Do not take away my pleasure: Investigating the conflict between hedonic foods and entomophagy among Chinese consumers

Abstract

Against the backdrop of increasing concerns over food sustainability and the urgent need for alternative protein sources, insect-based foods have emerged as a promising solution. However, despite their nutritional and environmental advantages, low consumer acceptance remains a significant barrier. This research specifically explored the role of food category—utilitarian and hedonic—and found that while insect ingredients were more readily accepted in utilitarian foods, their inclusion in hedonic foods elicited significantly more negative consumer responses. Drawing on perceived value theory, we further demonstrated that this effect was driven by a reduction in perceived utilitarian and hedonic values, indicating that consumers perceived insect-based hedonic foods as not only less pleasurable and enjoyable but also less functional compared to their traditional counterparts. Moreover, we identified disgust toward entomophagy as a crucial moderating factor: higher levels of disgust led to stronger negative reactions, whereas a small subset of consumers with low disgust exhibited even more favorable responses to insect-based hedonic foods. Our findings significantly contribute to the existing literature and offer important insights for food marketers and policymakers.