Exploring consumers' attitude towards cultured meat in Italy

Mancini, Maria Cecilia; Antonioli, Federico

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.12.014

Cited by 205 publications

(219 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…One of the most intriguing contradictions noted by the researchers is the fact that non-meat eaters had higher expectations about the taste of cultivated meat than meat eaters, even though the latter had expressed a higher intention to buy. Similar findings, with vegans and vegetarians more positive about cultivated meat but less interested in trying it than meat eaters, have also emerged from studies conducted in the United States [115]. The explanation offered for this apparently contradictory behavior is that these categories are not opposed to cultured meat but at the same time are not interested in consuming it.…”

Section: Synthetic Meat: Does Innovation Taste Better To Those Who Hasupporting

confidence: 63%

Food Neophobia or Distrust of Novelties? Exploring Consumers’ Attitudes toward GMOs, Insects and Cultured Meat

Faccio

Fovino

2019

Applied Sciences

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The food industry is constantly challenged to find new ideas to satisfy the increasingly specific consumer demand. However, innovative food products do not always become part of consumption habits or create a market. One of the major sources of resistance to novelty lies in the attitude of the consumer, who in many cases may be suspicious or hostile as a result of specific ideologies, overly attached to tradition, or affected by neophobia. This paper analyzes the construct of food neophobia (the “unwillingness to try new foods”) in its phenomenology and its actual power to explain hostility to innovation in the agri-food sector. The limits of the concept, which is not always sufficient to shed light on the many reasons that could underlie the rejection of certain foods, will also be discussed. In addition, we review the recent literature on Europeans’ attitude toward novel foods and innovation including Genetically modified organisms (GMOs), cultivated meat and insects as food. This literature reveals a number of paradoxes in consumers’ behavior, and in the many complex conditions underpinning the success of innovation in food production. These conditions can only be understood by reconstructing the meanings consumers assign to food, and are often embedded in larger social and political frameworks.

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Section: Synthetic Meat: Does Innovation Taste Better To Those Who Hasupporting

confidence: 63%

Food Neophobia or Distrust of Novelties? Exploring Consumers’ Attitudes toward GMOs, Insects and Cultured Meat

Faccio

Fovino

2019

Applied Sciences

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“…The previous interpretation of a set of external requirements contributing to increasing cattle profitability has been substituted by a new consideration, i.e., animals are sentient beings [67]. Indeed, consumers search for healthy foodstuffs obtained through sustainable animal welfare processes and reduction of conventional meat consumption [68][69][70][71][72]. At the same time, food supply chain operators use animal welfare as a marketing tool in order to promote their corporate image and diversify the business [73][74][75][76][77].…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Millennials’ Concept of Sustainability in the Food Sector

2019

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The aim of this study is to analyze the perception of the meaning of sustainability in the food sector. A sample of 268 University students belonging to the Millennial generation was identified and a survey was carried out to assess the interaction between this kind of Millennials and food sustainability. Collected data were explored with descriptive statistics, followed by multivariate statistical techniques to get an integrated vision of relationships among the variables. Outcomes evidence four groups of Millennials with specific peculiarities, i.e., “Socio-Nature Sensitives”, characterized by a high level of attention for the socio-economic dimension and sustainable ways of food production; “Info-Supporter”, very sensitive to labeling and warranty systems; “Proactive-Oriented”, interested in innovative activities; “Indifferent Millennials”, assigning the issue in general a low level of importance. Results provide useful information and some contribution to public institutions and private stakeholders so as to implement new rules and new tools in the food sector, so as to reach the target of reducing waste and pollution. Substantial literature on interaction between Millennials and sustainability in the food sector has not yet been developed; the aim of this pioneer study is to offer some contribution to the debate among stakeholders on driving choices towards new consumption rules and production patterns.

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“…The present work aims to fill this gap by assessing to what extent Italian consumers' perception and their willingness to try, buy, and pay a premium price for cultured meat are affected by positive information. Results offer some insights for both the private and public sectors concerning the potential future promotion of its consumption (some preliminary results of this research are available in [50], where a general discussion on consumers' perception and acceptance towards cultured meat was provided, but the role of information was not analyzed).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

To What Extent Are Consumers’ Perception and Acceptance of Alternative Meat Production Systems Affected by Information? The Case of Cultured Meat

Mancini

Antonioli

2020

Animals

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The global meat production system is currently under pressure, particularly for its environmental and animal wellbeing impacts, as well as for the increasing protein demand worldwide. In this regard, cultured meat is currently a hot topic in the industrial, political, and societal arenas, revealing itself as the potential relief for the issues above. However, its high degree of novelty may hamper the extent of consumers’ acceptance. This research assesses for which beliefs concerning intrinsic attributes and positive externalities, the provision of information is a sufficient tool for affecting the perception and acceptance of cultured meat on a panel of Italian consumers. Changes in perception and willingness to try, buy, and pay are assessed by measuring the variation before and after the provision of positive information related to the product. The results show that perception is affected by positive information concerning safety and nutritional characteristics, whereas the opposite occurs regarding the product flavor. Furthermore, findings reveal that, while the willingness to buy increases after providing positive information, the willingness to try does not. Finally, information on intrinsic attributes and positive externalities of the cultured meat would have to be combined with different approaches for further enhancement of consumers’ perception and acceptance.

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Exploring consumers' attitude towards cultured meat in Italy

Cited by 205 publications

References 42 publications

Food Neophobia or Distrust of Novelties? Exploring Consumers’ Attitudes toward GMOs, Insects and Cultured Meat

Food Neophobia or Distrust of Novelties? Exploring Consumers’ Attitudes toward GMOs, Insects and Cultured Meat

The Millennials’ Concept of Sustainability in the Food Sector

To What Extent Are Consumers’ Perception and Acceptance of Alternative Meat Production Systems Affected by Information? The Case of Cultured Meat

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