Cultivated Meat and Food Justice: A New Path

David Bell
Jun 25
15 min read

Updated: Jul 17

Cultivated meat could help solve food inequality in the UK. By producing real meat without slaughter, it may reduce environmental damage, improve protein access, and address systemic barriers in the food system. However, high costs and cultural acceptance remain challenges.

Key Points:

Food Inequality in the UK: 13.6% of households face food insecurity, with children and minority ethnic groups most affected. Many live in "food deserts" with poor access to fresh, healthy options.
Current Meat System Issues: Processed meat dominates in poorer areas, contributing to health issues like obesity and diabetes. Healthier foods are often out of reach for low-income families.
Benefits of Cultivated Meat: Uses 95% less land and 78% less water than traditional meat. Can be produced without antibiotics and tailored to be healthier.
Barriers: Costs are still high (£13–£320,000 per kilogram). Trust and cultural acceptance are also hurdles, especially for marginalised communities.
Solutions: Policies like subsidies and public education can help make cultivated meat affordable and accessible. Community involvement is key to aligning it with local food traditions.

Cultivated meat offers a chance to rethink food systems, but ensuring it benefits everyone will require collaboration between governments, communities, and industries.

Food Justice Issues in the UK

The food system in the UK reveals stark inequalities when it comes to accessing affordable and nutritious food.

Unequal Access to Healthy Food

Food insecurity has become a growing issue across the UK. The percentage of food-secure households dropped from 92% in 2020 to 90% in 2023, driven by rising living costs and food price inflation, which peaked in March 2023. This inflation hit households harder than general price increases, making the situation even more challenging [2].

Certain groups are hit harder than others. For example, only 84% of disabled households are food secure, compared to 94% of households without disabled members [2]. Additionally, 3.3% of UK households relied on food banks within the past year, highlighting a worrying dependence on food aid [2].

Income plays a major role in dietary choices. Families in the poorest 20% of the population would need to spend half of their disposable income to afford a healthy diet [3]. This often forces them to opt for cheaper, less nutritious foods. While the wealthiest fifth of the population meet the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, the poorest manage just over three portions [6].

Geography adds another layer of inequality. In the North-East, households buy 300g less fruit and vegetables per week than those in the South-East [3]. On top of this, around 23% of the population - equating to 13.8 million people - struggle with limited access to physical stores or online grocery delivery services [8].

Price differences between healthy and unhealthy foods have also widened. Between 2021 and 2023, the cost of healthier foods increased at a faster rate than less healthy options, with healthier choices costing more than twice as much per calorie [6]. For many, time constraints and a lack of cooking skills further complicate efforts to prepare fresh, nutritious meals - challenges that are especially acute in lower-income areas [3].

Addressing these disparities is essential as we explore new ways of producing protein.

Problems with Current Meat Production

The issues of food access are further complicated by the current meat production system, which contributes to nutritional inequalities.

Fast food outlets, for instance, are disproportionately concentrated in poorer areas. Nearly 29% of people living in the most deprived neighbourhoods are surrounded by a high density of fast food outlets, compared to just 11% in the least deprived areas [7]. This means processed meat products are often more accessible than fresh, high-quality protein sources.

The health consequences of this imbalance are significant. People of colour, for instance, are more likely to suffer from diet-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease [1]. Poor diets are a leading preventable cause of ill health, reducing life expectancy and leading to earlier onset of chronic illnesses [5].

Socioeconomic divides in nutrition are also evident. On average, adults consume only 290.8g of fruit and vegetables a day - well below the recommended amount [4]. Furthermore, 72.2% of people eat no oily fish, missing out on vital nutrients. Higher-income groups also consume up to 26g less red and processed meat daily than lower-income groups, pointing to inequalities in access to diverse protein sources [4].

Cultural food needs are often overlooked as well. Many communities find it difficult to access protein options that align with their dietary traditions [1].

