A peer-reviewed study has unveiled that psychological and cultural barriers are major obstacles to insect-based foods replacing traditional meat in Western diets. Report recommends that policy and food innovation should focus on plant-based alternatives to meat which are more widely accepted by consumers.
A peer-reviewed analysis, published in the prestigious Nature journal npj Sustainable Agriculture, has found that efforts to incorporate edible insects into Western diets face a number of consumer acceptance barriers. These barriers, which are psychological, taste-, culture- and price-related in nature, challenge the long-standing assumption that farmed insects have the potential to replace traditionally farmed meat as a source of dietary protein.
Authored by an international team of academics from the UK, USA and Europe, “Beyond the Buzz: Insect-based Foods are Unlikely to Significantly Reduce Meat Consumption”, evaluates the likelihood of insect-based foods in replacing meat from farmed animals, when compared to alternatives including plant-based proteins and lab-grown meat.
The study notes that the successful inclusion of any new food product in Western diets depends on a number of factors, but crucial is the willingness of consumers to try a product. Analysis of earlier research on consumer acceptance rates of alternative proteins indicates the highest acceptance is for plant-based meats, with a reported ‘willingness to try’ reaching as high as 91%. In contrast, farmed insects show the lowest acceptance of any alternative proteins, with reported ‘willingness to try’ routinely scoring in the 20% region.
Beyond the Buzz notes that the main barrier to market acceptance of farmed insects is “the psychological rejection experienced by consumers, predominantly feelings of disgust”.
In addition to the strong ‘yuck’ factor which farmed insect companies seem to be unable to shift, there exist a number of cultural and economic obstacles which farmed insects face, including taste, texture, affordability, availability and convenience, the study found.
Beyond the Buzz also notes that while farmed insects may be more environmentally-friendly than meat, this is not enough to persuade consumers to incorporate insects into their diets as a regular replacement for meat. Ordinary sources of plant protein were already environmentally friendlier than meat, yet overall, few consumers have become vegans. Appearance, taste and price, the study notes, are the most important factors for consumers who are motivated to shift to meat substitutes regularly.
Beyond the Buzz also found that:
- Environmental promise falls short: When insects are compared to already-available plant proteins, they rank lowest for environmental impact, scalability, and welfare concerns.
- Follow the money: Less than 1% of all insect industry funding is directed toward developing human food products that could replace meat consumption. Approximately 90% of the insects based food market consists of foods which do not directly compete with meat including snacks and pastas.
- Misdirected competition: Most insect products end up competing with plant-based foods rather than replacing meat, potentially worsening environmental outcomes.
- Poor commercial prospects: Insects are projected to achieve price parity later than other alternative proteins, such as plant-based meat.
The research found that even when insects are processed into unrecognizable forms like powders or incorporated into familiar foods, Western consumers remain resistant—undermining the central premise that insect-based foods could meaningfully reduce conventional meat consumption.
Recognizing these diminishing markets, insect farming companies have shifted focus to pet food or farmed animal feed. But these uses, which ultimately add an extra ‘link’ in the food chain, are inefficient. The expense of insect products has led to lack of demand, precipitating bankruptcy proceedings for industry leaders such as Ÿnsect and Aspire Food Group.
Furthermore, a recent life cycle assessment commissioned by the British government found that black soldier fly larvae used as feed in the UK context have a climate change impact 5.7 to 13.5 times worse than soy, with insects fed a “traditional diet” most similar to the one actually used on most large farms, scoring worst of all feeds considered on 13 of 16 environmental metrics.
Dr. Dustin Crummett, co-author of Beyond the Buzz, and Executive Director of the Insect Institute and affiliate instructor at the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at the University of Washington Tacoma, said, “Despite many years spent encouraging consumers towards more sustainable meat alternatives, insects have struggled to move beyond the so-called ‘yuck’ factor. Beyond the Buzz finds that high levels of disgust along with a number of economic and cultural barriers are too big an obstacle for the farmed insect market to overcome.”
Dr. Crummett continued, “Our research suggests that this is unlikely to change in the future. Policymakers, investors and organisations working to improve the environmental and health impact of Western diets should consider that other meat alternatives may have a better chance of long-term acceptance by consumers.”
According to the announcement, the study’s publication comes at a critical moment as governments and food companies struggle to address the environmental footprint of global meat production, which accounts for approximately 14.5% of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.
