Preference structure for lamb meat consumers. A Spanish case study

There is a current tendency in the European Union member countries to cut down on meat consumption. This tendency is not due as much to the traditional income-price factor, but to other attributes whose influence is gaining relative importance. Some of them are: quality, image, health, food safety and changes in people's taste. In addition, the relative importance of different attributes valued by the consumer must be weighed in order to develop marketing strategies which increase lamb meat consumption. In order to determine these preferences, 400 consumers were asked to evaluate different attributes (price, certification, origin, and commercial type) of lamb meat. Results obtained by means of conjoint analysis techniques show that regular consumers as well as occasional ones show a preference for lamb meat type. In this sense, a market share simulation of preferred (suckling and "ternasco") types proved that regular consumers generally prefer suckling lamb to "ternasco" lamb when both are from Castilla-La Mancha.     

Extrinsic attributes of red meat as indicators of quality in Europe: an application for market segmentation

Consumers give increasing importance to the extrinsic quality attributes of meat in response to rising concerns on safety, health, convenience, ethical factors, etc. The role that attributes such as animal feeding assurance, environmentally friendly production, respect for the animal welfare, etc. play in the consumer quality evaluation process has not been studied enough. The objectives of this article were: to evaluate the importance of several extrinsic quality attributes of red meat to consumers in five European regions; to analyse the relationships between the attitude towards these attributes, available cues and factors or motivations that are important to consumers when buying meat; and to identify groups or segments of consumers according to the importance of extrinsic quality attributes. The most important extrinsic attributes found were animal feeding and origin. Environmentally friendly production and animal welfare considerations were also important. Animal feed assurance was an indicator of safety and nutritious/ healthy meat but origin was not. For some groups of consumers, respect for the environment and animal welfare were also related to healthy/safe meat. The range of attitudes consumers hold towards extrinsic attributes could constitute an opportunity to develop consumer-led meat products and further market segmentation.     

How much is a bottle of conventional,organic or biodynamic wine worth? Results of an experimental auction

Today, worldwide, we note a growing demand for wines made following techniques with an eye to environmental sustainability. Consumers readily find organic wines at sales outlets, along with other products made following techniques that comply with even more restrictive environmental constraints, such as biodynamic techniques. While on one hand, winemakers are encouraged to market products obtained in respect of certain environmental standards, on the other, they are asked to evaluate the economic convenience of this operation. In view of structuring coherent company strategies, and faced with clearly higher production costs, understanding the premium price consumers are willing to pay for sustainable wines assumes fundamental importance. Our paper focuses on this problem, attempting to analyse consumer preferences and willingness to pay for wines produced following conventional, organic, and biodynamic methods. Implementing a second-price experimental auction, we elicited the willingness to pay for the three types of wine and assessed premiums based on scenarios that considered both information and tasting. We found that the willingness to pay for biodynamic wines was lower than for organic wines, and higher than for conventional wines. With organic wines, credence attributes play a much more important role than experience attributes in determining consumer preferences. Moreover, familiarity with biodynamic wines positively affects the willingness to pay for them. Our study highlights interesting management and marketing implications for producers and retailers of organic and biodynamic wines: in particular, the importance of increasing knowledge about the production technique adopted and, specifically, developing information campaigns that target the biodynamic production technique.     

Consumers' preferences for beef in the Spanish region of Extremadura: a study using conjoint analysis

The study of consumers' preferences is of great interest in the beef sector, where the BSE crisis generated deep changes in the basic conditions of demand for meat and in the behaviour of consumers. Previous qualitative research showed that ‘price’, ‘origin’, ‘production system’ and ‘labelling’ were the main attributes affecting preferences for beef in Extremadura (SW Spain). The data were obtained by a survey carried out between February and April 2002 with a sample of 575 regular consumers of beef. Conjoint Analysis has been used to estimate the relative importance of those attributes and to determine the existence of consumer segments with similar preference profiles. Results show that the origin of the product is the most important attribute for the choice of beef, followed by quality labelling, production system and price. Three groups of consumers were identified through cluster analysis, according to their preferences for beef. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Consumer preferences for iced coffee determined by conjoint analysis: an exploratory study with Norwegian consumers

The main aim of this study was to investigate consumer preferences for extrinsic attributes of iced coffee, explore consumers' coffee consumption habits, find new market opportunities and segment consumers based on similar products preferences. A sample of 101 consumers of iced coffee was recruited during 2012 in Norway. Twelve iced coffee products combining different levels of attributes such as coffee type, origin, calories and price were presented on screen and rated according to consumers' willingness to buy (WTB). Mixed model anova , principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA) were applied to analyse data. Results show that the most preferred products for the consumer sample as a whole were low‐price low‐calorie products, while age has a significant effect on WTB for different iced coffee products. Four different consumer segments based on type of iced coffee and country of production preferences were identified and discussed.     

