Abstract
As global food systems face growing sustainability challenges, edible insects are emerging as a viable alternative protein source. This study explores how transparent window size and food processing level in packaging affect Taiwanese consumers’ purchase intentions toward insect-based foods. A 2 (window size: small vs. large) by 3 (processing level: unprocessed, semi-processed, fully processed) experiment with 359 participants, categorized by attitudes into acceptance and rejection groups, revealed that processing level significantly influenced purchase intention. Fully processed products received the highest acceptance across both groups. Window size had a minor effect, slightly increasing purchase intention among the rejection group when smaller windows were used. Positive attitudes, prior experience, and male gender in the rejection group were also associated with higher purchase intentions. Even when controlling for attitude and experience, processing level remained a significant predictor. These findings suggest that reducing visual exposure to insects and culturally tailoring packaging may enhance consumer acceptance.
Keywords
edible insects, transparent window, processing level, consumer acceptance
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1973
Citation
Chiu, W., and Ho, C. (2026) Exploring how packaging transparency and processing level affect acceptance of edible insects in Taiwan, in Simeone, L., Gray, C. M., Verhoeven, A., de Götzen, A., Bakırlıoğlu, Y., Zohar, H., Stead, M., and Buwert, P. (eds.), DRS2026: Edinburgh, 8–12 June, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1973
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Included in
Exploring how packaging transparency and processing level affect acceptance of edible insects in Taiwan
As global food systems face growing sustainability challenges, edible insects are emerging as a viable alternative protein source. This study explores how transparent window size and food processing level in packaging affect Taiwanese consumers’ purchase intentions toward insect-based foods. A 2 (window size: small vs. large) by 3 (processing level: unprocessed, semi-processed, fully processed) experiment with 359 participants, categorized by attitudes into acceptance and rejection groups, revealed that processing level significantly influenced purchase intention. Fully processed products received the highest acceptance across both groups. Window size had a minor effect, slightly increasing purchase intention among the rejection group when smaller windows were used. Positive attitudes, prior experience, and male gender in the rejection group were also associated with higher purchase intentions. Even when controlling for attitude and experience, processing level remained a significant predictor. These findings suggest that reducing visual exposure to insects and culturally tailoring packaging may enhance consumer acceptance.