Experts argue that relying solely on individual behaviour change is unlikely to solve these issues. Instead, there is a need for systemic changes to address the economic, social, and commercial barriers that make healthy eating so difficult [5].

These challenges underline the need for alternative solutions - ones that can provide quality protein while addressing inequalities. Cultivated meat offers a promising way forward in this regard.

How Cultivated Meat Can Help

Tackling nutritional inequalities demands forward-thinking solutions, and cultivated meat is emerging as a game-changer. By reimagining how we produce and distribute protein, this approach could open doors to more equitable access to nutrition.

What Is Cultivated Meat?

Cultivated meat is real meat, but it’s grown from stem cells, removing the need to raise and slaughter animals [11][14]. The process starts with obtaining stem cells from an animal and feeding them a nutrient-rich medium, allowing the cells to multiply and form specific cuts of meat. For perspective, cells from just one cow can yield an astonishing 175 million quarter-pounder burgers [15]. This method eliminates unnecessary food waste by growing only the desired parts - be it muscle, fat, or other tissues [14]. Unlike plant-based alternatives, cultivated meat retains the same nutritional composition as traditional meat because it is made of genuine animal tissue [11]. Moreover, production is carried out in sterile facilities, which can be located close to urban areas, potentially bringing fresh, high-quality protein closer to the people who need it most.

Health and Resource Benefits

Livestock farming contributes a hefty 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions [9]. Cultivated meat, when produced with renewable energy, could cut these emissions by up to 92%, while also using 95% less land and 78% less water compared to conventional beef [12]. These environmental savings are particularly vital for regions grappling with food insecurity and limited resources.

From a health perspective, cultivated meat offers additional advantages. It can be produced without antibiotics, helping to reduce the risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria [10]. The controlled production environment also minimises contamination risks from harmful bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella [9]. Furthermore, producers can fine-tune the nutritional profile, creating protein that is lower in saturated fats and enriched with essential nutrients [12][9].

Meeting Protein Needs

In the UK, the demand for protein is on the rise, but access to quality nutrition remains uneven. With global meat consumption surpassing 320 million tonnes annually [12], cultivated meat could claim a 6% share of the alternative protein market by 2035 [12]. The economic implications are equally striking: for every £1 spent on cultivated meat, an estimated £2.70 in value is generated through related industries [12]. This ripple effect could lead to job creation, especially in areas historically excluded from high-value food production.

Robin May, chief scientific adviser at the Food Standards Agency, highlights the dual nature of this innovation:

"You've got these two extremes of great familiarity and massive novelty in one product. And for that reason, we are very much of the view that this is a product class that is going to take some serious thought and also has huge potential" [13].

Cultivated meat could also address nutritional deficiencies, such as iron deficiency, and even make it possible to produce meat from species that cannot be farmed on an industrial scale [14]. As production becomes more efficient and costs drop, cultivated meat offers a consistent, high-quality protein supply with greater stability - an essential factor for strengthening food security. Together, these benefits position cultivated meat as a cornerstone of a fairer and more resilient food system.

Barriers for Marginalised Communities

While cultivated meat holds potential, it faces obstacles that could limit its availability to marginalised communities. These challenges risk exacerbating existing food justice issues, making it crucial to tackle these barriers to ensure this innovation promotes equity rather than deepening disparities.

Cost and Access Challenges

The cost of producing cultivated meat is a significant barrier. Current production costs range from around US$16 (≈£13) to over US$400,000 (≈£320,000) per kilogram [16]. This massive disparity highlights the uncertainty surrounding its commercial feasibility. Even at the lower end of the spectrum, prices are likely to remain steep, at least initially.

A major driver of these costs is cell culture media, which can account for over 99% of total production expenses [16]. Ingredients like foetal bovine serum (FBS) contribute heavily to this, making the final product far from affordable for communities already struggling with high food costs.

