CUBS Professor Highlights Role of Consumer Research at National Methane Summit

16 Oct 2026

Professor Mary McCarthy, Vice Dean for Research, contributed to discussions at the National Methane Summit in Portlaoise, highlighting the importance of consumer perspectives in the development of sustainable agri-food technologies.

Professor Mary McCarthy, Vice Dean for Research at Cork University Business School (CUBS), University College Cork, contributed to discussions at the National Methane Summit in Portlaoise, highlighting the importance of consumer perspectives in the development of sustainable agri-food technologies.

The summit, titled Innovation is Changing the Methane Conversation, brought together researchers, policymakers, industry representatives and farmers to explore advances in reducing methane emissions from Irish livestock.Professor McCarthy, a funded investigator with VistaMilk, highlighted how understanding consumer attitudes, concerns and expectations is essential to ensuring that emerging technologies are trusted and adopted.

Speaking at the event, Professor McCarthy said:

“Giving the agri-food sector and consumers a meaningful role in that process is essential to developing innovations that can be understood, accepted, and put into practice.”

Her contribution highlights the role of marketing and consumer behaviour research in addressing sustainability challenges, demonstrating how CUBS research contributes to wider efforts to develop practical and socially acceptable solutions for the agri-food sector.