Dutch Perspectives on Cultivated Meat

Abstract

Cultivated meat emerges as an innovative food product with the potential to address the challenges of the conventional meat industry. Moreover, the technology proves to be a potential option for consumers seeking to align with ethical considerations without altering their dietary preferences. Despite its promise, one significant barrier is consumer acceptability, which may be influenced by factors such as the low awareness of cultivated meat, alongside other challenges such as pricing and production scalability. This novel food has become an emerging topic in both parliamentary and (social) media discussions. This study aims to uncover the perspectives of diverse stakeholders within the Dutch cultivated meat ecosystem, aiming to create an effective communication tool for increasing consumer awareness of cultivated meat.

To comprehend the tone of voice of different stakeholders, sentiment analysis was conducted on textual data from Twitter, newspapers, and parliamentary proceedings. The analysis revealed predominantly positive sentiments. Specifically, percentages below the neutral midpoint were observed at 20.4%, 26.7%, and 32.5% for each respective textual data source. Additionally, topic modelling analysis revealed prevalent frames across these documents, including positive perceptions related to animal welfare and climate change. However, concerns about changes in current farming practices generated negative frames, fostering polarisation between supporters and opponents of cultivated meat.

Beyond textual data analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders, shedding light on their varying tones of voices and frames concerning cultivated meat. The findings indicated that the industry pictures cultivated meat as equivalent to conventional meat, farmers view it as unnatural, parliamentary frames emphasise animal welfare and environmental benefits, and consumers’ frames are influenced by demographic factors and political preferences. Based on insights from interviews and textual data analysis, a serious game was created to provide a user-friendly way of increasing awareness regarding cultivated meat and its complex stakeholder dynamics. This game serves to bridge the communication gap between experts and the public, facilitating an understanding of the societal implications of cultivated meat.