In recent months, the European Union has experienced inflation that has not been seen for decades. Inflation and inflation expectations are crucial in economic and purchasing behaviour, as they influence consumption. Hungary had the highest inflation among the Member States of the European Union. To deal with this, the Hungarian government introduced price caps on certain basic foodstuffs. Chicken breast fillets are classified among these officially priced products, and based on per capita consumption in Hungary, poultry can be considered the most popular meat. The research aims to examine the preferences of Hungarian meat consumers regarding chicken breast fillets, considering their inflation expectations. Based on an online survey conducted in Hungary (n = 500), a latent profile analysis and an object case best-worst scaling approach were applied. Two-thirds of respondents are largely pessimistic about the future economic environment and the development of consumer prices. Best-Worst scores reveal that freshness, health impact and price are among the most significant considerations, while brand and place of origin are among the attributes considered least important. However, among the clusters distinguished based on inflation expectations, there are notable differences in assessing the importance of these attributes, which serve as the basis for managerial and policy implications.

India, a global leader in agriculture, faces sustainability challenges in feeding its population. Although primarily a vegetarian population, the consumption of animal derived proteins has tremendously increased in recent years. Excessive dependency on animal proteins is not environmentally sustainable, necessitating the identification of alternative smart proteins. Smart proteins are environmentally benign and mimic the properties of animal proteins (dairy, egg and meat) and are derived from plant proteins, microbial fermentation, insects and cell culture meat (CCM) processes. This review critically evaluates the technological, safety, and sustainability challenges involved in production of smart proteins and their consumer acceptance from Indian context. Under current circumstances, plant-based proteins are most favorable; however, limited land availability and impending climate change makes them unsustainable in the long run. CCM is unaffordable with high input costs limiting its commercialization in near future. Microbial-derived proteins could be the most sustainable option for future owing to higher productivity and ability to grow on low-cost substrates. A circular economy approach integrating agri-horti waste valorization and C1 substrate synthesis with microbial biomass production offer economic viability. Considering the use of novel additives and processing techniques, evaluation of safety, allergenicity, and bioavailability of smart protein products is necessary before large-scale adoption.