Using Color to Encourage Plant-Based Meat Purchases: ProVeg International

More than six in 10 (65% of) consumers say color influences their purchasing decisions, according to a new report from ProVeg International, indicating that color could be an important tool in marketing plant-based meat products. 

The report is based on a survey of 1,200 participants in the U.S. and the U.K. Most (61%) of the survey respondents in the U.S. identified as omnivores, while only 4% claimed to be vegetarian and 2% identified as vegan. Nearly half (47%) of U.S. respondents said they consumed animal meat on a daily basis, and 0% said the same about plant-based meat products. 

To find out if color has the potential to guide these consumers toward plant-based meats, survey participants were presented with vegetarian and vegan products packaged in various warm and cool color tones:

• Consumers connected blue with both quality and affordability — 45% of U.S. consumers linked blue with budget-friendly products, and the same percentage said they’d be willing to pay a premium for products with blue packaging. Blue was also the most preferred color, with 37% of U.S. respondents saying they identified with it more than other colors. 
• Survey participants in the U.S. associated green with naturalness (68%), eco-friendliness (68%), and safety (72%). Green was also the color most likely to be associated with plant-based meat, with 62% of respondents saying it was the first color to come to mind when thinking of plant-based products.  
• Red was deemed the “tastiest” color, with 54% of U.S. consumers associating it with superior taste in plant-based meat. 

The report also notes that only 47% of U.S. respondents considered plant-based options to be well-advertised, compared to 57% of those surveyed in the U.K. This suggests that plant-based marketing strategies in the U.S. could benefit from focusing on accessibility and convenience.

For more insights on how consumers view plant-based products, download the full report.