Consumer Behavior Report: NZ Consumer Preferences and Protein Sources

This report analyzes the evolving consumer behavior in New Zealand, particularly concerning food habits and protein consumption. It investigates the shift from traditional meat to alternative protein sources like protein powders and plant-based options, driven by factors such as health concerns, ethical considerations, and environmental awareness. The report explores the influence of biased perceptions, motivated cognition, and affect on consumer choices, highlighting the role of social media and peer pressure in shaping dietary preferences. It examines the challenges and opportunities associated with sustainable consumption, including the impact of knowledge gaps and the acceptance of novel protein sources. The report also discusses the utilitarian function of food choices, considering the benefits of vegetarian diets and the importance of alternative protein sources like cultured meats and edible insects. Finally, it provides recommendations for promoting awareness and addressing consumer biases to encourage sustainable eating habits.

Running head: CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

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Introduction
The changes in the consumer buying behavior is characterized by different psychological
and product based preferences that are held by the same. In a survey it has been found that New
Zealand (NZ) is experiencing growing rates of obesity along with other non-communicable
diseases resulting from the imbalances in the diets (Graham & Abrahamse, 2017). The changing
concept of people towards the animal proteins and meat consumption has brought about
significant changes in the general food habits. The inclusion of meat in the diets of the people
rested on the needs of inducing proteins. However, it has been noted that the NZ’s customer
buying preferences have changed drastically over the years that switched from traditional meat to
protein powders and pea protein powders (Judge & Wilson, 2019).
The shifts in the buying behavior has also affected the rate of ethical consumption of the
same. The shift from meat to other plant based proteins are based on the awareness of the
consumers related to the impact of industrialized meat production on environment, animals and
human health. The development of the sustainable mindset is specifically based on the
contribution of mainstreaming and documentation through different social media sites.
However, Marinova and Raphaely (2018) noted that although most of the people in NZ are
aware of the ill-effects of consuming meat the annual percentage of vegetarian population are not
increased from 20% between the years 2015 to 2019. On the other hand, the increased activity
on the social media platforms to abscond the meat eating acidity through different videos and
images created a sense of shame among the consumers while consuming the mass-produced
meats. Therefore, it has been noticed that although most of the consumers in NZ minimized the
rate of meat consumption but they did no abolish the habit of consuming meat (Craddock,
Probst & Peoples, 2016).

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The shift in the daily dietary habits of the NZ based customers were stimulated through
their search for alternative sources of protein through Cellular meat and plant fibers. However, it
has been noticed that the customers’ acceptance to cellular protein was problematic grounded on
ideals of genetic modifications (Santini et al., 2017). The lower knowledge among the groups of
customers towards the source of novel protein affected their capability of choosing the best
suited protein diet while absconding from the habit of placing meat in their diets.
In a survey that was conducted in the year 2017 it has been noted that 10.3% of New
Zealanders above the age of 14 are mostly vegetarian (Pawlak, Berger & Hines, 2018). On the
other hand, it has been noted that people in NZ consumed around 39.4 kg/capita of poultry meat
in the year 2018, which has grown from 2017 (Hoffman, 2017). Therefore, it might be stated
although all New Zealanders are trying to move out of their meat consumption habits, their
ethics, ideology and preferences restricted their ability of developing preferences towards the
cellular proteins. On the other hand, the lower levels of knowledge among the customers created
a barrier for the same while resisting their efforts of adhering to sustainable consumption habits.
Therefore, the research will take steps to evaluate the consumer behavior concepts with the
sustainable consumption related issue that are being faced by the New Zealanders while
changing their food habits to vegetarians.
Discussion
Biased perception
The lack of sufficient knowledge on the sources of alternative proteins greatly influenced
biased approaches towards the consumption of meat as the only source of gaining protein in their
diets. Bryant and Barnett (2018) noted that people have a tendency of using heuristics and

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cognitive shortcuts with the objective of realizing the different aspects of an element. In this
relation, the biases form an integral part of the increasing rate of meat consumption in NZ. It has
been noted in the survey that more than 65% of the consumers in New Zealand have agreed upon
the fact that meat has been a considerable part of their meals (Graham & Abrahamse, 2017). On
the other hand, it has been also noted that more than 17.4% of the NZ’s populations are unaware
of the ill-effects that are inflicted by the mass-produced and stored meats (Marinova & Raphaely,
2018).
The social media channels and peer pressure are more likely the channels through which
the people initiated the way of bringing forth changes in their food habits. However, the lack of
total conversion minimized the rate of vegetarian population in NZ. In a survey conducted by
Bryant and Barnett (2018), it has been found that 23% of the total population denied the fact that
cellular protein or plant based proteins are more advantageous than the animal proteins. On the
other hand, Hoffman (2017) report stated that one among ten New Zealanders believed that the
concept of sticking on to the cellular proteins conflicted with their ideals related to genetic
modification.
The lack of specific knowledge on nutrition affected the capability of NZ based
population in adhering to sustainable consuming habits. Again, it has also being noted that most
of the people have started disliking meat only based on the ethical perspectives relating to animal
slaughter and not on the nutritional value that is derived from the vegetation (Craddock, Probst
& Peoples, 2016). Therefore, the population continued to consume meat products, although in a
lower quantity than the previous years, due to lack of specific knowledge on nutrition.
Motivated cognition

