On behalf of Swissveg, YouGov recently conducted a representative survey on the acceptance of cultivated meat and precision fermentation derived products in Switzerland.
The survey found that flexitarians are most in favour of cultured meat. 47% of meat-reducers would buy such products if they were already available. The new products received the least approval from vegans and vegetarians with only 22%, but essentially, such products are not aimed at vegans and are essentially “real” meat without slaughter.
While an average of 30% of respondents to the new Swissveg study would consume cultivated meat, the figure for 15 to 29-year-old Swiss is 46%. In contrast, only 19% of 60- to 79-year-olds would consume cultured meat.
Cultivated meat in Switzerland
Noteworthy in this context and pertaining to cultivated meat and fermentation-derived foods in the country, are that last year, Aleph Farms initiated the regulatory approval process to commercialize in Switzerland its premium Angus-style thin cultivated steak, claimed as the world’s first cultivated steak, marking the first-ever submission for cultivated meat in Europe.
Also last year, Swiss cultivated meat startup Mirai Foods unveiled what it claimed was the “first thick cultivated steak” (featured image) developed using its proprietary fibration technology platform.
More recently, Lorenz Wyss, outgoing CEO of food giant Bell Food Group (which owns the plant-based meat brand Green Mountain) said this May that he foresees that cultivated burgers will be available in Switzerland in three years.
Acceptance of precision fermentation
Today it is possible to produce animal substances such as lactose or whey protein using precision fermentation (with the help of microorganisms, without cow’s milk). This innovative production method is characterised above all by the fact that the individual molecules can be used to manufacture products in a targeted, fast, and inexpensive way, while sparing animals a great deal of suffering.
While an average of 31% of respondents in this study would consume products produced using precision fermentation, this figure rises to 44% among 15 to 29-year-olds. In contrast, only 18% of 60 to 79-year-olds would consume such products.
Vegans and vegetarians in particular have high hopes for this technology. This may be due to the fact that many miss quality cheese products and as such welcome innovations in the field. As such, vegans and vegetarians (53%) are most in favour of this new production method. However, 44% of flexitarians are also open to it. Only 26% of omnivores are in favour.
For this survey, 1034 people aged between 15 and 79 living in Switzerland were interviewed. The survey took place between 6 and 17 May 2024.
Further information: swissveg.ch
