V-PLACE - enabling consumer choice in vegan or vegetarian food products - EITFOOD- cod. 20262

The demand for vegan and vegetarian food products including alterna􀆟ves to meat, milk, or eggs, has expanded considerably during recent years in Europe. For many consumers wan􀆟ng to replace products of animal origin partly or completely, the search for the right informa􀆟on including the avoidance of nutri􀆟onal deficits is a challenge. Integrated into FoodUnfolded, the V-PLACE web portal will bring this informa􀆟on together empowering consumer choices in an easily accessible and consumer centric pla􀆞orm. Consumers can select their preferred diet (omnivore, flexitarian, pescatarian, vegetarian, or vegan) and will receive tailored informa􀆟on in an easy and understandable way. An engaging and informa􀆟ve app with games and quizzes will complement the V-PLACE and present health and environmental benefits. In the market for food products, significant growth is predicted via mass-market subs􀆟tu􀆟ons rather than expansion of niche products. There is an iden􀆟fied need to research and actualize the knowledge about consumer expecta􀆟ons, a􀆫tudes, and needs to adopt current strategies accordingly. V-Place will look at the interplay of product proper􀆟es, expecta􀆟ons, and communica􀆟on on vegan and vegetarian food products in consumer studies including ingredients and health proper􀆟es (perceived and expected). Results and data will con􀆟nuously feed into the V-PLACE web portal on EIT FoodUnfolded - thereby making it a living knowledge hub also a􀅌er the project has ended.