Consumer cognition and attitude towards artificial meat in China

Abstract

This study focuses on Chinese consumers’ cognition and attitude towards artificial meat, including cultured meat and plant-based meat. The attitude is measured by three aspects: willingness to accept (WTA), willingness to taste (WTT), and willingness to buy (WTB). The results indicate that consumers’ attitude towards plant-based meat is more favorable than that towards cultured meat. Consumers’ attitude towards artificial meat is positively correlated with their cognition of artificial meat, dietary knowledge, and information intervention. Compared to those who have not heard about artificial meat, consumers who are aware of it have 8%-36% higher probabilities of accepting, tasting, and buying cultured meat and plant-based meat, respectively. A one-point increase in dietary knowledge leads to a 2%-4% increase in consumers’ WTA, WTT, and WTB. Consumers who receive positive information about artificial meat have significantly higher probabilities of WTA, WTT, and WTB, ranging from 13% to 28%. Consumers’ WTA, WTT, and WTB also relate to their education level, marriage status, and family age structure. This study contributes to the existing literature on consumers’ attitudes towards artificial meat and provides a better understanding of the potential and challenges of marketizing artificial meat in China.