Regulatory Information and Consumer Acceptance of Novel Foods: Evidence from a Survey Experiment (in Italy).

We investigate whether regulatory information influences consumer acceptance of novel foods. Using a survey experiment on a representative sample of the Italian adult population (N = 2102) we test the effect of providing information about the European Union’s marketing authorization process on willingness to consume cell-based meat and products based on insect-floor. Results show that informed respondents express significantly higher acceptance of both products, compared to a control group. Evidence from an obfuscated follow-up survey indicates that the effect progressively declines over time, eventually fading out completely. Findings highlight the role of regulatory knowledge in shaping consumer trust and suggest targeted communication to promote sustainable food innovations.