PANGOLIN

Disciplines: marketing (management science), process science
Lead institution: INRAE
Partner: none, this involves two INRAE units (MOISA and PROSE)
Project leader: Sandrine COSTA, researcher
Project duration: 2025-2028

Objective: To understand consumer acceptance of bio-based products

Summary:
Replacing petroleum-based products with bio-based alternatives is a key step in the fight against climate change. But their adoption depends not only on their performance: it also depends on consumer perception. Today, consumers are still unfamiliar with these products, are sometimes ambivalent, and base their purchasing decisions primarily on price and perceived effectiveness.

This research project analyzes how consumers judge bio-based products based on the perceived relevance of the biotechnologies used to manufacture them—that is, their suitability for economic, social, or environmental needs. It will be based on surveys of end consumers, testing several concrete cases (paints, solvents, cleaners, etc.) produced by two types of processes: conventional fermentation and innovative bioelectrochemical technologies.

The objective is twofold:

• to identify the factors that influence the perception and acceptance of biotechnologies (familiarity, technophilia, environmental awareness, etc.);
• to better understand how these perceptions influence the intention to purchase bio-based products.

By shedding light on the barriers and drivers related to the adoption of these innovations, this project will help guide strategies for the dissemination of bio-based products and support their integration into the bioeconomy, in line with the national strategy for acceleration in this field.