Why are consumers not reducing their meat consumption in Ireland? Establishing the reasoning for this

Abstract

In the current dynamic world, the consumer food purchasing behavior is everchanging across different countries and cultures. This have relevant implications in global food product management and marketing strategies around the world. Giving health concerns on the rise, it has become integral to find the factors that contribute towards the meat consumption patterns and behaviours. The research is carried out to determine the meat consumption pattern of the consumers in Ireland and if there is any change in the meat consumption pattern. The research aims to understand the attitude of consumers towards vegan vs animal food products, identify the factors that affect this buying behaviour of the consumers and to come up with marketing strategies to promote sustainable development which inclines customers towards green consumption. A qualitative approach has been adopted in the study, and interviews and focus group discussion has been carried out in this regard. It is concluded that multiple factors contribute towards consumers not reducing their meat consumption in Ireland. Moreover, COVID-19 has also played a significant role in the reduction of meat consumption. Health concerns have impacted the consumption patterns of the consumers as they switch to more organic products. In this regard, this research paper is an attempt to contribute to the practical field of food industry marketing so as to provide a direction to the international food giants while dealing with Irish food cultural and their consumers food purchasing trends