Almost 60% of people in Czechia would try cultivated meat, survey finds
New survey finds most people in Czechia would try cultivated meat and support the development of a domestic industry to benefit the national economy.
Tento článek je dostupný i v češtině.
04 June 2024
Czech consumers are open and supportive of cultivated meat according to a new survey conducted by YouGov and commissioned by the nonprofit and think tank the Good Food Institute Europe (GFI Europe).
Cultivated meat is a new way of making meat by growing animal cells without the need to raise farm animals. Even though it is not yet available for consumption in the EU, cultivated meat has the potential to help meet the increasing demand for protein while using fewer resources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and antibiotic use compared to industrial meat production.
The survey found that, when cultivated meat becomes available, 59% of Czech people would try it. Conversely, less than a third (32%) said they would never try it
In addition to interest in cultivated meat, the survey uncovered concerns about current meat consumption levels in Czechia. Over half of the respondents (54%) believe that meat consumption in the country is too high.
Choosing to consume cultivated meat should be up to consumers
Cultivated meat must be approved within EU Novel Food regulations before it can be sold in any of the EU’s 27 Member States. While cultivated meat has been approved for sale in the United States and Singapore, the first applications for approval have been submitted to food safety regulators in the UK and Switzerland.
When asked about the regulation of these foods, 61% of respondents agreed that – if approved by European food safety regulators – cultivated meat should be made available for sale in Czechia. Similarly, 62% of respondents think that if cultivated meat comes onto the market, it should also be produced in Czechia so that the national economy can benefit from it. An equal proportion (62%) believes that a decision on whether or not to approve cultivated meat for human consumption should be made independently of any commercial interests.
“Cultivated meat offers a promising solution to deliver the meat that people love in an efficient and sustainable way, while also future-proofing the Czech economy and increasing food security,” said Seth Roberts, Senior Policy Manager at GFI Europe. “With a majority of Czech consumers showing openness to try cultivated meat, now is the ideal time for policymakers to invest in and support this emerging sector, building on positive steps which have already been taken by the Government.”
Czechia is home to two of the three cultivated meat startups in Central Europe, reflecting a growing focus on biotech and food innovation.
* The data used is based on an online survey conducted by YouGov Deutschland GmbH, in which 1018 people in the Czechia took part between 12 and 21 April 2024. The results were weighted and are representative of the Czech population aged 18 and over.
