In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the novel food market due to the growing demand for protein-rich food and the diversification of the protein sources currently used. The edible insect and insect based-food sector has recently experienced an increase in the quantities produced and traded. This increase has occurred thanks to awareness-raising actions and the development of European regulations. The limited development of this sector does not permit in-depth market and business analyses, since it is still in formation, which means that it is still a relatively unexplored field of study, especially on the European scene. The objective of this study is to carry out a preliminary investigation of the consistency, typology and product assortment of the companies located in the European Union and which are focused on the production and marketing of insect-based products. The survey was performed through the investigation of the E-commerce catalogues and Internet websites of the companies. The study also focuses on the main insect species used, the origin of the raw material used and the prices of products currently available on the European market. The results show that companies are mainly located in the northern European countries and that the most used distribution channels are the E-commerce websites, compared to physical retail outlets. Most companies also buy their raw material from third party companies, even non-European ones, and then process or only resell the product. The products which sold the most were whole insects or insect meal, mainly based on Tenebrio molitor or Acheta domesticus. Prices showed a high variability, in particular related to the species used and how it is packaged.

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PurposeAs is well known, there are several aspects that characterise honey consumption and the reasons for purchasing it. Despite this, little attention has been paid to the drivers that move consumers towards the use of honey for its health benefits and therapeutic properties. The aim of this study is to define which drivers move the consumption of honey for its health benefits.Design/methodology/approachThe study, conducted on 640 Italian honey consumers, applied inferential tests (Chi-square) and an econometric model (logit regression), and showed that about 66% of the respondents stated that they consume honey for its health properties.FindingsThe main drivers of honey consumption are both among the intrinsic (Colour) and extrinsic (Origin and Organic certification) attributes of the product. What also emerges is that the propensity to consume honey for health purposes is influenced by the consumer characteristics and habits, such as Age cohort, Gender, BMI and Large retail buyer. Moreover, we observed that consumption is influenced by BMI but not by lifestyle characteristics such as sport and diet.Originality/valueThis study could be a support tool for policymakers who are interested in promoting good nutrition and improving public health, since there is great interest in the functional properties of foods and the need to enhance the value of products, while at the same time ensuring consumer protection.

The global honey market has witnessed constant growth over recent decades, especially in Asian regions. In recent years, the increase in export flows of this product throughout the world has raised the issue of the lack of international import standards and regulations, making trade susceptible to variables that are not only economic, but also social or political. The objective of this study is therefore to explore, using the econometric methodology of gravity models, what the determinants of the international honey trade are, both economic and socio-cultural, and to verify whether a niche market, such as the one being examined, is influenced by these covariates, in a similar manner to the main commodities of the agri-food sector, or if honey displays a unique behavior. The results show that honey market behavior is not statistically different from that of the main agri-food products already studied and that the cultural distance, introduced as a covariate, does not have a significant influence.

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