Scaling up production also requires substantial financial investment. For example, a facility capable of producing 121,000 tonnes of cultivated meat annually might need capital investments between US$1.98 billion and US$13.4 billion (≈£1.6–10.7 billion) [16]. Such enormous costs are likely to translate into higher consumer prices during the early stages of commercialisation, which could further disadvantage low-income households already grappling with food insecurity in the UK.

Trust and Acceptance Barriers

Another hurdle is consumer trust and acceptance. Cultural beliefs and identity often influence attitudes towards food, and cultivated meat is no exception [17]. Many consumers are wary of its "unnatural" image, a perception often reinforced by media narratives favouring traditional and familiar foods [17].

Taste tests have yielded mixed results. While some people find the flavour and texture comparable to conventional meat, others describe it as having a "rubbery" feel [17]. Food neophobia - the reluctance to try unfamiliar foods - is another factor, particularly in communities with strong culinary traditions or histories of food insecurity [18]. Moreover, a lack of transparency about production methods can further erode trust, making open and honest communication about how cultivated meat is made a critical step [17].

Balancing Innovation with Local Food Practices

Cost and taste aside, there’s also the challenge of aligning cultivated meat with local food traditions. Marginalised communities often prioritise food sovereignty, viewing control over their food systems as a key aspect of their identity. Cultivated meat, if perceived as a top-down solution, risks clashing with these values.

One way to address this is through collaboration. Involving communities in the research, development, and introduction of cultivated meat can help ensure it complements rather than disrupts traditional foodways [19]. Respecting and incorporating local food knowledge is vital to creating solutions that align with shared goals and community needs. Genuine participation can help avoid the perception of cultivated meat as an imposed solution, fostering a sense of ownership instead.

Building Fair Food Access

Ensuring everyone has access to cultivated meat requires a combined effort in policy-making, education, and research. Recent data highlights a troubling decline in food security, with the most vulnerable households bearing the brunt of this crisis [2]. These strategies align with the Cultivarian mission to create fairer food systems by making sustainable protein available to all.

Policy and Public Health Actions

Government policies can play a key role in making cultivated meat an affordable option. Subsidies, for instance, can directly lower production costs, making the final product more accessible to low-income households. With 41.9% of Universal Credit recipients reporting food insecurity in June 2024 [2], targeted subsidies could provide much-needed relief.

Public procurement programmes are another effective tool. By including cultivated meat in school meals, children from various socioeconomic backgrounds could gain access to nutritious options, while also normalising its consumption. Similarly, adding cultivated meat to food bank supplies could assist the 3.3% of households that relied on these resources last year [2].

The government acknowledges that food affordability is central to addressing poverty, as reflected in this statement:

"The broader affordability of food, and individuals' access to food, is a key element of the government's approach to tackling poverty as we learn to live with recent events and manage the impact of cost-of-living pressures." [20]

However, these policies must be paired with active community outreach to build trust and acceptance.

Community Outreach and Education

Policy changes alone won’t suffice - engaging with communities is equally important to foster trust in cultivated meat. Transparent communication about its benefits and how it’s made is crucial, especially since food safety concerns are a major barrier to acceptance [21]. As The Good Food Institute emphasises:

"Effective communication about the food safety of cultivated meat is essential for consumer acceptance." [21]

Education campaigns using social media, websites, and television can help spread awareness. Clear food safety labels on packaging are another step toward reassuring consumers. These efforts should also address the 20% of people who strongly oppose cultivated meat on moral grounds [23], by focusing on personal benefits like improved food safety and health outcomes.

Tailored, community-specific outreach is key. Research shows that many religious consumers are open to trying cultivated meat, provided it aligns with their dietary requirements [22]. Addressing these cultural nuances can build trust and encourage acceptance.

Practical initiatives like taste tests and cooking workshops can also help overcome scepticism. For instance, while some consumers describe the texture as "rubbery", others find it comparable to traditional meat [17]. Hands-on experiences can help bridge these divides.

