Innovation and sustainable consumption: what is the consumer perception of plant‐based burgers?

BACKGROUND: The plant-based burger market has expanded rapidly, driven by consumer demand for products offering satisfying sensory experience. Therefore, assessing consumer perception is essential in order to understand the acceptance of these products. This study employed the free word association method to investigate how groups perceive plant-based burgers. This exploratory, quantitative study involved a non-probabilistic sample of participants, which evaluated the product visually. RESULTS: Free word association identified various dimensions related to plant-based burgers, including appearance, sensory characteristics, ingredients, healthiness, innovation, and processing. Analysis of the dietary profiles revealed distinct association patterns among the groups evaluated: omnivores showed greater heterogeneity, associating the product primarily with healthiness and innovation; flexitarians emphasized sensory characteristics; vegetarians linked the product to processing, the nature of the food, and healthiness; and vegans prioritized ingredient composition. CONCLUSION: Associations with plant-based burgers varied according to consumers' dietary profiles, indicating that dietary experiences and habits can influence the interpretation of this type of product. Free word association proved to be a useful tool for identifying these representations and supporting future research that integrates visual stimuli and sensory evaluations.