The EU insect food market is buzzing off, but is it sustainable?
19 February 2025
Nothing beats the good old taste of a fresh cricket, or how about some grasshopper for dinner? Maybe a termite salad? If the protein-rich insect diet doesn't entice you, you're not alone. After a period of initial growth and enthusiasm, the insect food market has slowed down in the EU.Just look at the French company Ynsect, which suffered net losses of €80 million last year. The industry cites high production costs (due to energy consumption and expensive feed), the current economic climate, and evolving EU regulations as reasons for the decline.
In the EU, insect-based sports protein supplements, pasta, and burgers are among the most popular products. Grasshoppers are the most commonly consumed insect, followed by yellow mealworms, and house crickets. Consumer acceptance is also a challenge, with insect-based pet food being more readily adopted than food for human consumption. The industry wants the EU to make regulatory adjustments to ease using insect excrement as fertiliser.
 | Lorenzo Di Stasi A survey published in 2024 highlights the European consumer's appreciation for insect food taste. The majority (above 70%) of those respondents in all countries who had tried food products made with insect ingredients rated the taste as either "good" or "very good". The Belgians give it the highest score, followed by the French. The Brussels-based NGO Eurogroup for Animals is concerned that large-scale insect farming could have unintended negative consequences. They worry that farming trillions of insects might spread diseases more easily, just as intensive farming of other animals has led to outbreaks in the past. They also fear that releasing or farming insects in massive numbers could disrupt natural ecosystems, potentially harming native species. Additionally, they say that using genetically modified insects to boost productivity could have unpredictable effects on biodiversity, food safety, and the environment.Many scientists, however, agree that the future of food, and sources of protein - belongs to the insects, and that it’s only a matter of time when everybody gets on board. |
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