From cow to crop: motives and barriers for plant-based dairy alternative consumption across three European countries

Currently, alternative sources of protein are being sought to replace not only meat but also dairy products in the diet. From this perspective, it is worth examining how consumers perceive these products, what motivates them to choose them and what barriers they encounter, especially with regard to attitudes towards dairy products. The present study aimed to compare attitudes towards plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDAs) in three European countries - Poland, Germany and the UK. Furthermore, the study aims to examine the extent to which two main arguments appearing in the media, intended to persuade consumers to replace dairy products with PBDA - referring to ethical concerns (animal welfare) or emphasising ecological considerations (environmental impact) - are actually convincing to them. An online survey was conducted in each of the three countries on a representative sample of dairy consumers (2,157 respondents in total). Curiosity proved to be the primary motivation for trying PBDA in all countries. In contrast, the arguments commonly used in PBDA communication (referring to environmental protection and animal welfare) appeal to consumers to a much lesser extent. However, these ethical and ecological factors influenced consumers differently across regions. British consumers emerged as the most receptive to PBDA. German respondents showed the highest sensitivity to animal welfare and environmental concerns in PBDA communication. Polish consumers, on the other hand, strongly believe in the exceptional health benefits and necessity of dairy in daily diets, which negatively affects their interest in PBDA. Notably, dairy is perceived more favourably than PBDAs on most attributes in all investigated countries.