“It's most likely gonna be the future”: A qualitative study exploring child and parent perceptions of alternative proteins

Alternative proteins offer promise as a sustainable substitute for traditional meat, but consumer acceptance remains low. Understanding the perceptions and preferences of diverse consumers is critical to shifting consumption patterns globally. Moreover, as children are future consumers, exploring their perceptions of alternative proteins along with parental influences is important for driving change. We conducted semi-structured focus groups with child (9–15 years-old) and parent (38–56 years-old) pairs (n=19) in Singapore to explore (i) current awareness and perceptions of plant-based meat, cultivated meat, and insect proteins, and (ii) facilitators and barriers to consumption. Inductive (reflexive thematic analysis) and deductive approaches (using the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation model of Behaviour; COM-B) were adopted for data analysis. Overall, we found greater awareness and acceptance of plant-based meat than cultivated meat and insect proteins. Most children presented with a general curiosity to all alternative proteins, wanting to especially understand the likeness of plant-based and cultivated meat to traditional meat. Parents acknowledged that alternative proteins provided an opportunity to add variety to their diet but were concerned with the naturalness of alternative proteins and the novel technologies used to manufacture them. Insect proteins faced fear and disgust, although the historical consumption of insects meant children and parents deemed these as safe. Taste, cost and the impact on health were also commonly discussed by both children and parents. Our findings highlight key factors that influence children and parents’ acceptance and consumption of alternative proteins, which can inform the development of targeted interventions.