Recognizing Potential Pathways to Increasing the Consumption of Edible Insects from the Perspective of Consumer Acceptance: Case Study from Finland

Vilma Halonen, Ville Uusitalo, Jarkko Levänen, Jani Sillman, Lauri Leppäkoski and Anna Claudelin
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Vilma Halonen: Department of Sustainability Science, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT, Mukkulankatu 19, 15210 Lahti, Finland
Ville Uusitalo: Department of Sustainability Science, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT, Mukkulankatu 19, 15210 Lahti, Finland
Jarkko Levänen: Department of Sustainability Science, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT, Mukkulankatu 19, 15210 Lahti, Finland
Jani Sillman: Department of Sustainability Science, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT, Mukkulankatu 19, 15210 Lahti, Finland
Lauri Leppäkoski: Department of Sustainability Science, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT, Mukkulankatu 19, 15210 Lahti, Finland
Anna Claudelin: Department of Sustainability Science, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT, Mukkulankatu 19, 15210 Lahti, Finland

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-21

Abstract: Mitigating the sustainability challenges related to agriculture and ensuring adequate availability of nutritious food requires an increase in the use of sustainable alternative protein sources. Edible insects are considered to be a sustainable protein source and a possible substitute for meat. There are many readily available edible insect species with many competing utilization possibilities, which, from the producers’ perspective, increases the complexity of the area. Through a consumer survey and expert interviews, this study recognizes four pathways to increasing the use of edible insects in Western countries and especially in Finland where the survey and interviews were conducted: (1) producing a variety of insect-based food products, especially food products where insects are not recognizable as such and the food is in a familiar form; (2) producing edible insect food products which could replace greenhouse gas emission-intensive animal proteins; (3) focusing on the price, taste, and availability of insect food; and (4) using insects as animal feed. Our findings provide information on the prospects of the studied pathways in terms of consumption and production. Technological development is expected to decrease the price of insect-based food products, but at the same time, the increased use of edible insects faces challenges related to eating habits, contradictory perceptions about the sustainability implications of insect farming, and the availability of insect-based products.

Keywords: edible insects; consumer acceptance; alternative protein; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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