The impact of fat content,production methods and carbon footprint information on consumer preferences for minced meat

Growing concern over the environmental impacts and other credence characteristics of food has resulted in increasing interest in the quality attributes of meat products in Finland. The aim of this study was to provide information on the relative preferences of consumers for minced meat attributes. Using a choice experiment, we examined whether the meat type, method of production, fat content, price and presence of carbon footprint information have an impact on consumer choice. A low fat content was found to have a particularly positive effect on the choice of a minced meat product. The carbon footprint information had a significant impact on the meat type-specific consumer preferences: the popularity of beef products decreased and of pork products increased when the footprint information was presented to the consumers. Six heterogeneous consumer classes were identified with latent class analysis: price-conscious (23% of the respondents), fat content-conscious (23%), ideological but passive (17%), content with conventional (14%), beef-preferring (12%) and method of production -conscious consumers (11%). Consumers were generally willing to pay more for a low fat content, but the relative willingness to pay estimates were largely dependent on the consumer groups: premiums for organic and animal welfare-oriented production methods also existed. These attributes could thus represent good means for differentiating minced meat products. The impact of carbon footprint information on the willingness to pay estimates was relatively low.     

Different shades of grey: Compromise products to encourage animal friendly consumption

Contemporary production and consumption are often characterised by negative externalities, for example regarding animal welfare. Despite consumer concerns about animal welfare standards in livestock production systems, the market share of organic meat is still low. The current paper investigates to what extent a more differentiated product assortment including “compromise alternatives”, providing consumers with more options to trade-off animal welfare against other attributes, increases the choice share of meat produced at beyond-regulatory standards for animal welfare. Results from a choice experiment in The Netherlands reveal considerable heterogeneity in consumer preferences regarding the trade-off between animal welfare level and price level. Two out of six segments, typically consumers with a lower education level and shoppers at discount supermarkets, are not or hardly prepared to pay a price premium for welfare enhanced meat. Two other segments show a preference for small increases in animal welfare level and associated costs. The remaining two other segments seem to reflect “protestors” against mainstream meat production in that they hold negative attitudes, beliefs and feelings regarding the consumption of conventionally-produced meat, either by turning to meat produced at high animal welfare standards (including meat replacement products) or by reducing meat consumption. It is concluded that an assortment that better caters for this heterogeneity in consumer preference by including “compromise meat products” is of the benefit to both the individual consumer (preferences), the animal (animal welfare levels) and the meat sector (clientele).     

An attribute prioritization-based segmentation of the Chinese consumer market for fruit juice

Despite the enormous opportunity that the Chinese market provides for exporting companies in the food and beverage industry, little research has considered Chinese consumer decision making processes surrounding these products. This study provides an empirical investigation into how Chinese consumers prioritize extrinsic product attributes (brand, nutrition content claim, ingredient label, shelf-life, price, and manufacturing country) when making their fruit juice purchase decisions. The study illustrates that consumer decision making processes are culturally embedded by presenting a comparison of the study’s findings with the more prevalent Western-based literature on consumer decision making processes.A choice-based conjoint survey was administered to 645 Chinese participants in Hangzhou, China using the internet-based software 1000Minds. Three consumer segments were identified through cluster analysis: Health Conscious, Premium Product, and Long Product Shelf-life. The Health Conscious segment wants natural and nutritious fruit juices that have a well-known brand. The Premium Product segment is willing to pay higher prices for imported fruit juices. Compared to the other two segments, the Long Product Shelf-life segment prefers lower priced and extended shelf-life fruit juices that are more convenient to store and consume. While the three clusters were similar in their preferences for the fruit juice attributes and levels, they differed in the rank order of the attributes. These findings highlight the importance of how extrinsic product attributes are traded off by Chinese consumers when making their fruit juice purchase decisions.The identification of these Chinese consumer segments provides juice manufacturers better knowledge on the market opportunities in China and strategic guidance for effective positioning, packaging, labeling, and pricing of fruit juices. This attribute prioritization-based segmentation for the Chinese consumer market is novel and thus provides strong implications for the fruit juice industry. In addition, this paper also makes a novel academic contribution to the Chinese consumer decision making literature on food and beverage products.     

