Prof.  Debora  Scarpato
Parthenope University of Naples,  Italy

Title: Sustainability and food security: an exploratory investigation on propensity to purchase alternative protein products in the south of Italy

Abstract:

Authors: Debora Scarpato and Gennaro Punzo

Ensuring food security for a growing population is one of the major challenges that the world faces within the upcoming decades (FAO et al. 2015). An important element for the international strategy aimed at tackling the global food crisis is the reduction of meat consumption. To this end,  an approach that is very present in the international debate is to substitute meat with meat alternatives (IPCC, 2019).

In this scenario, it is important to understand consumer behavior with respect to possible alternatives to reduce the consumption of conventional meat in order to limit the negative environmental impact. This exploratory study investigates consumer attitudes in Southern Italy towards three meat alternatives: plant-based, insect-based and cultivated meat. Among the main results of the study is highlighted that consumers prioritizing environmental concerns are not inclined at all towards insects or plant-based meat. However, they show a preference for cultured (synthetic) meat, indicating a stronger link between environmental concern and its propensity for purchase. Participants who follow a protein-based diet are more likely to consume cultivated (synthetic) meat and participants who are concerned about food safety are more likely to consume plant-based. The results of this study can be a starting point for further studies aimed at identifying which consumers are more inclined to replace conventional meat with alternative meat. This may have implications for policy initiatives to be implemented to inform consumers and for the development of new products by companies.

Key words: Food security; meat alternatives; Insects; Cultured meat.

Biography: