Going for the plant-based (legen)dairy alternative? : An exploratory study on consumer attitudes and purchase intentions towards plant-based dairy alternatives

• Main Authors: Rosenlöw, Emma, Hansson, Tommie
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Jönköping University, Internationella Handelshögskolan 2020
• Subjects: Attitude; Purchase intention; Consumer behavior; Sustainability; Plant-based; Plant-based alternatives; Business Administration; Företagsekonomi
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-48759

Global food production, and consequently consumption, contributes significantly to total greenhouse gas emissions. Hence, there is a need for a shift towards more environmentally friendly consumption patterns. This includes moving away from current levels of dairy consumption, where plant-based alternatives can serve as more environmentally friendly options. This research sheds light on an emerging product category, namely plant-based dairy alternatives, which can serve as options or substitutes for traditional dairy products. The purpose of this thesis is to explore consumer attitudes and purchase intentions towards plant- based dairy alternatives, as well as the factors that influence attitudes and intentions respectively. To achieve an in-depth understanding of the topic, this study is of qualitative nature, using an abductive approach and interpretive philosophy. The primary data is collected through interviews with 16 consumers in the selected target group. Further, this research has developed a modified theory of planned behavior (TPB), to add to current consumer behavior research. The findings of this research show that the majority of the participants have a positive attitude and furthermore intention to purchase plant-based dairy alternatives. Furthermore, several factors influence consumer attitudes, which are subjective norms, health consciousness, taste, knowledge, environmental concern, animal treatment, and appearance. Moreover, purchase intention is affected by two factors, namely price, and curiosity.