The main barriers to purchasing were cost and availability. The perception of bushmeat as natural, tasty and healthy, and a rare luxury product functioning as a symbol of social status, underpins social norms to provide bushmeat. Through qualitative interviews with urban bushmeat consumers in Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo, we investigated perceptions of bushmeat and other animal proteins, and social norms regulating urban demand for bushmeat.
Understanding the drivers of urban bushmeat consumption is crucial to guide such interventions however the cultural and socio-psychological factors driving consumer behavior remain understudied. Interventions targeting consumer behavior may help to reduce demand for bushmeat in urban areas.