Consumer acceptance of cricket-based snacks

Abstract

Insects have been proposed as a more sustainable protein alternative to conventional meat sources. However, consumer acceptance of edible insects is still low in the western hemisphere. The purpose of this study was to examine how characteristics of a cricket-based product along with consumer beliefs influence the overall liking and willingness to try the cricket-based food product. An online survey was conducted in the province of Alberta, Canada. Participants (n=548) were asked to indicate their overall liking (OL) and willingness to try (WTT) a cricket-based snack in a conjoint analysis experiment. A 2x2x5 design was used for the product characteristics (type of product, presence of an image of the product, product benefit claims). Five product profiles were assigned to each participant using a balanced incomplete block design. The type of product (cricket chips and whole roasted crickets) was found to be the most important attribute for participants. Product benefit claims were not effective at increasing the OL or WTT of the cricket-based snacks presented to participants. Higher scores in the Entomophagy Attitude Scale, and previous experiences consuming insect-based food products positively influenced WTT and OL. The findings of this study underscore the significance of the type of product and personal attitudes towards entomophagy in shaping consumer preferences for sustainable protein sources and offer valuable insights for the development and marketing of insect-based food products in western markets.