The Myth of Misleading Labels: Examining Consumer Understanding of Plant-based Meat and Milk Analogues

Adam Feltz (), Silke Feltz (), Uyen Hoang () and Jenna Holt ()
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Adam Feltz: University of Oklahoma
Silke Feltz: University of Oklahoma
Uyen Hoang: University of Oklahoma
Jenna Holt: University of Oklahoma

Journal of Consumer Policy, 2025, vol. 48, issue 4, No 7, 539-562

Abstract: Abstract Recent legal and policy efforts have aimed at changing plant-based meat and milk product analogue labels to reduce consumer confusion. These proposed changes assume (a) that there is confusion about key aspects of plant-based products, and (b) that the proposed changes will fix that confusion if it exists. In Experiments 1a (N = 380) and 1b (N = 246), we provide evidence that there is little confusion about plant-based products when participants are presented with product labels about key product facts (e.g., contains animals, contains lactose). In Experiment 2 (N = 250), changing labels seemingly in accordance with proposed policies did little to reduce confusion but did decrease confidence in those judgments and made it more difficult to know what to use that product for or what the product would taste like. In Experiment 3 (N = 311), those results were replicated in a jurisdiction specific sample taken from residents of Texas. These results suggest that prominent proposals to change plant-based meat and milk analogue labels may be unnecessary and, in some cases, could be harmful.

Keywords: Plant-based labels; Consumer confusion; Labeling regulations; Consumer accuracy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s10603-025-09601-5

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