Can Sustainable Food from Edible Insects Become the Food of the Future? Exploring Poland’s Generation Z

Anna Mikulec (), Anna Platta, Monika Radzymińska, Bożena Garbowska, Grzegorz Suwała, Millena Ruszkowska, Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski and Stanisław Kowalski
Additional contact information
Anna Mikulec: Faculty of Engineering Sciences, University of Applied Science in Nowy Sacz, 1a Zamenhofa St., 33-300 Nowy Sącz, Poland
Anna Platta: Faculty of Management and Quality Science, Gdynia Maritime University, 81-87 Morska St., 81-225 Gdynia, Poland
Monika Radzymińska: Faculty of Economic Sciences, Institute of Management Science and Quality, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 4 Oczapowskiego St., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Bożena Garbowska: Faculty of Economic Sciences, Institute of Management Science and Quality, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 4 Oczapowskiego St., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Grzegorz Suwała: Department of Food Product Quality, Krakow University of Economics, 27 Rakowiecka St., 31-510 Krakow, Poland
Millena Ruszkowska: Faculty of Management and Quality Science, Gdynia Maritime University, 81-87 Morska St., 81-225 Gdynia, Poland
Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski: Department of Food Technology of Plant Origin, Poznań University of Life Sciences, 31 Wojska Polskiego St., 60-637 Poznan, Poland
Stanisław Kowalski: Department of Carbohydrate Technology and Cereal Processing, Faculty of Food Technology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 122 Balicka St., 31-149 Krakow, Poland

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 23, 1-19

Abstract: This study addresses a research gap by examining the attitudes and interest of young Polish consumers in new foods containing insects. The results of the survey, which are presented in this article, were obtained as part of an inter-university project conducted at five Polish higher education institutions (N = 1063). The survey was conducted using the indirect interview method via an online platform (CAWI). This study aimed to assess attitudes, behaviours and intentions to purchasing insect foods, as well as factors influencing the selection of new foods containing insects and product preferences for such foods. The analysis revealed no statistically significant differentiation in consumer behaviour and declared intentions towards insect foods based on gender or place of residence ( p > 0.001). Our results revealed correlations between the level of neophobia and negative attitudes among young consumers towards insect products, albeit weak in nature. The exploratory factor analysis suggested that the assessment of factors influencing the purchase of insect products may be based on a small number of dimensions, which were not found to be correlated, as follows: “Health and Environmental Concern”, “Organoleptic Attributes” and “Circumstantial Influences”.

Keywords: attitudes; behaviours; young consumers; insects; food; choice factors; neophobia; innovative food (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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