THE ROLE OF EMOTIONAL RESPONSES, FOOD NEOPHOBIA, AND SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS IN CONSUMERS’ WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR INSECT-BASED BEER: EVIDENCE FROM A FACE-READER EXPERIMENT_Dataset

Description

The study investigates consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for beer containing insect flour and tests four hypotheses: (H1) insect flour reduces WTP compared with conventional beer attributes; (H2) discrete emotional responses elicited by insect flour differentially affect WTP; (H3) higher food neophobia is associated with lower WTP for insect-based beer; and (H4) sociodemographic characteristics influence WTP. Data were collected between November 2024 and March 2025 from 389 adults in Czechia using a two-stage online experiment. First, participants viewed an image of insect-based beer for 15 seconds while their facial expressions were recorded via webcam and analysed using FaceReader 9. The software generated probability scores (0–1) for happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust, surprise and neutrality. Second, participants completed a questionnaire containing a ranking-based conjoint experiment, food-neophobia scale and sociodemographic measures. Respondents ranked nine beer profiles varying in price (€1.70, €3.60 or €5.50/500 ml), production type (industrial/craft), colour (light/blonde/dark) and presence or absence of insect flour. Rank-ordered logistic models estimated attribute utilities and WTP. The results support H1: insect flour produced the strongest negative valuation among product attributes, corresponding to a WTP of −€5.72, indicating substantial consumer resistance. Dark beer also reduced WTP (−€2.58), while craft production and blonde colour had no significant effects. H2 was also supported, although emotional effects did not follow a simple positive-versus-negative pattern. Neutrality and happiness were negatively associated with WTP for insect flour, whereas surprise had a significant positive effect and partially offset the negative valuation. Anger, disgust, sadness and fear were not significant. Notably, rejection was not primarily explained by disgust; novelty-related engagement reflected by surprise may instead facilitate acceptance. H3 was supported: food neophobia significantly reduced the utility of insect flour, confirming unfamiliarity with novel foods as an important psychological barrier. H4 received only partial support. Education was significantly and negatively associated with WTP, whereas age, gender, income and residence showed no significant effects. The data indicate that acceptance of insect-based beer is shaped more by novelty aversion, psychological predispositions and specific affective responses than by sociodemographic segmentation. The findings can inform product development, pricing and communication strategies, particularly approaches that increase familiarity and stimulate curiosity. However, FaceReader outputs represent probabilities of facial expressions rather than subjective emotions, and the relationships should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects. The Czech convenience sample and stated-preference design also limit generalisability and may introduce hypothetical bias.

Steps to reproduce

Data were collected between November 2024 and March 2025 from 389 adults in the Czech Republic using a two-stage online experimental design. Participants were recruited voluntarily through social media, direct invitations and institutional announcements and provided informed consent, including consent for biometric data processing. First, participants viewed a standardized image of beer containing insect flour for 15 seconds. Facial expressions were recorded via webcam and analysed using FaceReader 9 (Noldus Information Technology) through the Samolab.online platform. The software generated probability scores (0–1) for happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust, surprise and neutrality. Recordings with inadequate lighting, facial obstruction, unstable face detection or protocol violations were excluded based solely on data quality criteria. Second, participants completed a structured questionnaire combining a ranking-based conjoint experiment, the Food Neophobia Scale and sociodemographic questions. The conjoint experiment contained nine beer profiles generated using an orthogonal design and varying in price (€1.70, €3.60 or €5.50/500 ml), beer type (industrial/craft), colour (light/blonde/dark), and presence or absence of insect flour. Participants ranked all profiles from most to least preferred. The resulting dataset combined facial-expression measures, stated preferences, food neophobia and sociodemographic characteristics. Rank-ordered logistic regression was used to estimate attribute utilities and willingness to pay (WTP), including interactions with emotional, psychological and sociodemographic variables. All statistical and econometric analyses were conducted in Stata 17.0.

Institutions

• Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra

  Nitra Region, Nitra
• University of Turin

  Piedmont, Turin
• University of Catania

  Sicily, Catania

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