In Part I of this analysis (add link when live), we discussed the role of protein in granting consumers ‘permissible indulgence’, among other major psychological drivers behind the growth for protein demand all over the world.

At one time, the desire to increase protein consumption was primarily fuelled by gym bros or ultra-keen sportspeople looking to build up muscle mass, but that has now changed.

“Today protein has gone mainstream,” points out Callum Saunders, group strategy director at ZEAL. “It’s seen as something that’s good for everyone and helps fuel your day, whatever that day holds. The psychology has shifted from performance to everyday wellbeing. People aren’t necessarily asking, ‘will this help me build muscle?’; They’re asking, ‘will this keep me going?’ That’s a much bigger and more inclusive audience.”

There is a strong health halo surrounding protein now, so much so that some consumers simply use it as a shorthand for improving overall health or wellbeing, with a fifth of consumers surveyed by Innova Trends in a global study citing ‘heal the body’ as their reason for increasing protein intake.

The strength of that psychological association can even blind them to the impact of less healthy ingredients in the same product or at least diminish their sense of guilt in tucking in.

“Protein can almost give consumers permission to indulge,” says Howard Wright, executive strategy and creative director at Equator Design.

“A snack or dessert with added protein can feel like a more justifiable treat, even if the consumer hasn’t considered the product’s wider nutritional profile.”

“Some who are perhaps more health conscious and nutritionally literate might look at the label on the back and be put off if they perceive it to be an ultra-processed food but some people will just be looking at it as protein equals good,” echoes Katy Tapper, a professor of psychology at City St. Georges, University London.

That can even come at the detriment of their intake of other vital macronutrients, she adds.

“There’s a real danger of it pushing other nutrients out of the diet like fibre. Very few people get their recommended intake of fibre and yet it’s not really on people’s radar.”

Evolving motivations

The Innova Trends survey was carried out across 11 different countries, and found that growing audience could be categorised into as many as nine distinct motivations.

Supporting energy and stamina (30%) and weight management (27%) came out as the leading reasons, but this was closely followed by one in four using protein as a way to boost immunity, age healthily or build muscle. Bone, joint and heart health each influenced about one in five consumers meanwhile.

Within these groups, there are further sub-categories still. For example, the increasing number of people using GLP-1 medications for weight loss is pushing up interest in protein, with 61% actively increasing their consumption, in order to protect muscle mass and meet daily nutritional needs on what is typically a sharply reduced appetite.

This is coupled with a greater willingness to pay a premium for higher quality protein products, found another 2026 study.

“The growing conversation around GLP-1 medications and smaller appetites adds another dimension to this,” adds Wright .

“For consumers who are eating less, there’s potentially greater emphasis on getting nutritional value and satisfaction from each portion.”

Protein pervasiveness

From high-protein chocolate, to savoury spreads and even zero-calorie, high-protein air, the power that protein claims now wield in global food and drink aisles is all-pervasive.

According to insights from leading European trade fair SIAL Paris, more than one in five new product launches from 2024 carried a high-protein claim.

It’s clear too that this slew of NPD is responding to consumer demand.

Some 70% of European shoppers, across all age groups, say they’re paying attention to the amount of protein in their diet, say Innova Market Insights, with that proportion even higher in younger demographics.

As a result, protein-based foods, including those fortified with added protein, grew by 9.6% in the second half of 2026, well ahead of the total grocery category, calculated industry body ADHB, with high-protein options consistently priced higher than standard options too.

This means that the level of saturation creeping into supermarket aisles when it comes to these protein claims is rising, so understanding what exactly drives consumer purchase decisions – including these psychological elements that underpin their choices – is increasingly critical for manufacturers that want to create lasting behaviour change, or simply avoid being muscled out the way.

Core consumer clusters

A new subset of psychology drivers is coming into play as consumers choose between the many different types of protein on offer.

One 2023 study of US consumers identified three core clusters when it came to these purchase-level drivers. The first cluster (C1) valued sustainability or environmentally friendly products over and above flavour or taste, primarily opting for plant-based options. The second (C2) were nutritionally conscious and desired high-protein healthy products that had the added benefit of vitamins and minerals, while the third (C3) prioritised familiarity across protein sources, typically loyal to those products they currently purchased though willing to try new ones where it was based on recommendations.

