Consumer trust facilitates acceptance of cultivated meat

Cultivated meat (CM) is more animal friendly and requires less land than conventional produced meat, yet consumer acceptance of this technology is underexplored. The present paper investigates the role of consumer trust in the acceptance of CM and the mediating role of consumer perceived benefits and risks in an Australian adult population. Australian Adult consumers ( n = 1540, 72.9 % female) filled out three online questionnaires which measured four domains of trust (e.g., 1-interpersonal, 2- Institutional trust, 3- Epistemic-trust in CM related science, 4- Trust in CM technology oversight), alongside consumers' perceived benefits and risks associated with the consumption of CM. These variables were used to predict the willingness to buy CM. Epistemic trust (CM r = 0.299), institutional trust (authorities) (CM r = 0.166, and trust in technology oversight (CM r = 0.537) correlated significantly with acceptance of CM. Cross-sectional mediation analysis revealed that the association between acceptance of CM and trust in technology oversight and institutional trust were mediated via perceived benefits (CM b = 0.27 PFI b = 0.32; CM b = 0.14, PFI b = 0.12). Epistemic trust and acceptance of CM were mediated via perceived risks (CM b = 0.19 PFI b = 0.18). Risk perception negatively ( b = −0.30) and perceived benefits positively impacted acceptance b = 0.44. Consumer trust, especially in technology oversight and institutions, is positively associated with the acceptance of cultured cell meat (CM). Effective communication of benefits and risks is essential to enhance acceptance. • Trust Alone Is Insufficient for Acceptance: While trust is a foundational psychological driver of acceptance, focusing solely on increasing trust—especially in one domain like epistemic trust—is not enough. Acceptance of cultured meat (CM) is strongly mediated by perceived risks and benefits, which must be addressed alongside trust. • Perceived Benefits Drive Acceptance More Than Risks Deter It: The study found that perceived benefits have a stronger positive influence on acceptance than the negative impact of perceived risks. This suggests that communication strategies should prioritize highlighting the benefits of CM to effectively boost public acceptance. • Holistic Communication Strategies Are Essential: Effective communication in Australia about CM must address all three factors—trust (across multiple domains), perceived benefits, and perceived risks. Targeting only one aspect, such as a single trust domain, will likely be insufficient to increase acceptance broadly.