Consumo político e as múltiplas identidades vegetarianas

Abstract

This study aimed to understand how the identity aspects of semi-vegetarian, vegetarian and vegan consumers are constructed, influenced by political consumption and how these identities influence strategies of companies focused on the vegetarian/vegan consumers. The study adopted a qualitative and descriptive approach. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 42 consumers who are adept to vegetarian diets. In a second moment, 10 entrepreneurs in the vegetarian food business and 5 managers of companies that offer vegetarian/vegan options in their menus were interviewed. Non-participant observation was also carried out at a vegetarian event in the year 2019. Data were analyzed using Content Analysis, with mixed grid and use of Nvivo Software. It was found motivating factors for adopting vegetarian diets and factors that hind the starting or the continuing of these lifestyles. The main challenges experienced by these people were also highlighted as well as the most common changes in consumption habits. Five political actions were found as fundamental for the interviewees (origin of products, preference for organic product, buycotts, boycotts and people awareness), as well as the influences of social media and the vegetarian-vegan food sector. The identity traits of the interviewed consumers reinforce the identity multiplicity of the studied groups, the conflicts among them and the perception of virtuous-evolutionary process by some of them, which refers to the understanding that becoming a vegan occurs through initiation tosemi-vegetarianism that leads to vegetarianism, and achieving veganism. Finally, it was identified that managers understand the differences in consumption and identity of their consumers and how they affect their marketing actions. There also has a congruence between the perception of managers and the self-image and definition of identity by the interviewed groups. In addition, the managers indicated the main challenges to serve the vegetarian/vegan segment and the political actions common by their customers. This study advances in understanding the construction of identities through the respondents’ view about themselves, their view of others, and the managers’ viewpoint about them, considering the influences of political consumption in the formation of these identities and in business strategies vegetarians/vegans. Identities also influence how companies act to servethis segment. The paper contributes to the vegetarian diets literature by presenting several factors that motivate, hinder and are challenges for adepts of these diets. It also studied a relevant group of consumers, the semi-vegetarians, which numbers has risen and deserves to be highlighted in research. A conceptual scheme was also proposed to improve understanding of this dynamic. For identity studies, this research enables the understanding of identities by the respondents' view of themselves, their view of others and how managers perceive them. Furthermore, this study enables companies to expand understanding of the people who constitute this market and base strategies to better suit them with affordable products e and palatable. Socially, it evidenced the need of more programs to support people who have faced prejudice inside and outside their homes due to their vegetarian choices. Finally, it is expected that other studies expand the results found in this research.