In addition, C1 focused most on protein sources, C2 on price and C3 gave the highest value to flavour.

The findings illustrate how manufacturers could tailor consumer education and messaging, as well as the strategic positioning of their protein products in order to appeal to different types of consumer, pointed out the study’s authors.

In some categories, such as sports nutrition, the branding around a protein product is just as critical when it comes to tapping into the right consumer psychology as the product itself. Another study at the University of Leeds, explored the motivations behind the purchase of MyProtein Soy Protein Powder in the flavour Salted Caramel.

Interestingly, alongside product characteristics associated with health, researchers identified that a second motivator – a need for consumers to ‘develop their own image’ – played a key role in their selection.

The use of influencers within the gym or bodybuilding community to endorse the MyProtein product, for example, held considerable sway over perceptions around its quality and therefore its desirability for consumers looking to align themselves with that image. It ‘met the need to belong to a group they idolised.’

All which illustrates that the success of any particular product depends on a manufacturer understanding not just the likely desired outcome of increasing consumption, but the other nuanced psychological factors affecting their choices, be it sustainability, flavour, familiarity or their aspirations toward a particular group or identity.

Driving sustainable change

One of the major causes influencing the increased usage of a vegan protein powder, in this case Soy Protein Powder, is the growing distrust in conventional medicine and the notion that natural is healthy (Egan et al., 2011).

However, the drivers for supplement (for instance, protein powders) intake are complicated, influenced by both demographic and health-related characteristics, and research shows that higher usage of dietary supplements has been connected with being female, more educated, having a higher income, among other things (Egan et al., 2011)

For those manufacturers specifically looking to nudge consumers toward alternative proteins, there can be yet another layer to consider.

Despite a major push toward plant-based alternatives in recent years, accompanied by a swathe of new products, animal proteins remain the dominant source by some margin.

The global market for animal-based proteins sits at around $1.4tn, according to Deloitte, while alt proteins are a mere fraction of that at $14bn, despite a growth rate of 10%. That growth rate, which peaked in 2019, has also begun to plateau.

Manufacturers will need to work harder if they’re to overcome engrained habits and perceptions around animal vs. alt proteins, points out Tapper.

“People need a reason to switch because habits are quite pervasive. It’s hard to switch. If you’re used to cooking something, you’ve got to be quite motivated to switch to something new. People need a really good reason for that.”

Once again, understanding what drives purchase decisions at a psychological level is a crucial part of developing those more compelling reasons. “One of the biggest mistakes brands can make is assuming all protein means the same thing to consumers,” points out Wright.

“It doesn’t. People don’t necessarily think about protein in isolation. They think about the food it comes from, and that brings a whole set of familiar associations, expectations and emotions into the purchase decision.”

This was borne out by a 2026 study on European preferences for alt proteins, which asked 4,671 respondents in Estonia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, and Sweden to rank six alternative protein sources from most to least preferred.

Fermented plant-based proteins were ranked highest (34%) followed by cultivated meat and dairy (23%), extruded plant proteins (19%) then fungi-based proteins (14%), algae-based proteins (8%) and, last, insect-based proteins (3%). More tellingly than their order of preference though was the basis of their decision, with personal values and attitudes outranking age, gender or residency.

In another 2026 analysis of blended proteins, in particular, these psychological elements once again trumped all other factors, suggesting that the need to build positive perceptions around a product, rather than simply lowering barriers like price, could be particularly impactful in driving lasting behaviour change.

“These perceptions aren’t necessarily a reflection of the nutritional quality of one source over another,” points out Wright. “They’re about familiarity, trust, lifestyle and what consumers believe they’re getting.”

Saunders agrees. “Functional benefits drive this category, and brands need to communicate them clearly. But the winners will be the ones that translate those benefits into moments that matter emotionally to people.”

In short, the grams of protein per pack are a surprisingly small part of the equation when it comes to what drives protein purchases. What’s far more important for manufacturers is to appeal to the motivations, emotions and aspirations that underpin it all.