Consumer views about the Next Generation proteins for food in Europe

Consumers’ food habits are changing towards healthier and more sustainable food solutions. This, combined with an increased demand of proteins for food and feed, has resulted in a high interest towards protein sources that are alternative to current mainstream sources of protein. The NextGenProteins project is responding to the call by considering three alternative proteins and their production for sustainable food production: spirulina microalgae using CO2 emissions and waste heat for its growth, insects (crickets), whose production are based on the use of plant-based wasted food biomass, and torula yeast (single cell protein) cultivated on forest biomass. This study aims to gain a European view on consumer attitudes towards the three NextGen proteins, their production processes, and the use of resulting protein ingredients in food products. The results of the study are based on online focus group discussions with selected consumers from Finland, Germany, Iceland and Italy, and an online survey implemented in Finland, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Poland, Sweden, and UK with 6600 respondents in total. According to the results, consumers’ attitudes towards the NextGen proteins, their production and application in human food, in general, were mostly positive or neutral. Large share of respondents (varying by country and concept) believed in that NextGen concepts provide benefits for the sustainability, livestock and human health. Whereas respondents were not strongly concerned about potential risks. It is noteworthy that the share of respondents having neutral attitude towards the NextGen concepts was high. Given the novelty of these concepts, it is understandable that most people have not readily formed attitudes towards the issue. Accordingly, a large share of consumers did not have strong negative prejudices or preconceptions towards these production methods and ingredients, except for the insect-based concept. Although consumers were receptive for the sustainability related message and value these benefits, they seem to have relatively low belief in personal benefits related to the use of NextGen proteins. The study suggests that whether consumers will choose to use NextGen protein products will much depend on the sensory quality of the final product and on how they are convinced about the other personal benefits related to the food product. Furthermore, the results emphasise the central role of communication and marketing in creation and retainment of consumer trust and escaping potential negative associations that may be elicited by the production technologies and ingredients. These findings, reported in the study, will act as a guide in developing food products for markets. From the NextGen concepts, insect protein seems to have more barriers to overcome before gaining wider acceptance in food products among European consumers. The finding that the large majority of consumers are either positive or at least do not have strong negative prejudices provides a neutral basis and creates possibilities for product development and marketing of food products including alternative proteins.