| dc.description.abstract | Cultured meat (CM) is an innovation that regards the promising production procedure of meat through cell-culturing in a laboratory, rather than through livestock farming. In the past, its development had strong governmental support in the Netherlands, however, its market introduction promptly stagnated due to the absence of fitting regulations. In the process of compiling regulations, CM requires a continuous redefinition of what can be defined as meat and whatnot. Previous research has shown that the understanding and consumer acceptance of CM is influenced by the frame with which CM is presented. As a result of this, how CM is framed may also have an influence on the understanding of CM as a "meat" or "non-meat" product in regulatory terms.
Therefore, this research questions how frames influence the image and prospects of CM among policymakers and CM entrepreneurs by investigating the occurrence of frames from the webpages of Dutch CM entrepreneurs and the Dutch second chamber debates of policymakers.
Through applying a grounded theory analysis and framing theory on firstly, the webpages of CM entrepreneur Mosa Meat and Meatable, and secondly, the political debates from the Dutch second chamber of January 20, 2020, it is found that CM entrepreneurs and policymakers frame CM differently. A total of seven frames was found, of which the frames of the CM entrepreneurs focus on the transformative and world improving capacity of CM, though the policymakers’ frames focus on the innovative market value of CM. Additionally, CM entrepreneurs classify CM as “meat”, though policymakers have no classification of the identity of CM as a “meat”- or “non-meat”- product and perceive CM rather as a supplement than as a substitute. The frames from previous research were found to be represented within the findings of this research and an additional frame is being suggested. In sum, the results suggest that there is a low understanding of what CM is with policymakers and more insight into the production process is needed from the CM entrepreneurs. | |