Research with Communities

Involving communities in research ensures that cultivated meat products meet local needs rather than imposing external solutions. Evidence shows that engaging stakeholders early on can maximise opportunities and address potential challenges [24]. For example, adapting cultivated meat to fit local food traditions requires a deep understanding of cultural preferences. Nutritional research is equally important, especially given that the poorest 10% of UK households consume 42% fewer fruits and vegetables than recommended, compared to 13% fewer among the wealthiest [2].

Collaborating with community organisations through co-design processes can help ensure that cultivated meat products are not only nutritious but also culturally appropriate from the start. This approach respects local dietary habits while addressing broader nutritional gaps.

The Cultivarian Society: Leading Food Justice Advocacy

The Cultivarian Society stands at the forefront of the movement for fair access to protein, promoting cultivated meat as a solution for ethical and sustainable food production. Founded by David Bell, the organisation envisions a future where meat can be produced without the need for animal slaughter. This goal drives their educational and outreach initiatives, which aim to create a more just and inclusive food system.

One of the Society's key insights comes from food justice research: while much of the conversation around cultivated meat highlights benefits like reducing environmental impact and antibiotic use, issues of affordability and accessibility - especially for marginalised communities - are often overlooked. Research shows that people of colour are disproportionately impacted by food insecurity, regardless of income or education levels [25].

Education and Awareness Work

The Cultivarian Society’s educational programmes aim to shift the focus of public discussions from purely technological advancements to the broader societal and ethical implications of cultivated meat. They highlight how this innovation addresses critical challenges in food production.

Their advocacy also acknowledges real-world obstacles. For example, the high initial costs of cultivated meat and the technological challenges involved in scaling production are significant barriers. However, the Society emphasises the long-term potential of cultivated meat to improve global food access. By supporting local and regional food economies, it could serve as a reliable protein source in various settings [26]. To make this vision a reality, they advocate for government subsidies and research grants to lower production costs. While early availability may be limited by high prices and distribution in select areas, achieving price parity with traditional meat could transform food security on a larger scale [26].

A key point in their educational efforts is the flexibility of cultivated meat production. Unlike livestock farming, which depends on specific environmental conditions, cultivated meat can be produced in any location with basic resources like cropland, transportation, power, and water [26]. This adaptability makes it a promising option for communities with limited agricultural land.

Working with Diverse Groups

Beyond education and advocacy, the Cultivarian Society actively collaborates with diverse communities. Their approach is rooted in community engagement models that emphasise mutual respect and shared leadership. By fostering open communication and prioritising continuous learning, they aim to build partnerships that reflect the unique goals and challenges of each community [27].

Food justice advocate Sarah Duignan highlights an important consideration:

"If lab-grown meat is truly supposed to be the next frontier in ethical eating, it's important to consider what ethical values are prioritized in its creation - and who is most at risk of being left behind in the race to develop it." [25]

The Society takes this to heart by ensuring that community voices are central to their initiatives. Instead of imposing solutions, they work to align cultivated meat development with local food traditions and preferences. This approach acknowledges the broader systemic issues - like racial discrimination and unequal access to resources - that contribute to food insecurity [25].

Their collaborative model focuses on building relationships first, allowing communities to take the lead in shaping food systems that reflect their needs. This long-term, community-driven strategy aligns with their vision of a fairer and more inclusive food future.

Through global outreach, the Cultivarian Society promotes a food system built on compassion, science, and choice. By engaging with diverse groups, they aim to ensure that the development of cultivated meat avoids repeating the exclusionary practices of traditional food systems. Instead, they advocate for an inclusive approach that benefits everyone from the outset.

Conclusion: A Path Toward Fair Food Systems

Cultivated meat presents a promising route to producing protein that’s equitable, healthy, and sustainable - while sidestepping the ethical dilemmas tied to traditional animal farming.

With over 175 companies collectively receiving more than £2.5 billion in investments, and cost models predicting significant price reductions in the near future, the momentum behind cultivated meat is undeniable [11].

