The influence of innovation-adoption characteristics on consumers' trust and purchase intentions of innovative alternative proteins: A comparison between plant-based food, cultured food, and insect-based food

Innovation-adoption characteristics encompass the perceived attributes that are associated with the pace at which consumers adopt innovations. This study investigates the impact of innovation-adoption characteristics on consumers' trust and purchase intentions of three categories of innovative alternative protein: cultured food, plant-based food, and insect-based food. Data was collected through web-based surveys conducted in New Zealand (n = 1019) and the United Kingdom (n = 1020). Data analysis involved factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Consumers' trust and purchase intentions of the three categories of innovative alternative protein were found to be significantly influenced by several or all of the following innovation-adoption characteristics: perceived subjective incentive, perceived complexity, perceived relative advantage, perceived risk, and trialability. When examining specific food products, consumers exhibited significantly higher levels of trust and intention to purchase plant-based food products, such as plant-based meat and plant-based milk, in comparison to cultured food products, including cultured fresh meat, cultured processed meat, cultured seafood, and cell-based milk, as well as insect-based food. The study offers novel insights to the existing gap in understanding the impact of innovation-adoption characteristics on consumer adoption of innovative alternative proteins. These findings have the potential to assist stakeholders in the food industry in formulating effective promotional strategies for such products.