Science, Policy, and Public Expectations: A Qualitative Investigation of Consumer Perspectives on Cultured Meat

Radical innovations, such as cultured meat, have emerged as potential pathways toward more sustainable food systems. Their societal impact, however, hinges on public acceptance, which is often challenged by the uncertainty surrounding unfamiliar food technologies. This study seeks to advance informed discourse on cultured meat by exploring consumers' perceptions of its potentials and risks, alongside their expectations of scientific and political institutions as trusted actors in reducing uncertainty and fostering trust in the development of novel food technologies. Focus groups reaffirm established themes (such as animal welfare, health, and environmental performance) while introducing novel perspectives: consumers debate the very necessity of cultured meat, raise concerns about market concentration and new dependency risks, and reframe anticipated benefits through a food system resilience lens. Consumers also articulate clear expectations of institutions: science should provide transparent, independent evidence on product quality and production processes, and policy should ensure inclusive, ethically grounded governance by actively involving agricultural stakeholders. Overall, by offering a qualitative account of how consumers conceptualize these roles of scientific and political actors in the development of cultured meat, this paper addresses a previously overlooked dimension of consumer acceptance.