However, turning this vision into reality demands more than just technological progress. It requires reforms that blend food justice with innovation, supported by transparent decision-making, open data sharing, and inclusive engagement with stakeholders [28]. These systemic changes must also be matched by grassroots initiatives that build trust and foster community involvement.

One of the standout advantages of cultivated meat is its flexibility in production. With access to key resources like renewable energy, facilities can be established in diverse locations. This opens up opportunities to strategically place production hubs in both rural and urban areas, creating fair job opportunities and ensuring the advantages of this technology are not limited to wealthier regions [11].

That said, technology alone can't solve the deep-rooted inequities in our food systems. A broader approach is needed - one that treats access to nutritious food as a fundamental human right and tackles the structural barriers that prevent many from enjoying this right [29]. Local advocacy efforts provide a clear example of how community engagement can shape this transition into a more inclusive food system.

For cultivated meat to fulfil its potential, collaboration is key. Governments, communities, researchers, and industry players must work together to address technical, social, economic, and cultural challenges. This includes supporting diverse workforces, prioritising community education, and respecting local food traditions. Such an integrated approach ensures fairness, health, and sustainability remain at the heart of our evolving food systems.

The planned introduction of cultivated meat in pet food by 2025 is merely the first step in reshaping our food landscape [30]. The opportunity is immense: cultivated meat has the potential to become a cornerstone of fair food systems, provided equity and inclusion remain central to its development. The decisions we make now will determine whether this innovation widens existing gaps or becomes a true force for food justice.

FAQs

How could cultivated meat help tackle food inequality in the UK, particularly in 'food deserts'?

Cultivated meat could be a game-changer in tackling food inequality across the UK, particularly in areas often referred to as 'food deserts'. These are places where access to fresh, healthy food is scarce, leaving many communities reliant on less nutritious, processed options. By bypassing traditional farming methods, cultivated meat can be produced closer to where it’s needed, cutting down on transportation costs and improving availability in regions that are typically underserved.

As production ramps up, there's real potential for cultivated meat to become more budget-friendly. This could open the door for low-income households to access high-quality protein options that might otherwise be out of reach. By making nutritious and sustainable food more accessible, this approach could help build a fairer food system - one where location or income no longer determines whether someone can eat well.

What challenges are preventing cultivated meat from becoming widely available, and how can it support disadvantaged communities?

The biggest hurdles to making cultivated meat accessible to all include high production costs, limited scalability, complex regulatory processes, and public concerns about its safety and naturalness. These challenges may slow things down, but they’re far from impossible to overcome.

To ensure cultivated meat reaches disadvantaged communities, the focus should be on tackling production costs by investing in scalable technologies, simplifying regulatory hurdles, and launching public awareness campaigns. These campaigns should highlight its potential health benefits, its role in reducing environmental impact, and its ethical advantages. In the UK, progress is already being made, with recent regulatory approvals and government-backed initiatives paving the way. However, achieving widespread availability will require continued collaboration between policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders to make cultivated meat both affordable and accessible, particularly for underserved populations.

What are the environmental and health benefits of cultivated meat, and how could it contribute to a more sustainable food system?

Cultivated meat stands out as a game-changer when it comes to reducing environmental impact. It uses up to 96% fewer greenhouse gas emissions, requires 99% less land, and consumes up to 96% less water compared to traditional meat production. These impressive reductions highlight its potential as a more planet-friendly choice.

From a nutritional perspective, cultivated meat closely mirrors conventional meat. Early prototypes even suggest it could offer some perks, such as higher protein levels and lower saturated fat content, making it a promising option for healthier eating habits.

By easing the pressure on natural resources and providing an ethical alternative to conventional meat, cultivated meat could help reshape our food system. Organisations like The Cultivarian Society are championing this shift, advocating for real meat made without harming animals - a step towards a kinder, more sustainable future.