Analysis of egg consumption trends: Gen Z egg consumption preferences and the classification of pink-shell eggs in...

Analyzing consumers' preferences and perceptions of eggs can provide data support for the egg industry to produce products that better meet consumer preferences. The study evaluated consumers' egg consumption preferences based on an online survey from 2022 to 2024 of 3,434 consumers of different ages. The results showed that Generation Z (Gen Z), referred to the people born after 1997, was more concerned about the topic of eggs and was willing to purchase eggs through e-commerce platforms. Gen Z's preferences regarding egg appearance differed significantly from those of other age groups, as they preferred smaller eggs, which were 53.02 g, and regular yolk colors, which were about 7.46 on the Roche Yolk Color Fan (P < 0.05). In terms of eggshell color, Gen Z exhibited preferences that were consistent with those of other age groups. The color of the eggshell, as an important appearance quality, will greatly affect the choice of consumers. Among eggs of different colors, the most popular color in the Chinese market is the pink-shell egg. Consumers preferred eggshell colors 3- 8 on the eggshell color fan. According to the hierarchical clustering results of eggshell color, the contents of protoporphyrin Ⅸ in pink-shell eggs were 1.07 mg/g- 5.24 mg/g. Most consumers (76.82 %) preferred egg colors within this range. In summary, based on a survey from 2022 to 2024 of Chinese consumers of all ages, this study summarized the consumption characteristics of Gen Z as a future consumer group and used hierarchical clustering to classify the color range of pink-shell eggs in China.