Consumer reaction to indoor farming using LED lighting technology and the effects of providing information thereon

Indoor vertical farming using artificial light has gained popularity as one solution to food problems. However, prior studies have shown that some consumers have a negative impression that crops are grown in an artificial environment. The increased use of purple Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lighting, which would make the growing environment look more artificial, may exacerbate that negative perception, leading to low acceptance of vertically farmed produce. Given that consumers are increasingly seeing indoor vertical farming directly, for example, in supermarkets and office buildings, it is important to understand how they perceive the use of purple LED lighting to grow crops and whether these perceptions can be improved by learning more about the scientific basis for artificial light cultivation. This study aimed to determine whether purple LED lighting reduces consumers’ perceptions of indoor vertical farming compared to traditional white lighting, and to examine whether providing information on plant growth and artificial light changes those perceptions. We administered a web-based questionnaire to 961 Japanese respondents, and analyzed the response data using analysis of variance and an ordered probit model to explore the factors that define the likability for indoor vertical farming. The results revealed that the color of LED lighting had a limited influence on consumers' perceptions of indoor vertical farming, whereas explaining the principle of plant growth under artificial light improves their perceptions. Additionally, personal factors, such as resistance to novel food technology, trust in food safety, and awareness of indoor vertical farming, had a significant impact on the perceptions. It is crucial to expand opportunities for people to interact with artificial light cultivation and disseminate information about its scientific mechanisms.