Friday, December 8, 2023

Almost 20% of Brits and Americans eager to try cell-based meat when it’s available

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19% of Americans and 18% of Britons are eager to give cell-based meat a go when it becomes available, according to a new survey.

A majority of meat-eaters are worried about the environmental impact of meat production, yet only a small number is willing to bank on plant-based and lab-grown meat in the long term.

Consumer research platform Piplsay surveyed 40,000 people (31,340 Americans and 9,166 Brits) to find out their positions on cell-based meat. While the number of people who had never heard of lab-grown meat before and the number of consumers aware of it were similar (around 40%), only about 20% of people said they were eager to try it when it becomes available (19% Americans and 18% Brits).

32% of Americans and 33% of Brits said the most appealing factor about cultured meat is that it eliminates the need to harm or kill animals. For 21% US and 26% UK residents, it was the fact that it lowers emissions by reducing the demand for livestock as well as resources, while 20% of Americans and only 14% of Brits believe it is healthier and safer than meat.

California-based Eat Just, which last year became the first company to gain regulatory approval for the sale of cell-based meat in Singapore, is the most known cultured meat brand in the UK, with 35% of respondents saying they’ve heard about it. But only 10% of US respondents, where the company is based, know of it.

For them, SuperMeat was the most popular lab-grown meat brand, with 26% of Americans aware of the company. In the UK, 20% of respondents said they’ve heard about the Israeli startup as well.

40% of US and 46% of UK respondents said they’re worried “a little” about the environmental impact of meat production, while 27% and 23% respectively are concerned “a lot”. In response, 64% of survey respondents from the US and 71% from the UK said they consume less meat now; 20% and 17% said they consume less meat and prefer alt-meat, and 16% and 12% have turned vegan or vegetarian, respectively.

Despite that, 78% of Americans and 79% of Britons prefer “real” meat over plant- or cell-based meat in the long run. In the US, only 13% prefer cell-based meat and 9% favour plant-based meat. As for the UK, 9% opted for cultured meat and 12% for plant-based meat.

Read our story on whether cultured meat can really save animals and the planet?

Anay Mridul
Anay is journalism graduate from City, University of London, he was a barista for three years, and never shuts up about coffee. He's passionate about coffee, plant-based milk, cooking, eating, veganism, writing about all that, profiling people, and the Oxford Comma. Originally from India, he went vegan in 2020, after attempting (and failing) Veganuary. He believes being environmentally conscious is a basic responsibility, and veganism is the best thing you can do to battle climate change. He gets lost at Whole Foods sometimes.