Nearly a third of Britons believe insects will eventually be part of mainstream human diets in the UK amid mounting challenges in food production, new research reveals.
With UK farmers facing pressure from the climate crisis, pests and plant diseases – alongside the need to boost productivity and compete with imports – research released on Monday claims that 32% of British adults think that regularly tucking into cricket snacks and buffalo worm burgers will become commonplace within 10 years.
The research from the Agricultural Biotechnology Council (ABC), an industry group promoting the use of controversial genetically modified (GM) crops in the UK, also suggests that 72% of people support increased emphasis on technology, such as new plant breeding techniques including gene editing, to tackle crop shortages.
Manufacturers, supermarkets and restaurants are all scrambling to cash in on a changing food landscape in the UK as consumers embrace flexitarian diets – where a largely vegetable-based diet is occasionally supplemented with meat – and experiment with meat alternatives and plant-based eating.
The damaging environmental impact of global meat production has spurred interest in edible bugs as an alternative, sustainable food source. Unlike cows or pigs, insects can be bred in significant numbers without taking up large amounts of land, water or feed.
Insects are also nutritious, containing essential proteins, fats, minerals and amino acids. Bugs for consumption are typically bred in large-scale factory conditions.
In the new YouGov poll of 2,093 adults, nearly two in five (37%) of respondents said they thought the consumption of insects would increase in the next 10 years, rising to nearly half (48%) among the 18-24-year-old age group.
Mark Buckingham, chair of the ABC, said: “We are delighted to see UK consumers embrace innovation as the future of farming. Using cutting-edge technology and growing techniques will enable the UK to deal with the serious challenges of keeping our farmers competitive, maintaining a safe, affordable food supply, and protecting our natural environment.”
The global edible insect market is set to exceed $520m (£430m) by 2023, according to recent research. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation says at least 2 billion people regularly consume insects. But while more than 1,000 species are eaten around the world, they hardly feature in the diets of many rich nations.
In the UK, crickets and other insects have so far been predominantly limited to quirky pop-ups or sales through online outlets, while they also feature on a few restaurant menus.
Last November, Sainsbury’s became the first major UK grocer to stock edible crickets, selling the roasted insects as snacks in small bags from the UK brand Eat Grub in 250 of its stores.
Helen Browning, chief executive of the organic food and farming group the Soil Association, said: “Insects can be used to convert waste food very efficiently and there are a few large ‘insect farms’ now established across the world, targeted at animal and fish diets.
“There is clearly interest in insects for humans too, but how quickly these markets will develop remains to be seen. For many people in the UK, there is a bit of a ‘yuck’ factor, though of course in many cultures they are a normal part of the diet.”