Article

Cultured meat: Promises and challenges

Nicolas Treich

Abstract

Cultured meat involves producing meat from animal cells, not from slaughtered animals. This innovation has the potential to revolutionize the meat industry, with wide implications for the environment, health and animal welfare. The main purpose of this paper is to stimulate some economic research on cultured meat. In particular, this paper includes a prospective discussion on the demand and supply of cultured meat. It also discusses some early results on the environmental impacts of cultured meat, emphasizing the promises (e.g., regarding the reduction in land use) but also the uncertainties. It then argues that cultured meat is a moral improvement compared to conventional meat. Finally, it discusses some regulatory issues, and the need for more public support to the innovation.

Keywords

Meat; cultured meat; food innovation; meat consumption; meat production; climate change; pollution; land use; animal welfare; regulation;

JEL codes

  • Q16: R&D • Agricultural Technology • Biofuels • Agricultural Extension Services
  • Q18: Agricultural Policy • Food Policy
  • Q52: Pollution Control Adoption Costs • Distributional Effects • Employment Effects
  • Q11: Aggregate Supply and Demand Analysis • Prices
  • L31: Nonprofit Institutions • NGOs
  • L66: Food • Beverages • Cosmetics • Tobacco • Wine and Spirits

Replaces

Nicolas Treich, Cultured meat: Promises and challenges, TSE Working Paper, n. 21-1197, February 2021.

Reference

Nicolas Treich, Cultured meat: Promises and challenges, Environmental and Resource Economics, vol. 79, May 2021, p. 33–61.

Published in

Environmental and Resource Economics, vol. 79, May 2021, p. 33–61