2008-07-18 19:35:06 -

www.researchandmarkets.com - Research and Markets (www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3f9d6f/vegetarian_consume) has announced the addition of the "Vegetarian Consumer Trends: Semi-Vegetarian Consumers" report to their offering.

If you are a vegetarian food manufacturer, distributor, retailer or marketer, the new Vegetarian Consumer Trends reports will give you new insights on your key consumer segments.

As one of the

most comprehensive research studies ever conducted about the attitudes and behavior of U.S. adult consumers toward meat reduction and the consumption of meat and dairy alternative products, this analysis covers how many people are reducing their meat consumption, and for what reasons, and then assesses what these trends mean for you and your company.

This original report provides an in-depth description of "semi-vegetarian" consumers, drawn from a comprehensive multi-phase research study of adults in the United States. The report explores in detail the size of the semi-vegetarian consumer segment and their reasons for eating a reduced level of meat. This is one of the most comprehensive research studies ever conducted about the consumer attitudes and behavior of meat-limiting U.S. adults.

This report is Volume 3 in a series that addresses the behaviors, motivations, and barriers of consumer segments that are of particular interest to vegetarian food manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and marketers.

Products mentioned include:

- Boca Burger

- Silk soymilk

- Vegenaise

Companies mentioned include:

- Gardenburger

- Whole Foods

- PepsiCo

- Kraft

- White Wave

- Earth Island

As detailed in the free Series Overview, these reports segmented U.S. adults according to their current meat consumption habits, as follows:

- Avid meat consumers (14%) - consume meat with "every" meal

- Regular meat consumers (47%) - consume meat with "most" meals

- Moderate meat consumers (25%) - consume meat with "about half" of meals

- Semi-vegetarians (13%) - consume meat with "fewer than half" of meals

- Vegetarians and vegans (1%) - "never" consume meat

- Semi-vegetarians represent about one in eight U.S. adults, or roughly 29 million people.

- The semi-vegetarian segment has the potential to grow to one-third of the total U.S. adult population and represents a significant growth opportunity for those involved in the food industry. This is because 17% of other consumers have indicated they are likely to reduce their meat consumption to semi-vegetarian levels at some point in their lives.

- Most semi-vegetarians also report having reduced their meat consumption in the past year and show interest in further meat reduction over the coming year.

- Semi-vegetarians are more likely to be female than male and tend to skew older rather than younger. In fact, more than one-third of current semi-vegetarians are age 55 or older, reflecting dietary changes driven by health concerns associated with aging.

- Semi-vegetarians also appear to be more socially conscious than the average U.S. adult. They are more aware of issues such as animal welfare and the environment and are more likely to contribute time or money to specific causes.

- Health is the primary driver of meat reduction behavior among semi-vegetarians, for nearly three-fourths of those surveyed. Other important motivations are convenience, cost, and societal issues such as animal welfare and concern for the environment.

- Many semi-vegetarians are frequent or occasional purchasers of both meat and dairy alternatives, and most are willing to pay more for "humane" animal products.

- Semi-vegetarians seem to be somewhat less influenced by personal food tastes and less engaged in food-centered sociality when compared with other consumers.

- To engage this consumer segment, food producers, retailers, wholesalers, distributors, and others involved in selling vegetarian food products should adopt sales and marketing strategies that appeal to semi-vegetarians based on their primary motivations.

- Vegetarian food industry players should also employ a mix of strategic sales and marketing tactics to broaden their audiences at both the consumer and producer/retailer levels.

Key Topics Covered:

I. Executive Summary 4

II. The Semi-Vegetarian Defined 5

- How Many Semi-Vegetarians Are There?

- Who is the Semi-Vegetarian?

- Why Semi-Vegetarian?

- What Are Semi-Vegetarians Eating?

- What is the Semi-Vegetarian Lifestyle?

III. How to Appeal to Semi-Vegetarians 15

- Appeal to Consumers' Primary Motivations

- Appeal to a Broader Audience

- Educate Consumers about Your Products

IV. Conclusion 19

V. Additional Information 20

VI. Appendix: Data Tables 21

For more information visit www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3f9d6f/vegetarian_consume

Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager
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Fax from rest of the world: +353-1-481-1716
press@researchandmarkets.com