Fight for a ban

Survey shows: Carinthians against lab-grown meat

Carinthians are concerned about lab-grown meat.

(Bild: kramynina - stock.adobe.com)

New public survey shows that the majority of the local population is against lab-grown meat after all. 

The Market Institute surveyed 807 people on the subject of laboratory meat on behalf of the Carinthian provincial government. And the results clearly show: 82 percent of those surveyed would be in favor of a general ban. 90 percent would not regularly buy and eat lab-grown meat. 72 percent even fear that the meat could be dangerous. 

Survey result contradicts other surveys
"This survey shows that more people are against lab-grown meat if they know how it is produced. The approval rate for lab-grown meat was probably so high in other studies due to leading questions," says Deputy Governor Martin Gruber and explains: "We informed the respondents openly and transparently about the production of this meat." 

How lab-grown meat is produced

How the laboratory meat - also known as in vitro meat - is produced was shown to the interviewees using a diagram. Muscle tissue is removed from a living cow in order to obtain stem cells. The stem cells grow in a nutrient solution consisting of sugar, amino acids and other additives. This cell growth requires blood from the heart of a living calf fetus. The fetus and the mother cow die during the extraction process. Alternatives are currently being tested. In an energy-intensive process, the stem cells grow into muscle fibers in bioreactors. The missing additives are added to the cell mass before further processing. This can then be used to create various products such as burger patties.

Werner Beutelmeyer from the Market Institute describes the survey as "complex, but it underpins the relevance of the results." As an opinion research institute, he believes that thought should be given to how the information about lab-grown meat and its production process is formulated in the survey. "Usually, more information leads to greater acceptance among the population. Here we have seen the exact opposite correlation. More information about lab-grown meat led to an even clearer rejection." 

Health concerns
What still worries the respondents: the threat to health. "Around three out of four Carinthians (72%) definitely (44%) or somewhat (28%) have health concerns regarding the consumption of lab-grown meat. This concern is heightened among women, people with a basic education and the very nutrition-conscious."

The survey also shows that respondents are consuming less and less meat, but are opting for high-quality meat from the region. And in the 50+ age category and among the nutrition-conscious, the awareness ratings are significantly higher than among young people and younger respondents. 

Signature campaign against lab-grown meat
Siegfried Huber, President of the Chamber of Agriculture, refers once again to the petition, which runs until the end of October: "We now have 12,000 signatures. With this petition, we want to call on the new federal government to do everything in its power to create an atmosphere against lab-grown meat at EU level." Gruber concludes: "The province of Styria is also standing up for farmers and against lab-grown meat. We will continue to fight against a ban!"