LIKE-A-PRO Pilots Find Taste, Price and Trust Decide Whether Consumers Return to Alt Proteins

The EU-funded LIKE-A-PRO project conducted behavioural trials to determine factors influencing consumers' return to alternative proteins. The trials showed that making these proteins more accessible in canteens, shops, and restaurants increased consumer interest, with taste, texture, price, convenience, and trust playing vital roles in whether consumers chose to repurchase them. The Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production coordinated the pilots in institutional catering, retail, restaurants, and digital communication, finding that gradual approaches and attractive alternatives were key to consumer acceptance.

Manufacturers were advised to focus on product performance to drive repeat purchases, as short-term trials often did not result in sustained behavior changes. Messaging centered on enjoyment, health, sustainability, or shared benefits outperformed negative or pressure-based approaches, particularly when paired with practical support such as access to appealing products and recipes. The LIKE-A-PRO project will present its results at the Beyond the Bite event in San Sebastián, Spain, on 1 October, aiming to offer practical guidance through governance mechanisms to support stakeholders in effective communication, labeling, and food environment design.