Assessing consumer perceptions and attitudes towards Cultured Meat using X (Twitter) data: implications for decision support

Cultured meat (CM) is considered to have a potential to address environmental, sustainability, ethical concerns, and food security, however, consumer acceptance remains a challenge. This study empirically validates
and extends the Cultured Meat Attitude and Perception Assessment (CAPA) model by analysing public discussions on X (Twitter) to understand consumer perceptions of CM. Using BERTopic for topic modelling and qualitative analysis, the study explored unprompted public narratives, mapping them to CAPA constructs to examine how public opinions align with or challenge existing theoretical concepts. The findings revealed a combination of cultural, political, ethical, and economic narratives shaping consumer behaviour and their
decision-making processes related to CM acceptance. Existing constructs such as Information Influence, Product Attributes, Ethical Issues, and Social Influences were validated. However, the emergence of themes and subthemes such as Conspiracy Theories, Political Resistance, Specific Health Risk Narratives, and Economic and Market Forces suggests the need to refine the model providing a more comprehensive framework for understanding consumer behaviour. This study contributes to knowledge by offering a deeper understanding of
the factors influencing CM acceptance, validating and extending the CAPA model, and demonstrating the effectiveness of combining machine learning with qualitative analysis. It highlights the importance of transparent
communication to counter misinformation and ideological resistance, as well as the need for strategic communication for product positioning and policy development. This approach advances academic understanding
and provides actionable insights to inform decision-making in the commercialisation of sustainable and ethical food innovations