The Effects of Plant-Based Products with Meat Appearance: The Mediating Role of Perceived Congruence and Moderating Role of Vegan label
(A2022-108144)

AUTHORS

Jean Pfiffelmann, EM Strasbourg Business School; Pauline Giraudeau

ABSTRACT

To decrease meat consumption and convince omnivorous consumers to buy vegetal products, the food industry has introduced plant-based meat analogs in the market. Some of these vegetal products visually take the appearance of meat with the same color, appearance, texture, and ease of cooking as real meat. In a between-subjects experiment, 174 participants view a plant-based product with a meat (vs. vegetal) appearance. Besides, the packing mentioned or not a vegan label. Our results show that meat appearance decreases perceived congruence, regardless of the presence of the vegan label on the packaging. Perceived congruence, in turn, positively influences expected tastiness, the latter being a means to increase word-of-mouth intention. However, the direct influence of meat appearance on word-of-mouth intention is only negative when a vegan label is present on the packaging.