There is a growing concern regarding consumer food choices and sustainability efforts. Food has become a significant factor affecting the climate as well as human health. At the same time, plant-based protein adoption (PPA) faces several barriers at the socio-cultural, economic, political, and productfeature levels. Hence, the present study is an attempt to explore and systematically analyze the adoption barriers of PPA. The adoption of PPA becomes pivotal, serving not only in the provision of responsible production and consumption solutions (Goal 12) but also in fostering a healthier climate (Goal 13) as integral to achieving the United Nations' sustainable development goals (UNSDGs). Hence, the focal point of this investigation is to propose appropriate benchmarks for selecting the most important PPA barrier. The Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) approach will evaluate the barriers at all the abovementioned levels and aid industrialists and researchers in combating the challenges. Implications for industry practitioners and scholars are expected to add value to the body of knowledge