Who has an appetite for insects? Identifying segments of early adopters of insect-based food and their product attribute preferences: Insights from a choice experiment study in Germany

Despite well-documented scepticism among Western consumers about eating insects, there are groups of potential early adopters who will form the initial market for insect-based food. Understanding the different preferences of these potential early adopters is key to developing effective targeted marketing actions. This study aimed to identify segments of potential early adopters and their distinct product attribute preferences. Via an online survey in Germany (N = 922), we conducted discrete choice experiments using real packaging of insect-based meatballs and crackers. Latent class logit analysis identified four consumer segments for each product, three of which showed a willingness to buy the products. While these potential consumer groups varied in their price sensitivity and insect labelling preferences, they all attached the greatest importance to naturalness claims. Interestingly, sustainability and nutritional information were not top priorities for all consumers; instead we observed the importance of an institutional trust indicator, especially for unconvinced consumers. In conclusion, the results of the present study provide interesting insights for both researchers and practitioners to make informed marketing decisions in the development and labelling of insect-based products.