1. Introduction
The latest United Nations (UN) projections suggest that the world population could grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030 and exceed 9.7 billion in 2050 [
1]. The latter represents a significant challenge for the global agri-food system. Indeed, to feed the world population, food production will need to increase by 70% [
2]. In addition, the growth in economic possibilities of large parts of the population, and the globalization of consumption habits, are driving demand for protein-rich foods [
3] and, more deeply, for meat, both for its nutritional value and the status associated with it [
4]. Indeed, over the past 50 years, global demand for meat has tripled, reaching 340 million tons in 2018 [
5,
6]. However, livestock farming has become unsustainable, being responsible for approximately 14.5% of all human-induced greenhouse gas emissions and extensive land and water use, contributing to deforestation and biodiversity loss [
7].
Considering these challenges, many countries are experimenting with innovative approaches to produce meat in a sustainable way [
8,
9]. Among these innovations, cultivated meat has emerged as one of the most promising technologies in the food industry. Also known as cultured or cell-based meat, cultivated meat is produced through cellular agriculture, a process that involves the ex vivo culture of animal cells obtained via biopsy. These cells are then grown in bioreactors under controlled conditions, applying bioengineering and tissue engineering principles to create food products [
10,
11].
Although cultivated meat is still in its early stages of development, and it is still expensive to produce, it holds significant potential to contribute to meeting the global demand for protein-rich foods. It is estimated, in fact, that up to 8000 kg of meat can be produced from a single stem cell [
12,
13]. Furthermore, this type of meat offers numerous potential benefits, including a significant reduction in the environmental impact of traditional farming practices, decreased greenhouse gas emissions, and improved animal welfare conditions [
14,
15,
16]. Moreover, cultivated meat could help address issues of natural resource scarcity by requiring significantly less water and land than conventional meat production [
17].
However, alongside these potential benefits, a critical debate has emerged regarding cultivated foods, raising concerns about their sustainability and safety. Some studies suggest that cultivated meat could have a greater environmental impact, mainly due to the energy-intensive and chemical processes involved in its production, which could lead to new types of pollution or inefficient resource use [
14,
16,
18]. Furthermore, concerns have been raised regarding potential human health risks associated with using growth factors or other substances in producing cultivated meat [
15]. These debates highlight the complexity of adopting this technology globally and the need for further research to clarify its benefits and risks.
Some countries have already approved cultured meat for human consumption (e.g., Israel, the United States, and Singapore), while in Europe, no authorization has been granted to date. The first European country to oppose the marketing of cultured meat was Italy, both because of the uncertainties mentioned and its potential impact on livestock farmers. In addition to Italy, several other European countries, including France, Greece, and Romania, have expressed their concerns, asking the European Commission to consider not only the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) but also to evaluate the potential socio-economic impacts before any marketing authorization under the Novel Food Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 [
19,
20].
Meanwhile, to guarantee greater safety and transparency, the EFSA has published new, clear, and timely guidelines for the approval of “novel foods”, which aspiring producers of cultured meat will have to follow when seeking marketing authorization.
The increasing demand for sustainable solutions in food production, coupled with the first requests for authorization, may soon lead to an evolution of the European regulatory framework. In the coming years, this could lead to the approval of cultured meat-based foods for marketing within Europe. From the consumers’ perspective, despite the potential environmental and health benefits, acceptance of cultivated meat remains a complex issue, influenced by various psychological, social, and demographic factors. In countries like Italy, where traditional food policies emphasize respect for gastronomic culture and local culinary heritage, these factors may influence the acceptance of cultivated meat among Italian consumers [
21]. Italians generally prioritize fresh, high-quality ingredients and have a strong attachment to traditional meat products such as cured meats and regional specialties. Moreover, the Mediterranean diet, which is widely followed in Italy, emphasizes a balanced intake of plant-based foods, fish, and moderate meat consumption, potentially shaping consumer perceptions of alternative protein sources, including cultivated meat [
22,
23,
24].
Given these cultural and dietary influences, consumer attitudes toward cultivated meat can be particularly complex and multifaceted. Previous studies that involved European consumers have shown that attitudes toward food innovations, such as cultivated meat, are strongly influenced by both sociodemographic (i.e., age, education, and income) and psychological factors, such as food neophobia, ethical concerns, and perceived risks related to food safety [
25,
26,
27,
28,
29]. Adopting cultivated meat also involves addressing uncertainties about its long-term implications for human health and the environment, which remain central to ongoing scientific and public debates. While its potential to reduce environmental impact and enhance sustainability is clear, these discussions highlight the need for a deeper understanding of the factors that shape consumer attitudes and behavior.
Accordingly, this study seeks to explore Italian consumer perceptions and knowledge of cultivated meat and their willingness to purchase it. Given the evolving landscape of alternative proteins and the limited contributions in the literature on this topic within the Italian context, this study aims to provide new insights into the factors influencing consumer acceptance. Specifically, it investigates how psychological, demographic, and social variables influence consumer behavior. Using a logistic regression model, the study will assess the impact of each factor on consumers’ purchasing decisions regarding cultivated meat.
