A recent study published in Royal Society Open Science has posited that there is a “general reluctance” among consumers to purchase fish raised on a diet of insect-based feed, as they find them “less appetizing.”
The study, conducted by experts from the National University of Singapore, the Queensland University of Technology, and Chungnam National University, claims to be the “first to examine consumer preferences for packaged fish reared with different feed types” and measured the “marginal willingness to pay” for farmed seabass fed on insects compared to fish fed on conventional feed ingredients.
Referencing survey responses from 600 Singaporean consumers, it estimated that consumers would buy a 500-gram package of seabass fed on an insect diet over otherwise similar, conventionally fed fish only if the latter product was cheaper by more than SGD 3.46 (USD 2.68, EUR 2.25). If the insects were fed on post-consumer food waste instead of plants, consumers are even more hesitant, according to the study, and are only willing to buy if it were more than SGD 12.64 (USD 9.81, EUR 8.22) cheaper.
The researchers suggested consumer reluctance was largely driven by prevailing opinions that post-consumer food waste is “unclean and unappetizing due to social norms and feelings of disgust.” The study also notes that consumers may “worry about potential contaminants from insects fed with food waste” and that “food waste upcycling and new food production methods often lack clear regulatory frameworks and have less available data to demonstrate food safety.”
Overall, the researchers pointed to “a general lack of awareness and understanding of the supply chain involved in [feed] production,” which “fosters hesitation” to buy related products.
“Notably, degree holders were readier to purchase seabass that were reared with insects fed with food waste, especially pre-consumer food waste,” the report said.
In response to the study, Paris, France-based insect feed firm Innovafeed told SeafoodSource it emphasized the need for educating consumers about fish reared on a diet of insect feed.
“Overall, we believe that there are still very few consumer studies conducted since insect ingredients have become genuinely available and used at scale in aquafeed. The existing research, including the Royal Society paper, does not point to a general rejection of insects in the food chain but, rather, highlights a need for reassurance in a context of novelty and limited consumer familiarity with the ingredient,” Innovafeed said. “From our experience, when food safety, nutritional performance, and environmental benefits are clearly explained, consumer perception evolves quickly and tends to be positive. This is particularly true once the natural role of insects in the diet of fish is understood – a point that is often initially overlooked but becomes a strong driver of acceptance once communicated.”
The firm added that its own consumer research has shown that consumers who are initially unfamiliar with aquaculture feed practices can rapidly change their perception when given clear and factual information.
“In that sense, studies such as this one should be seen as a snapshot in time rather than a definitive view of long-term consumer acceptance,” it said.
Steven Barbosa, the secretary general of the International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF), which is an E.U. nonprofit lobbying group, said the study “measures an uninformed baseline reaction, not a fixed cultural barrier” and stressed the report also “admits that acceptance increases with information – a fact strongly supported by European research showing that clear sustainability messaging can boost willingness to buy by an average of 15 percent.”
Though some have questioned the viability of the sector long term, the industry remains confident and sees consumers ultimately embracing insects as a sustainable solution to aquaculture feed.
“Acceptance is highest among younger, environmentally conscious consumers and is powerfully driven by sustainability benefits,” Barbosa said, explaining that retailers like Auchan in France have successfully launched “insect-fed trout” nationwide “by emphasizing this naturalness and sustainability, with consumers embracing the product.”
Similarly, in Germany, retailer Kaufland has introduced fish fed with algae feed.
The scaling of insect feed, algae feed, and other alternatives comes as experts have warned that shortages of fishmeal may arise as early as 2028 without alternative ingredients to fill demand gaps. RaboResearch Seafood Analyst Novel Sharma told SeafoodSource last year that rising demand for high-value aquaculture species, coupled with stagnant marine ingredient supplies and climate-driven volatility, could soon destabilize aquaculture, which is one of the world’s fastest-growing food sectors.