Labelling information demanded by European consumers and relationships with purchasing motives, quality and safety of meat

Meat labelling can be an important way of informing the consumer on the quality attributes of meat. However, the type of information consumers demand is not well known and there is a lack of consumer-oriented information. Thus, meat labelling requires special attention. The objectives of this paper were: to identify the type of information that is most demanded by European consumers on beef and lamb labelling; to analyse the relationships between the importance of informational cues and other aspects concerning consumer attitudes towards meat consumption and meat quality, and socio-demographic characteristics; and to identify groups of consumers according to their labelling preferences. The information cues considered most important related to the deadline for meat consumption and the origin of meat. Other important cues were nutritional information, maturation time, name of cut and, especially for beef consumers, information on the system of production and on the traceability and the quality control of the meat. Some groups or segments of consumers were identified that had significant differences in relation to the type of information demanded, purchasing motives, quality preferences, sources of information on quality they trusted most and socio-economic features. They could be briefly profiled as: 'quality/safety orientated'; 'traditional'; 'quality unconcerned/ convenience-driven' and 'origin motivated' consumers.     

Consumer perception of ice cream and frozen desserts in the “better-for-you” category

The consumption of ice cream and frozen desserts in the “better-for-you” (BFY) category has grown rapidly over the past few years, even as traditional ice cream sales remain stagnant. To better understand consumer preferences within the BFY category, an online survey (n = 1,051) was conducted with ice cream and frozen dessert consumers, followed by consumer acceptance testing of commercial BFY frozen dairy desserts. Consumers of BFY frozen desserts (n = 578) completed an adaptive choice-based conjoint survey and MaxDiff exercise to identify the attributes that drive purchase of BFY frozen desserts. MaxDiff exercises were also used to determine which attributes all frozen dessert consumers (n = 1,051) perceived to make a frozen dessert BFY and which stabilizers or emulsifiers were most attractive on an ice cream or frozen dessert label. Subsequently, a consumer acceptance test (n = 186) was conducted using 4 commercial vanilla-flavored frozen dairy desserts made with different sweetening systems (sugar, sucralose + acesulfame K, monk fruit + allulose, and stevia + erythritol). Half of consumers were primed or informed with the sweeteners and basic nutritional information for the frozen desserts before tasting, and the other half of consumers evaluated samples blinded, where they were only informed that they were tasting a vanilla-flavored frozen dessert. Sweetener type and base (dairy vs. plant) were the most important attributes to BFY consumers when selecting a BFY frozen dessert (n = 578). For all ice cream and BFY dessert consumers (n = 1,051), sweetener-related claims (naturally sweetened, reduced sugar, no added sugar), along with “all natural” and a short ingredient list, were the top attributes that contributed to perception of a “healthier” frozen dessert. When BFY frozen desserts were tasted by consumers, purchase intent decreased after tasting, suggesting that frozen desserts made with natural non-nutritive sweeteners did not meet consumer expectations. Flavor of BFY frozen desserts remains more important than perceived healthiness. Consumers perceive frozen desserts, even those in the BFY category, as an indulgence. Frozen dessert manufacturers should focus on naturally sweetened, dairy-based desserts with minimal sweetener-related flavor defects when designing products for the BFY category.     

INTEGRATING SENSORY ANALYSIS AND HEDONIC EVALUATION FOR APPLE QUALITY ASSESSMENT

ABSTRACT

Apple cultivars were subjected to a consumer test in order to appreciate individual preferences and set up a protocol for a practical hedonic‐sensory evaluation. Cultivars subjected to the test were “Golden Delicious,”“Modì,”“Pink Lady” and “Fuji” of two different origins. Apples had the sensory profile defined by a trained panel and were evaluated by 154 consumers. According to their preferences, consumer population could be divided in six clusters. Consumer preference responses clearly associated the two “Fuji” and showed “Modì” and “Pink Lady” to have appeal on the same consumers groups. Besides expressing hedonic judgment, consumers were requested to indicate the positive sensory attributes determining their choice. Consumers appreciated “Golden Delicious” and “Fuji” on the basis of sweetness and aroma, while preferences for “Pink Lady” and “Modì” were expressed by consumers appreciating crispness, juiciness and a certain degree of acidity. The involvement of consumers in defining attributes driving preferences provides details useful for weighing up the consistency between consumers' response and sensory panel profile.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

This work contributes to the knowledge on consumer preferences and concerning apple sensory quality. In particular, the tested varieties could be divided in three groups on the basis of perceived attributes. Knowledge of consumer preferences related to apple qualities can be a key point in planning production and marketing strategies. A protocol integrating sensory characteristics defined by a trained panel, hedonic consumer judgments and sensory preference drivers is proposed.     

