ProSafeBeef Consumer Research

Within the farm-to-fork mandate of ProSafeBeef we have an entire research area dedicated to consumer perception, attitude and expectation with respect to beef safety and healthiness, novel processing methods and new beef products. This research is carried out through consumer programmes that include qualitative focus group discussions and quantitative experimental consumer research. Beef is one of the most controlled livestock products in Europe, with well-established slaughter, traceability and labelling regulations. Despite these regulations, consumer confidence and beef consumption levels are only moderately restored after the resurgent European beef safety crises of the last decade. Opportunities to provide European consumers with safer, healthier and new beef products will logically result from the diversity of activities from other pillars within this IP. Relevant issues to be addressed include (a) how to spread this information most effectively to European consumers and (b) how to investigate determinants of European consumer acceptance of novel and value added beef products.

Consumer perceptions of beef safety and healthiness and how these perceptions are shaped by information are crucial with respect to future beef consumption. Trust and confidence in beef as a safe and healthy product, as well as in the information provider, and accessibility of safety and health information are key issues. Food safety events have shown that consumer behaviour and decision-making in situations where new information emerges is often difficult to anticipate. One of the important emerging and changing consumer demands pertains to the demand for information, communication and transparency in food supply chain. Very little is known thus far about changes in consumer behaviour when being confronted with new and favourable beef safety and health information, as will result from the activities in the other Pillars. Furthermore, there is almost no previous research focused on determining the most effective strategy to provide favourable beef safety and health information to European consumers.

This area will function as a horizontal activity, providing input to the other scientific research and product and technology development with regards to consumer needs and their expectations and acceptance of technologies and products developed by the project.

Beef is one of the most controlled livestock products in Europe, with well-established slaughter, traceability
and labelling regulations. Despite these regulations, consumer confidence and beef consumption levels are only moderately restored after the resurgent European beef safety crises of the last decade. Opportunities to provide European consumers with safer, healthier and new beef products will logically result from the diversity of activities from other pillars within this IP. Relevant issues to be addressed include (a) how to spread this information most effectively to European consumers and (b) how to investigate determinants of European consumer acceptance of novel and value added beef products.

In May 2008, eight focus groups were conducted in the capital cities of Germany, Spain, France and the United Kingdom. In each country, two group discussions with 7-9 participants were performed, covering 2.5 hours each. In total, 65 beef consumers participated in the focus groups. Content analysis of the focus group transcripts revealed that consumer trust in beef safety and healthiness was rather high. Labelled, branded, ‘natural’ and fresh beef were perceived as signalling safe and healthy beef. Consumers seemed to be more aware of their personal responsibility in terms of beef healthiness than in terms of beef safety. Furthermore, consumers preferred beef technologies that were perceived as familiar and not invasive. Technologies improving beef healthiness and eating quality were preferred over technologies improving beef safety.

To further investigate consumer perceptions of beef technologies, a consumer survey including an experimental study was performed in Germany, Spain, France, the United Kingdom and Poland in February 2010 (n=2520). The experimental study showed that European consumers’ evaluation of beef technologies depended substantially on the benefit that was claimed to result from them. For instance, products from grass-fed cattle were evaluated most positively when no particular benefit was claimed, and products labelled “enhanced” were evaluated most positively when a health benefit was claimed. The consumer survey investigated technologies applied to enhance beef safety at different stages of the beef chain: primary production, slaughtering, processing and packaging. The results showed that acceptance levels differ between countries, stages of application, amount of information provided, processes, and consumer groups. As a result, it is unlikely that one standard way of communicating about beef safety-improvements will be most successful. Strategies in which consumers can access information if they require it, and can be reassured that safety is taken care of using the best possible technologies stand a higher likelihood of success.

In January 2010, an additional consumer survey will be conducted across European countries. The objectives are twofold: 1) investigating consumer acceptance of beef products and technologies by means of sensory analysis and 2) investigating consumer perceptions towards beef healthiness, quality and related information by means of a choice experiment. The results of this research will be presented at the International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (ICOMST) in August 2011 (Ghent, Belgium). For more information about the ProSafeBeef consumer research results, please contact Wim Verbeke (wim.verbeke@ugent.be).