The ongoing criticism of conventional agricultural activities being unsustainable in the face of climate change and global population growth has been one of the key drivers for technological innovation in this space. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), especially in the high-tech form of vertical farming, as a new agri-food technology, has been positioned as a sustainable solution to the dilemma of feeding the world and preserving the planet. Acknowledging sustainability as a multi-dimensional concept encompassing environmental, economic, social, and cultural aspects, this review briefly outlines the evolving meaning of sustainability, and how CEA has been framed as sustainable in the literature. Specifically, the review examines studies that have investigated consumer perceptions and acceptance of CEA and discussed how sustainability features of CEA were presented to consumers in a diverse way across these studies. The review highlights that the social and cultural dimensions of sustainability were largely neglected not only in research that focused on the development of CEA, but also in the exploration of consumers’ perceptions of CEA. A more holistic examination of the sustainability of CEA and a comprehensive understanding from consumers is important for transitioning towards more sustainable production systems enabled by new technologies such as CEA.

Technology and innovation are important in mitigating the risks imposed by climate change in many areas, including agriculture and food production. Many novel and emerging agri-food technologies are marching their way to market; however, consumer perceptions are crucial to the adoption of new agri-food technologies which claim to be more sustainable than conventional growing systems. This study investigates how the sense of control, an important psychological factor for human behaviours, may interact with consumers’ perceptions of new agri-food technologies, and consequently affect their attitudes towards new technologies for future food production and consumption in the age of climate change. In total, 23 focus groups (n = 117) were conducted across New Zealand using Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA, a technology-based approach to food production that optimises growing conditions for plants through the regulation of environmental factors) as the exemplar technology for discussion. Findings reveal that, when climate change and the challenge of feeding the world sustainably were presented, CEA was accepted as a means to retain control over climate and environmental crises. Meanwhile, CEA was also speculated as a threat to consumers’ sense of control concerning individual body and health, social order, and ecosystem order. To manage the disruptions that CEA may impose on perceived control, consumers may adopt different strategies to compensate for the perceived loss in their sense of control.

Purpose: This study draws on value congruence theory and epistemic motivation theory to examine whether the effect of ethical and environmental appeals on consumers’ perceptions of technological improvement and support for government initiatives varies across different novel food technologies, including cellular agriculture, gene editing and controlled environment agriculture. It further investigates whether epistemic value acts as a psychological mechanism that mediates these effects. Design/methodology/approach: A 3 (appeal: ethical, environmental and control) × 3 (food technology: cellular agriculture, gene editing and controlled environment agriculture) between-subjects experimental design was employed to assess the effectiveness of strategic communication in enhancing consumer perceptions. Mediation analyses tested whether epistemic value explains the relationship between these relationships. Findings: Based on data from 1,360 New Zealand consumers, ethical and environmental appeals increased support for cellular agriculture but not for gene editing or controlled environment agriculture, likely due to differences in how consumers perceive these technologies relative to the message appeals. Additionally, epistemic value emerged as a key psychological mechanism that helps explain these differential effects. Originality/value: This study highlights the importance of aligning message appeals with consumers’ perceptions of novel food technologies. It provides both theoretical and practical insights for improving public support for novel food technologies through more targeted and aligned communication strategies.