Attitude-behaviour dissonance regarding the importance of food preservation for customers

The aim of the study was to identify the importance of individual food product attributes (the use of preservatives, processing method, shelf-life period and nutritional value) as well as their relation to the purchase behaviour. To achieve this, consumer preferences were decomposed in conditions of full access to information, and data was compared with actual consumer behaviour related to making purchasing decisions in front of the store shelf. Based on data from 338 respondents, conjoint analysis and repeated ANOVA measurements were carried out, allowing to eliminate individual behavioural patterns. The results showed a dissonance between the consumers attitudes towards the attributes and their shopping behaviour. The processing method was the most important declared attribute for consumers, meanwhile this information was the least searched for during purchase. At the same time, shelf-life period marked as the least important was the main information searched for by consumers when shopping. The results also show a clear dislike towards the use of microwaves as a preservation method, while traditional thermal preservation was marked as the most positive for consumers. In addition, consumers were classified into 3 heterogeneous groups, identifying differences in the preferences of food attributes. The obtained results have practical value relating not only to the preferences of individual attributes, but also to their various variants. The results can be a guide for companies to properly label food products. The indicated dissonance illustrates the educational gap and related insufficient motivation to get to know the product before buying it. This is extremely important in connection with technological development and new food processing methods.     

Identification of Drivers of Liking for Bar‐Type Snacks Based on Individual Consumer Preference

Understanding consumer hedonic responses on food products are of greatest interests in global food industry. A global partial least square regression (GPLSR) had been well accepted method for understanding consumer preferences. Recently, individual partial least square regression (IPLSR) was accepted as an alternative method of predicting consumer preferences on given food product, because it utilizes the individual differences on product acceptability. To improve the understanding of what constitutes bar‐type snack preference, the relationship between sensory attributes and consumer overall liking for 12 bar‐type snacks was determined. Sensory attributes that drive consumer product likings were analyzed using averaged‐consumer data by GPLSR. To facilitate the interpretation of individual consumer liking, a dummy matrix for the significant weighted regression coefficients of each consumer derived from IPLSR was created. From the application of GPLSR and IPLSR, current study revealed that chocolate and cereal‐flavored bars were preferred over fruit‐flavored bars. Attributes connected to chocolate flavor positively influenced consumer overall likings on the global and individual consumer levels. Textural attributes affected liking only on the individual level. To fully capture the importance of sensory attributes on consumer preference, the use of GPLSR in conjunction with IPLSR is recommended.     

Consumers’ preferences for Iberian dry-cured ham and the influence of mast feeding: An application of conjoint analysis in Spain

This paper analyzes consumers’ preferences for Iberian dry-cured ham, one of the most typical and highly prized meat products in Spain. The data were obtained by a survey carried out between April and May 2006 with a sample of 417 consumers in Extremadura (SW Spain). Conjoint Analysis was used to estimate the relative importance of the main attributes affecting preferences for Iberian ham and to create consumer segments with similar preference profiles. Results have shown that Price and Type of ham are the most important attributes for the choice of ham. Simulation analyses determined the surcharge that consumers are willing to pay for an Iberian mast-fed ham instead of an Iberian ham, thus identifying an ideal cluster for Iberian mast-fed ham.     

Consumer perceptions,preferences, and behavior regarding pasture-raised livestock products: A review

Intensive cattle production is one of the primary causes of biodiversity loss. Pasture-based animal husbandry has the potential to reverse this negative trend. Pasture-raised livestock products represent a premium niche with an extra value through a cleaner environmental footprint and care for animal welfare, including wildlife. This review focuses on recent scientific findings in consumer behavior regarding pasture-raised products. A systematic literature search was conducted in online databases using a fixed search term. Thirty-nine relevant consumer studies published between 2000 and 2019 in the English language were selected for the review. The Alphabet Theory was applied as a theoretical framework to analyze the findings.Consumer behavior regarding pasture-raised products is largely defined through health and environmental attitudes and depends substantially on the context of a purchase decision. There are a variety of consumer groups willing to pay a premium for a pasture-raised attribute even on top of an organic price premium. Consumer knowledge of the subject is rather low and confusion exists regarding the terminology: consumers often mistake the production system behind pasture-raised products for organic or conventional. This calls for communication of the environmental and social benefits of pasture-based production and the importance of individual food choices. This article is the first to review scientific consumer studies on perceptions, preferences, behavior regarding and willingness to pay for pasture-raised products. Further research, especially research based on real market data, is recommended to explore the effect of specific environmental attributes, social and personal norms, informational content, and product types on consumer preferences and willingness to pay for pasture-raised products.