Young Consumers’ Perception of Vegan Food: A New Ethic, a Trend or a Risk?

Magdalena Bobe, Roxana Procopie and Mihaela Bucur ()
Additional contact information
Magdalena Bobe: Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania
Roxana Procopie: Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania
Mihaela Bucur: Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania

The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, 2025, vol. 27, issue 69, 414

Abstract: Given the increasing popularity of veganism in recent years, this article highlights the health, ethical and environmental considerations in changing dietary style and promoting sustainable food consumption, answering questions about the related motivations for vegan dietary adoption. The article is based on qualitative research among young consumers, and the data collection was conducted in a focus group, with the aim of identifying their perceptions of vegan food. The data analysis followed a thematic coding methodology, identifying the main typologies of perceptions and behaviors that determine the adoption or rejection of this eating style, taking into account the existing social and economic barriers. The food system needs to adjust its production, marketing and promotion strategies to adapt to the growing trend of vegan food, and the study brings a new perspective on the decision to adopt vegan food, by linking economic factors with the ethical, cultural and sustainable dimension of this food style in Romania. The study contributes to the literature by highlighting the determinants of the transition to a vegan diet among young people, as well as by identifying the information gaps that influence food choices. The results emphasize the need to improve nutrition education and informed access to plant-based foods, as there are practical as well as psychological difficulties in the adoption of vegan diets by young people. This research differs from previous studies by analyzing the perception of vegan food in Romanian universities and by integrating economic factors with the ethical, cultural and sustainable dimension.

Keywords: consumer perceptions; vegan food; sustainability; food education; eating style. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D12 I12 Q01 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.amfiteatrueconomic.ro/temp/Article_3412.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aes:amfeco:v:27:y:2025:i:69:p:414

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal from Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Valentin Dumitru ().