European Consumers' Willingness to Pay for Red Meat Labelling Attributes

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Economics
• Consumer Behavior
• Food Science

Background:

• European food consumption patterns are evolving, marked by a decline in red meat intake.
• Consumers increasingly seek healthier and sustainable meat products, creating market opportunities for producers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze European consumer preferences for red meat (beef, lamb, goat) across seven countries.
• To identify key attributes influencing purchasing decisions and willingness to pay for red meat products.

Main Methods:

• A choice experiment was conducted, collecting 2900 responses from consumers in Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.
• Mixed multinomial logit models were employed to analyze heterogeneous consumer preferences at the country level.

Main Results:

• Significant variations in preferred red meat attributes and willingness to pay were observed among the studied European countries.
• National origin and organic labels emerged as highly valued attributes across most surveyed nations.

Conclusions:

• Red meat producers can leverage ecolabels, origin, and health claims to differentiate products in response to changing consumer demands.
• Understanding country-specific preferences is crucial for tailoring marketing strategies for red meat in Europe.