Consumer insights on vegetable substitutes to cheese

International audienceIn the context of global change and ecological transition, consumers' current concerns related to food focus on different aspects: tasty and sustainable food, natural resources exploitation, local product, naturalness, animal welfare and still healthy ingredients. People are more and more sensitive to these issues and are changing their behaviors, especially their food habits focusing on a more plant-based diet. In France, cheese is an emblematic food product (diversity, richness of cultural heritage) for which the pleasure, its organoleptic and symbolic dimensions remain particularly strong even if consumption practices are moving (cheese is consumed in a large variety of dishes: salad, sandwich, ready-prepared meals or used like food ingredient). In recent years, plant-based (vegetable) substitutes for cheese have been growing, attracting new consumers and not only lactose intolerant, vegans or vegetarians. The objective of this study is measure the acceptability of omnivore consumers towards vegetable substitutes for cheeses and to identify the place of those substitutes on a cheese board. A qualitative approach was conducted through focus groups in different areas of France. Twenty omnivore consumers (50% men, 50% women; 49 yr for all groups) were recruited in Clermont-Ferrand and Lyon. They were then split into 3 sub-groups to participate in 3hr-group discussions. Consumers were selected based on their consumption of traditional cheeses. Session moderator used a guideline to facilitate discussion between respondents, including the representations and expectations related to these products and the barriers and motivations for purchasing these products. Four vegetable alternatives and three traditional cheeses were tasted by consumers to exchange their opinions and illustrate their position with typical samples.This study provided rich insight into attitudes and behaviors towards these substitutes. Thus far, the main result is the difficulty for French omnivore consumers to accept a substitute for cheese, in terms of both taste and perception