In a recent study, 63% of Spanish consumers surveyed said they would try farmed meat and 46% said they would buy it. The top three reasons behind wanting to eat farmed meat were found to be animal welfare (63%), environmental concerns (50%) and curiosity (48%).
This information has emerged in the report Perceptions of Sanskritized Meat ConsumersManaged by the Spanish Technological Institute Ainia, financed by the Regional Ministry of Innovation of Valencia in the framework of the SmartMeet project.
Generation Z as a focus group
“The potential consumer profile of farmed meat has healthy eating habits and mostly belongs to Generation Z,” Ainia said. TThe primary barriers for those considering buying farmed meat are price (52%), lack of knowledge (45%), and mistrust (44%), it adds.
95% of consumers responded that they eat animal products in their regular meals to meet their protein needs; 23% consume vegetable protein and 33% consume protein-rich foods, Ainya reports. but 34% (one in three) of those surveyed claim to have reduced animal protein in the past two years, a trend driven by millennials and dieters.
Additionally, 47% of those surveyed claimed to have increased their consumption of protein-rich foods; 53% think that in the coming years, they will increase their consumption of vegetable protein. Still, 33% believe there is little supply Compared to plant-based products, 39% found the alternative offering sufficient.
Food companies face a challenge
However, Aynia says reducing meat consumption will be a challenge. TThe United Nations estimates that 8,500 million people will live on Earth in 2030. In addition to the significant demand for food to feed this population, projections by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) point to an increase in meat consumption of around 73% by 2050.
According to Aynia, the objectives of the European Green Pact and the 2030 Agenda include the use of more efficient methods and alternative proteins that guarantee an equitable, nutritious and environmentally friendly food system.
Food companies face the challenge of responding to the growing demand for animal protein with innovative alternatives based on vegetables, insects, microbial proteins, legumes or cultured meats, among other sources, Ainya says.
Sonia Tirado, General Director of Innovation at the Regional Ministry of Innovation in Valencia commented, “The results of this research will be useful for companies to identify opportunities and obstacles in the market. products made from farmed meat and how they may influence aspects such as health, natural resource use or animal welfare in their purchasing decisions.”