Improving perceptions of cultivated meat and plant-based proteins in Singapore

Alternative proteins offer a promising solution to meet global nutritional needs while enhancing sustainability. However, their success hinges on consumers acceptance and willingness to include them in diets. While previous research identified key factors that affect acceptance, such as unfamiliarity, few studies have experimentally tested how targeted interventions can enhance acceptance, particularly in regions where novel proteins are commercially available (e.g. cultivated meat in Singapore). We conducted an experiment to assess changes in acceptance scores, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control before and after a tasting session involving chicken nugget samples labelled as conventional chicken, plant-based, and cultivated meat. Participants were also exposed to information about the benefits of plant-based and cultivated meat benefits. Our results show that the acceptance score was highest for conventional chicken, followed by plant-based and cultivated meat. Notably, acceptance scores for cultivated meat increased only when participants received positive information and had direct tasting. Attitudes and perceived behavioural control towards choosing either plant-based or cultivated meat as a source of proteins also improved across all groups post-session. These findings highlight the role of exposure and information in promoting alternative protein adoption and demonstrate their potential value in bridging public knowledge gaps.