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Dr hab. Katarzyna Stasiuk
ORCID: 0000-0003-4627-2557

She works at the Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University. She specializes in the psychology of consumer behaviour, with a particular focus on sustainable consumption. Her recent research examines consumer attitudes toward circular economy practices. She also explores topics at the intersection of psychology and law, particularly the application of psychological and methodological knowledge in addressing issues related to unfair marketing practices and trademark infringement.

 
DOI: 10.33226/1231-7853.2025.10.1
JEL: D19

Growing ethical, environmental, and health concerns related to meat consumption have increased interest in alternative protein sources, such as plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs), insect-based foods, and lab-grown meat. This study examined how Polish consumers perceive these three categories of meat substitutes in comparison to conventional meat and how these perceptions differ between meat eaters and reducetarians (individuals who intentionally limit meat consumption). A representative sample of 1,016 Polish adults completed an online survey evaluating meat alternatives on several dimensions. Overall, PBMAs received the most favourable evaluations, lab-grown meat was viewed ambivalently, and insect-based foods faced the strongest perceptual barriers. Dietary habits significantly influenced perceptions: reducetarians assessed all substitutes more positively than meat eaters, indicating greater openness to alternative proteins. These findings highlight substantial variation in how different meat alternatives are received by consumers and underscore the importance of addressing both sensory expectations and emotional responses in promoting meat alternatives.

Keywords: meat substitutes; consumer perception; sustainable diet; plant-based meat alternatives; lab-grown meat; insect-based food; reducetarianism
DOI: 10.33226/1231-7853.2024.7.2
JEL: D11, D22, I31, L68

Refurbishing is the process of restoring a used product to good condition by cleaning, replacing and/or repairing major components of the product and then bringing it back to the market. The practice is intended to reduce the carbon footprint and improve the level of reuse of resources, promoted in a number of pieces of legislation that implement the European Green Deal. For these measures to be successful, however, it is necessary to convince consumers to buy refurbished products. In order to find out what Poles know about this practice, their attitudes towards refurbished products and the motives and barriers to their purchase, a quantitative survey was conducted on a representative sample (N = 1270). Analysis of its results showed that awareness of refurbishing in Poland is low and few people buy refurbished products. Those who made such a purchase were mainly motivated by the lower price of these products, and the concern for the environment proved to be a far less important motive for the purchase. The most common barrier to the decision to buy refurbished products was the desire to own new products, as well as a lack of confidence in the quality of 'refurbishments'.

Keywords: refurbishing; refurbished products; consumer attitudes; circular economy; right to repair