A new report by the EIT Food agency’s Consumer Observatory indicates that while Europeans are generally receptive to meat alternatives, the cultivated meat industry is facing growing challenges. The report, “Reimagining Protein: Consumer Perceptions of Cultivated Meat,” reveals that some industry strategies are backfiring. For instance, consumers often view hybrid plant-based and cultivated meat products as a technological compromise, not an innovation. Additionally, associating cultivated meat with luxury clashes with consumer perceptions of it as “artificial” and lab-produced. The report also notes a decline in consumer interest, attributing it to a perceived lack of progress in the technology and negative media coverage that uses loaded terms like “immortalized cells” and “cancer.” To overcome these hurdles, the EIT agency recommends that companies prioritize building public trust by being transparent about their production processes and focusing on consumer well-being rather than just profit.
Source: Cultivated meat faces uphill climb in the EU | Alt Meat