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Review article - Peer-reviewed, 2022

Review of factors affecting consumer acceptance of cultured meat

Pakseresht, Ashkan; Kaliji, Sina Ahmadi; Canavari, Maurizio

Abstract

Concerns about animal welfare and sustainable meat production are growing among consumers. The awareness of carbon emissions linked to livestock and ethical concerns have triggered interest in more sustainable meat alternatives, among which cultured meat (also known as laboratory grown meat) is a recent entry. Like any new food, the ultimate success of cultured meat depends on consumer acceptance. This study analyses the peer reviewed literature on consumer attitudes towards cultured meat to synthesize the existing evidence and identify priorities for future research. A systematic literature review was undertaken using the Web of Science, Science Direct and Scopus databases over 2008-2020, resulting in a final number of 43 articles meeting our selection criteria. The most important factors influencing consumer acceptance/rejection of cultured meat include public awareness, perceived naturalness, and food-related risk perception. Ethical and environmental concerns prompted consumers to be willing to pay a premium price for purchasing meat substitutes, but not necessarily cultured meat. Also, food neophobia and uncertainties about safety and health seem to be important barriers to uptake of this technology. Availability of other alternatives such as plant-based meat substitutes and product features, such as price and sensory appeal, are considered determinants of consumer reception of this technology. The effect of demographic factors is mixed. More research on the interrelationships between livestock production, food security, and alternative meat products is recommended.

Keywords

Systematic review; Lab-grown meat; In-vitro; Clean meat; Consumer attitudes

Published in

Appetite
2022, Volume: 170, article number: 105829
Publisher: ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

    Associated SLU-program

    SLUsystematic

    Sustainable Development Goals

    SDG12 Responsible consumption and production

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Nutrition and Dietetics
    Economics

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2021.105829

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/117320