The research questions guiding this analysis are as follows:
RQ1: What are consumers’ perceptions and knowledge regarding cultivated meat?
RQ2: What are the factors that influence consumers’ willingness to purchase cultivated meat?
This paper is organized as follows. The next section outlines the methodology adopted, including the data-gathering and analysis processes.
Section 3 presents and interprets the findings concerning the research questions, highlighting the key factors influencing consumer attitudes and behavior regarding cultivated meat. Finally, the last section discusses the main insights derived from this study, acknowledges its limitations and implications, and suggests directions for future research.
4. Discussion
This study’s findings reveal a complex landscape of perceptions, influenced by psychological, demographic, and behavioral factors. The data indicate a preference for conventional meat products, with 95.4% of respondents consuming beef and 87.4% pork, and a reliance on traditional purchasing channels such as butcher shops and supermarkets, underscoring the significant cultural and habitual role that conventional meat holds in the Italian diet, a trend observed in other European countries with strong culinary traditions [
45,
46,
47]. The minimal reliance on organic stores (0.92%) or direct purchases from farmers (0.92%) suggests a limited consumer engagement with alternative or traceable supply chains [
48,
49,
50,
51]. This may indicate a lack of accessibility, awareness, or perceived cost barriers associated with such sources.
The divergence between the high awareness of cultivated meat and the low willingness to purchase points to a considerable perception gap. This discrepancy is driven by the limited understanding of the production process, as only 8.24% of respondents expressed high confidence in their knowledge. The qualitative data, which revealed negative word associations like “laboratory” and “artificial,” underscore a general public skepticism rooted in a lack of familiarity and a perception of the product as unnatural. This aligns with previous studies demonstrating that consumer acceptance of novel foods is often inversely related to their perceived “naturalness” and is heavily influenced by a lack of knowledge and trust in the underlying technology [
52,
53,
54].
The motivations for willingness to purchase underscore the perceived environmental advantages of cultivated meat (54.61%) and its innovative appeal (25.00%). This aligns with broader trends where sustainability and novelty drive interest in food innovations [
55,
56,
57]. However, the substantial proportion of respondents citing health concerns (31.58%) and distrust in production processes (34.59%) reflects significant skepticism toward cultivated meat, as also pointed out in the studies of Heiskanen and Ryynänen [
58] and Szejda et al. [
59]. The prominence of health concerns further reinforces the critical role that health-related factors and safety perceptions play in shaping consumer food choices [
60].
The logistic regression analysis provided critical insights into the specific determinants of adoption. The strong negative effect of the AFTN [
31] on purchase likelihood is a powerful indicator of consumer neophobia. With an odds ratio of 0.277, a rise in skepticism dramatically reduces the odds of purchase, a finding consistent with prior research on consumer resistance to lab-grown products and genetically modified organisms, where psychological barriers often outweigh objective information [
61,
62].
Conversely, GCV [
32] is a significant positive predictor of purchase likelihood (OR = 1.697), which is a key strategic insight. This confirms that pro-environmental attitudes and the desire for sustainable choices are motivators for consumers, a conclusion supported by a growing number of studies identifying sustainability as a primary driver of interest in alternative proteins [
63,
64,
65].
The demographic profile of the likely early adopter (i.e., a younger, higher-income woman in a smaller household) further supports a targeted market entry strategy. Younger generations typically exhibit greater openness to food innovations and a higher propensity for sustainable consumption [
66,
67,
68,
69]. The role of income may also suggest that cultivated meat will initially be a premium product. The non-significant findings for variables such as health concerns and education, contrary to some existing literature [
70,
71,
72,
73], may be unique to this Italian sample, suggesting a need for more nuanced qualitative research to explore these factors.
4.1. Implications for Industry and Policymakers
From a managerial perspective, companies in the cultivated meat sector must prioritize addressing consumer concerns through transparent and educational communication. It will be essential to provide clear, accessible information regarding the safety, sustainability, and ethical implications of the production process. Given the strong cultural preference for traditional meat sources in Italy, marketing strategies should position cultivated meat as a complementary product rather than a direct substitute. A gradual introduction could be a more effective approach to facilitate its market entry and eventual adoption.
The establishment of clear, supportive regulatory frameworks that address safety and ethical concerns, alongside targeted incentives for industry development, is vital for building and maintaining consumer confidence. Furthermore, public awareness campaigns and educational initiatives aimed at reducing skepticism and enhancing knowledge could be pivotal in fostering a more informed discourse on alternative proteins.
4.2. Limitations and Future Research
This study is not without limitations. First, the sample was limited to a specific geographical context, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other regions with differing cultural or regulatory landscapes. Second, the cross-sectional design captures attitudes at a single point in time and cannot account for how perceptions and behaviors might evolve. Third, while effective in isolating key drivers, the logistic regression model may have overlooked other potentially relevant variables.
Future research should, therefore, expand on these findings by employing longitudinal studies, considering a wider range of sociodemographic contexts, and exploring deeper attitudinal and ethical dimensions.