Individual and collective factors influencing consumer attitudes and behaviour towards edible insects in Kinshasa: a pilot study

ABSTRACT

Background: More than 300 peoples in the world consume edible insects either as a component of the traditional diet, or in the event of famine. Despite the benefits of insects, their acceptance by some consumers as a source of human food remains the main obstacle to their consumption. The present study focuses on the consumption of edible insects in the Kinshasa city (DRCongo) in a context of food crisis and shortage.

Methods: The study examined individual (attitudes, perceived control, intent); collective factors (subjective norms); context of consumption and emotional factors that influence insect consumption. A semi-directive interview study based on the theory of planned behaviour was conducted among 60 participants.

Results: The results showed that the consumption is a common practice in the study area, but that its frequency is influenced by factors related to the individual, such as participants’ positive attitudes towards insect consumption and ease of obtaining edible insects. The consumption of insects is also influenced by collective factors, such as family, friends, etc. The taste of insects, contextual factors such as family consumption, nutritional intake, habit and belonging to some specific tribes were related to greater consumption. Negative emotions, such as fear, insect characteristics or lack of knowledge about edible species were related to reduced consumption.

Conclusions: The results suggest that there is a need to implement interventions that focus specifically on changing certain attitudes.

KEYWORDS:

• Edible insects
• theory of planned behaviour
• Africa
• nutrition
• food
• alternative protein

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Bienvenu Kambashi (University of Kinshasa, DRC) and Jérôme Bindelle (University of Liège, Belgium) who coordinate the research project and provided useful insights at various steps of the paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethics statement

IRB approval delivered by School of Public Health of the Université de Kinshasa: ESP/CE/097B/2022.

Additional information

Funding

This study is part of the project ‘« Système de production durable d’insectes dans la partie Ouest de la République Démocratique du Congo » funded by the “Académie de Recherche et d'Enseignement Supérieur''/Projet de Recherche pour le Développement at the Wallonia-Brussels Fderation – Belgium (ARES-PRD/INSECTES 2018) BINDELLE Jérôme, Gembloux Agro Bio Tech, Université de Liège; KAMBASHI MUTIAKA Bienvenu, Université de Kinshasa.