - To secure future protein demand in a sustainable food system, protein needs to come from a variety of alternative and novel sources, amongst others otherwise wasted side-streams. Such upcycled food is yet relatively unknown to consumers which makes it difficult for producers to decide on the best approach to communicating the product benefit to consumers. In a unique mixed-methods approach, we quantify qualitative data from a consumer survey of 2,405 respondents in five European countries to explore which type of associations emerge to the new concept and explore examples of how consumers with different associations would choose to explain it to a peer. We also test whether abstract or concrete presentation of the concept and different types of framing of the benefit (climate, frugal and taste) influences the associations and explore how this differs among socioeconomic consumer groups. Results show that consumers have mainly positive associations about the concept of upcycled food using words like innovation, recycling, avoid food waste, sustainability, while negative association include terms like sceptical, dislike, disgusting. Concrete (rather than abstract) presentation of upcycled foods leads consumers to provide fewer negative associations. Depending on the type of benefit framing, consumers have different associations towards upcycled foods: A climate framing of upcycled food leads to associations of innovation and environment and appears to steer associations away from ‘waste’. Moreover, socio-demographic characteristics affect consumers associations to upcycled foods; Overall, females and younger consumers are more positive. Findings provide insights into communication of upcycled food to different target groups.

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VL - 112

JO - Food Quality and Preference

JF - Food Quality and Preference

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ER -

Consumer understanding of upcycled foods – Exploring consumer-created associations and concept explanations across five countries

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Keywords

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