Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

submittedVersion

Publication Date

6-2022

Abstract

This research has three goals. First, it sets out to compare consumer acceptance of lab-grown meat in the U.S. and in Singapore. Second, it seeks to explain the difference in Americans' and Singaporeans' acceptance of lab-grown meat by examining their eating motivations. Specifically, we focused on social image motivations – the motivations to present oneself positively in social contexts. Third, this study also aims to assess if exposure to information about lab-grown meat communicated by celebrity versus expert social media influencers (SMIs) can impact people's acceptance of lab-grown meat products. Our analysis showed that Singaporean participants had greater acceptance of lab-grown meat compared to their American counterparts, and this cultural difference was explained by Singaporeans' stronger social image eating motivations. In other words, cross-country differences in motivation to eat for a favorable social image can explain differences in consumer acceptance of lab-grown meat. The Singaporean cultural trait of kiasuism, which is exemplified by the fear of losing out or being left behind, may explain Singaporeans' motivation to project an image of being ‘trailblazers’ (vis-a-vis other nationalities) by expressing a higher acceptance of novel foods such as lab-grown meat. Results also revealed that the information about lab-grown meat being communicated by a celebrity or an expert SMI did not make a difference in participants' acceptance of lab-grown meat in both countries. Together, this research suggests an interesting implication that novel food industries and marketers can promote product branding by boosting media coverage (including online social media) of their lab-grown products' ‘firsts’ (e.g., the first production line in the world, the first technological breakthrough), especially in markets with high social image concerns.

Keywords

Alternative proteins, Eating motivations, Lab-grown meat, Social image, Social media influencers (SMIs)

Discipline

Asian Studies | Food Science | Health Communication | International and Intercultural Communication | Social Media

Research Areas

Corporate Communication; Psychology

Publication

Appetite

Volume

173

First Page

1

Last Page

9

ISSN

0195-6663

Identifier

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2022.105990

Publisher

Elsevier

Embargo Period

3-17-2022

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2022.105990

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