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The motivated cognition of the customers are greatly influenced by a proper analysis of
the benefits that they would derive from the consumption of a particular commodity. In this
relation, around 37% of the NZ based customers agreed upon the fact that selecting meat as their
only source of protein in their diets would not only affect the environmental balance but also
would gravely affect their health due to the presence of different processing elements (Marinova
& Raphaely, 2018). Therefore, the population which have a knowledge on the different impacts
of consuming meat has maximized their dependence on the supplements like pea protein
powders in the form of cereal, bars and juices.
On the other hand, the motivated consumption of the customers towards meat are
specifically based on the traditional knowledge relating to the positives of consumption. In a
survey by Hoffman (2017), more than two thirds of the NZ population stated that seafood
provided omega-3 fatty acids including DHA and EPA, which is not delivered through the plant
based protein powders or supplements. Moreover, Bryant and Barnett (2018) research claimed
that poultry and red meat provided protein, vitamin A, B, and vitamin D which is required for
healthy living. However, the ill-effects of over-consumption of meat was excluded in the
research due to motivated cognition and biases. The ill-effects of meat consumption are subdued
by the belief based understanding of the NZ consumers which again affected the rate of meat
consumption among the people.
Affect
It is to note that vegetarian diet provides several benefits to its consumers. It can help in
avoiding a triple by-pass and several other health related issues (Glick-Bauer & Yeh, 2014).
With the same, studies have claimed that these diet are very low in fat compared to the non-
vegetarian ones and also it is widely known that eating low fat diet further cuts down the

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cholesterol that could build up the arteries and result in strokes and heart attacks. One of the
several reasons that modern people of NSW are deciding to convert into vegetarian is the fact
that it is likely to improve their overall health and decrease the risk of diabetes, cancer and heart
disease (Schulze et al., 2018). All these advantages are compelling the modern NSW’s meat
consuming consumers to change their buying behavior.
Similarly, for the vegetarian consumers it has become very difficult to decide whether to
remain the same or to change their buying behavior. Already, many of the consumers are going
non-vegetarian from being vegetarian in order to gain the right amount of protein in their daily
diet. As per the studies non-vegetarian diet primarily includes fish, meat, dairy foods and eggs
that are some of the good sources of protein. Although protein can even be found in the pulses,
dal and other cereal products too, but these sources of protein are incomplete (Khalid, 2014).
Furthermore, meat, milk, fishes and eggs also contain iron and Vitamin B12 and they are very
important for forming RBC (Red Blood Cells) and nerve fibers in human body and they help in
preventing fatigue. Also, as per the medical science, the diet that comprise of sea food, eggs and
fish helps in sharpening human intellect and promoting smooth function of brain. This further
accelerates to the human wisdom.
Utilitarian function
Ethics comprises of the sub-discipline of philosophy that is dedicated towards academic
study of human conventions, customs and practices. According to Carfi, Donato and Panuccio
(2018), veganism is not the solution for sustainability. While it is really good and indeed
commendable to change diets for reducing the environmental footprints, a vegan world, where
no individual would consume animal derived milk, eggs and meat; it is not how one can attain
sustainable global development. According to Van Dooren et al. (2014), due to low

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environmental footprint, vegetarianism is the best dietary chance for feeding the growing
population of this world. However, the other researchers suggest otherwise. As per the
investigation by Ruini et al. (2015), the diets that incorporate some animal source foods such as
eggs and milk make use of less land as compared to the other vegan alternatives. It is due to the
fact that more inclusive diets make utmost use of all the prevailing land for feeding people. This
further included the rangelands and croplands where the hay and grain could be grown for
feeding the livestock. Lots of milk and meat that would remain unproductive in vegan context is
produced on the marginal rangelands.
Recommendations
Alternative proteins like the cultured meats, plant based protein and the edible insects
provide a good amount of protein but they require very less natural resources for being produced
as compared to the most common sources of proteins (fish and meat). Both the vegetarians and
non-vegetarians could make use of these alternative proteins as these are composed of various
sequences of amino acids as compared to the conventional meat. The data from the global
medical community is starting highlighting the health related risks of the red meat while ensuring
promotion of the benefits of plant based protein. Healthcare industry is also promoting less red
meat through their several nutritional guidelines.
Historically, the primary and the only source of protein for the consumers was considered
to be meat. It is due to the lack of sufficient knowledge on the sources of alternative proteins that
have influenced biased approaches towards the consumption of meat as the only source of
gaining protein in their diets. This is why making people aware of this fact is very essential.
However, since the last 8 to 9 years, consumers have moved towards adopting the protein
language instead of considering meat as their primary source of protein, they started introducing

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other products in their diet in order to get the same. Some of the examples of such products
include whey protein powders, pea protein powders like juices, bars, cereal, chocolates etc.
Alternative proteins also help in preventing digestion related problems. There are many people
who face trouble in digesting certain types of food. It is more common for them who consume
milk to get protein.
Conclusion
Hence from the above analysis it is to conclude that the consumers of NSW are changing
their buying behavior recently in terms of consumption of food. The vegetarians are opting for
start eating meats and fish in order to get right amount of protein in their diet. Whereas, the non-
vegetarians are decreasing their level of consumption of meat, taking into consideration
sustainable development and its several health benefits. The lack of sufficient knowledge on the
sources of alternative proteins greatly influenced biased approaches towards the consumption of
meat as the only source of gaining protein in their diets. Hence, it is suggested to consume
alternative source of protein, called alternative proteins (cultured meats, plant based protein and
the edible insects) and making the new Zealanders aware of its use and benefits.

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References
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