Masculine marketing may convince more men to turn vegan: Study

Researchers have proposed a change in the perception of plant-based food with marketing, helping men to eat more of it.

Studies have shown eating more plant-based meals is better for health and the planet. But cultural preferences are significant barriers to reducing meat consumption -- especially for men, who are underrepresented among vegans and vegetarians. 

The team from Universities of Wurzburg and Bamberg in Germany stated that eating meat is associated with masculinity, and that gender stereotypes label plant-based diets as suitable for women but not men. The study showed that while you can influence the perception of plant-based dishes as ‘feminine’, you can’t change food preferences.

“Men might be less inclined to consume vegan food due to the need to perform gender,” said lead author Alma Scholz of the study published in the journal Frontiers in Communication.

“However, with vegan food being framed in a masculine way, men might feel less resistance and become more likely to consume it.”

For the study, the team recruited participants online and provided them with descriptions of several dishes. These descriptions contained words that were either conventionally associated with the dish or which were typically associated with ‘masculine’ foods. The researchers asked participants to rate the dishes and their suitability for men and women.

The researchers also measured male participants’ identification with different forms of masculinity, as well as all participants’ attitudes towards veganism. They asked participants to report the amount of meat they typically ate and their reasons for choosing their diet.