A comprehensive survey across 15 European countries has revealed that consumers believe they should have the freedom to decide whether to purchase cultivated meat once it has been approved by food safety regulators.
The survey, conducted by YouGov and commissioned by the non-profit think tank Good Food Institute Europe (GFI Europe), polled over 16,000 consumers and found that a majority in most countries support the approval and sale of cultivated meat.
Key findings from the survey include:
In countries like Portugal (69%), Spain (58%), Germany (65%) and Belgium (57%), a majority of consumers believe cultivated meat should be approved for sale if food regulators deem it safe and nutritious.
Across 13 countries, more than half of those surveyed said cultivated meat should be produced domestically to benefit their national economies.
Majorities in all 13 countries where the question was asked said cultivated meat packaging should be allowed to use "meaty" names like chicken, burger and sausage, while clearly indicating the different production processes.
Awareness and knowledge of cultivated meat varied significantly, with 61% of Dutch respondents saying they had heard of it, compared to only 23% in Greece.
"This survey shows people across a wide range of countries believe that once cultivated meat has been approved, it should be down to consumers to decide whether or not they want to eat it," said Seth Roberts, senior policy manager at GFI Europe.
The findings come as EU agriculture ministers are set to discuss novel foods, including plant-based and cultivated meat, at the upcoming AGRIFISH Council meeting on Monday.
"Europe, as home to dynamic businesses and some of the world's best scientists, is well-placed to become a world leader in cultivated meat," Roberts added. "It's great to see so many Europeans are ready for its arrival as part of a diversified food system."
Cultivated meat, which is produced in fermentors rather than by farming animals, requires approval under the EU's Novel Foods Regulation before it can be sold in any of the 27 member states.
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