C2 Economics of new food trends

SP C2 analyzes recent food trends and related consumer behavior focusing on vegetarianism and veganism. The increasing availability of meat substitutes and alternative protein sources influences consumer demand, but changing consumer attitudes also influence industries. Food itself, cooking, planting, and arranging have become major topics in various social media channels. Social media channels are also often used to push new food trends. Certain consumer segments are increasingly aware of the food systems’ contribution to environmental problems, and potential health implications of excessive meat consumption. This leads to a new generation of consumers that regularly choose plant-based alternatives. Better understanding consumer motives and socioeconomic drivers can help to project future dietary and food systems trends.

Possible dissertation topics:

Analyzing changes in food trends with data from social media channels
Using behavioral experiments to understand vegan and vegetarian consumption trends
How do vegan food offers affect consumption? A revealed preferences approach

Yasemin Boztug

Ainslee Erhard