Table 1. Brief description of key themes identified as barriers to adopting a plant-based diet, including data concerning their frequency with respect to categories, codes, and articles. Theme Description Explanation Categories Codes Articles Autonomy A theoretical concept that promotes diet 2 12 30 Unwillingness to change [Individual] choice, and regulation of one’s self (Deci & Ryan, 1987). representing an affective Intrinsic values connection towards meat Cognitive Contradictory and inconsistent thoughts for the 3 22 32 Inconsistent thoughts and actions Dissonance and actions, as relating to behavioural environment, animal welfare, and meat [Individual] decisions (Festinger, 1957). consumption; represented through moral disengagement, denial, and dementalization Information The influence of unbalanced concerning the consequences of 5 55 68 Lack of knowledge Asymmetry information on sub-optimal decision meat consumption [Social] making, with respect to the environmental and socioeconomic regarding nutritional necessity, Lack of information considerations of food selection for and the costs of a plant-based diet; ill-informed consumption (Dompere, 2014). perceptions that result in sub-optimal Judgmental heuristics decision-making Political The relationship between individuals in guiding sustainable 5 81 58 Lack of political action and society as influenced by the consumption patterns Economy [Social] interplay among politics and the economics of the agricultural industry in promoting plant-based Lack of industry action (Jevons, 1871; Encyclopedia Britannica, alternatives; asymmetric marketing; industry 2016). The effect of others on one’s emotions, to consume to meat 5 39 55 Social Social and expectations Influence and resulting behavioural actions, as [Social] influenced through peer pressure, and of vegetarians Social criticism and alienation Latané, conformity (Asch, 1961; 1981).
Table 1. Brief description of key themes identified as barriers to adopting a plant-based diet, including data concerning their frequency with respect to categories, codes, and articles. Theme Description Explanation Categories Codes Articles Autonomy [Individual] A theoretical concept that promotes choice, and regulation of one’s self (Deci & Ryan, 1987). Unwillingness to change diet Intrinsic values representing an affective connection towards meat 2 12 30 Cognitive Dissonance [Individual] Contradictory and inconsistent thoughts and actions, as relating to behavioural decisions (Festinger, 1957). Inconsistent thoughts and actions for the environment, animal welfare, and meat consumption; represented through moral disengagement, denial, and dementalization 3 22 32 Information Asymmetry [Social] The influence of unbalanced information on sub-optimal decision making, with respect to the environmental and socioeconomic considerations of food selection for consumption (Dompere, 2014). Lack of knowledge concerning the consequences of meat consumption Lack of information regarding nutritional necessity, and the costs of a plant-based diet; ill-informed perceptions Judgmental heuristics that result in sub-optimal decision-making 5 55 68 Political Economy [Social] The relationship between individuals and society as influenced by the interplay among politics and the economics of the agricultural industry (Jevons, 1871; Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016). Lack of political action in guiding sustainable consumption patterns Lack of industry action in promoting plant-based alternatives; asymmetric marketing; industry 5 81 58 Social Influence [Social] The effect of others on one’s emotions, and resulting behavioural actions, as influenced through peer pressure, and conformity (Asch, 1961; Latané, 1981). Social and expectations to consume to meat Social criticism and alienation of vegetarians 5 39 55