Nearly half of Danish customers satisfied with hybrid products
According to a recent study from Aarhus University, Danes are open to substituting so-called hybrid products – a blend of plants and meat –for beef. According to the report, nearly 50% of Danish consumers have used the items and have had pleasant experiences.
Danes generally have a desire to change their dietary habits, but few do anything about it. If meat is not to be taken completely out of the equation, hybrid products can be one of the ways to get Danes to eat more climate-friendly.
This type of “shortcut” has potential because it does not require a change in diet, according to researchers in a new report from Aarhus University, in which Danes’ motivation, barriers and attitudes when it comes to hybrid products have been examined.
In the report, the researchers have defined hybrid products as meat with added plant protein and/or vegetables or other plants.
In the refrigerated counter, consumers will typically encounter this as minced meat with added vegetables, pea protein or the like.
The report shows that consumers who have already tried the products are overwhelmingly positive, while those who have not yet tried the products are more sceptical.
In general, consumers see hybrid products as a more sustainable alternative, and this is also reflected in the group of consumers who have tried the products.
“The Danes who have tried hybrid products are generally more concerned about the climate and focus more on eating healthy,” explains Esben Durhuus Lejsgaard, research assistant at the MAPP Center at Aarhus University. The centre conducts research into value creation in the food sector for consumers, industry and society.
The study indicates that the motivation to eat less meat is low. Nine out of ten Danes eat meat every day or regularly every week, and the researchers do not see a great willingness to change this.
“The majority of research shows that there is a lack of motivation when we talk about dietary change,” says Esben Durhuus Lejsgaard.
One of the things that determines how willing a consumer is to replace meat with plants is a concept called meat association. It broadly covers what positive feelings and attitudes the consumer has in relation to meat.
In general, Danes have a high meat affiliation, and the higher the meat affiliation, the lower the willingness there is to try hybrid products with meat and plants, says the researcher.
“It’s an interesting trend, because it’s not necessarily about the consumer not wanting mixed meat and vegetables. People are already preparing hybrid meals, they just add the vegetables themselves,” he says.
Hybrid products are a relatively new trend that has spread across the country over the past decade. The ratio between meat and plants has varied, and in some cases the proportion of vegetables was as high as 50 per cent.
The researchers’ study indicates that there is an upper limit to the proportion of vegetables or legumes that consumers are willing to accept.
The study indicates that the upper limit is around 20 per cent plant content if the products are to be successful in a wider part of the population.
“At present, we see a maximum accepted plant content of around 20 per cent, but this may change as consumer acceptance of these products increases,” says Esben Durhuus Lejsgaard.
The survey indicates that consumers generally perceive hybrid products as more sustainable than pure meat products.
At present, almost half have tried a hybrid product, and those who have are positive when it comes to both taste and pricing. Therefore, the researchers also believe that the products can be spread to a wider part of the population.
“In our study, we see that the hybrid products do not deter consumers – in fact, on the contrary – those who have tried them rate them relatively highly,” he says, and notes: “All in all, the study suggests that hybrid products may be a first step towards a diet that is more plant-based.”
