Insects or not Insects? Dilemmas or Attraction for Young Generations: A Case in Italy

Abstract

The production of proteins from insects is the next big challenge for Western countries. Although several benefits have been highlighted, mainly regarding their high environmental, social and economic sustainability, the use of insect‐based ingredients is a radical break with tradition and encounters a very low acceptance among consumers. In this study, we present an exploratory analysis on a sample of Italian Millennials to test whether some product attributes can represent a barrier or a driver to such consumption. Results suggest that acceptance is far to be obtained, although the most powerful driver to insect consumption can be the invisibility of the insect shape.