Consumer Perceptions of Meat Quality
Sensory studies are frequently used to evaluate the quality of mea t and meat products. According to these studies, preferences for meat seem to be strongly affected by color/appearance and texture, and to a lesser extent by changes in flavour.
Texture may be understood with juiciness and tenderness as different dimensions of textural quality.
Flavor may be regarded as consisting of taste and smell. However, eating or sensory quality is only one dimension of consumer perceived quality.
Many consumer surveys in countries clearly demonstrate that consumers not only care about eating quality but also other quality attributes such as product safety, animal welfare, ecological production methods, or the presence of residues or additives such as hormones or antibiotics used in animal production.
There are two main approaches to investigating and modeling consumer behavior: the consumer studies/marketing approach and the microeconomic approach.
In the former, several models are available that seek to capture different aspects of consumer attitudes and behavior.
This approach regards the perception of quality linked to the personal goals and ends of each consumer. The means-end chain theory is a good example of this approach.
Consumers are assumed to choose products because they believe that’s specific attributes of the products can help them achieve desired ends.
Consumer Perceptions of Meat Quality
