Back to the future: Are consumers ready to eat insect-fed poultry food products from a circular farming system? An assessment for Italy

Abstract

The exploitation of natural resources from livestock farming would decrease if conventional protein sources in animal diets were partially replaced with insects through a circular economy approach. However, consumers’ acceptance of novel insect-fed (IF) animal products is key to the final success of such products. This study analyses consumers’ willingness to buy IF poultry meat and eggs using the results from an online survey of 780 Italian consumers. Overall, our results show a positive attitude of Italian consumers surveyed towards IF animal products. Moreover, we find that food neophobia and entomophobia negatively affect Italian consumers’ attitude towards those products, while the trust in the role of public authorities in ensuring food safety positively impacts on it. Also, consumers' propensity towards sustainable food increases the likelihood of buying IF animal products.