Consumer perception of fresh meat quality: a framework for analysis

Abstract

A model for analysis of consumer behaviour towards food is developed. This model is intended to bridge the gap between the objective quality approach pursued in food sciences, the product characteristics approach, and the subjectively perceived quality approach, the product attribute approach as pursued in the consumer behaviour literature. The focus is on the information processing by the consumer. Information on the product quality is supplied to the consumer in the form of cues received while shopping or consuming. A distinction is made between extrinsic and intrinsic cues, and between search‐, experience‐, and credence‐quality attributes. Within the credence attributes, three categories are distinguished: food safety, health, and all other credence quality attributes. It is demonstrated that public policy should use minimum standards for regulating food safety, information and consumer education on health issues and definitional standards to regulate the other credence qualities. In the case of search quality, no public intervention is needed. In the case of experience quality, reputation is a means of reducing the quality erosion inherent for experience quality attributes. In the case of those foods which are not sold prepacked over the counter, these means are restricted. Here the public regulators could consider backing up the private quality policy efforts on labelling by implementing traceability schemes and defining the requirements for specific label claims.

Consumer behavior in choice of minimally processed vegetables and implications for marketing strategies

“…Examples include data from works of agro-food products such as wine (Verdú, Llorens, & Fuentes, 2004), fruit and vegetables (Sule, Paquin, & Levy, 2002Sule, Muñoz, & Levy, 2005) and meat (Becker, 2000;Hoffmann, 2000;Glitsch, 2000). It should be pointed out that in this respect, however, the key factor being the time and place where the consumer receives all information on the food product, information from more or less distorted perception of extrinsic and intrinsic attributes product, which significantly affect the buying process.…”

Understanding the Relationship Between Perceived Quality Cues and Quality Attributes in the Purchase of Meat in Malaysia

“…However, during the purchase process, particularly for fresh meat, consumers seldom have the opportunity to taste the meat prior to consumption. In such instances, search quality cues like color, marbling, leanness, place of purchase, price and country-of-origin may enable the consumer to assess the eating quality of the meat while shopping (Becker 2000).…”

“…For Becker (2000), characteristics such as taste, flavor, tenderness, leanness, juiciness and texture were grouped as sensory characteristics. McCarthy et al (2003) mentioned how sensory characteristics such as taste play an important part in the consumer's level of 'eating enjoyment'.…”

Oferta y potencial de desarrollo de atributos de valor de productos cárnicos bovinos en el mercado minorista chileno

“…Esta calidad observada y evaluada por el consumidor, es muy subjetiva y dinámica en el tiempo, ya que se asocia a una serie de elementos estrechamente relacionados con el consumidor (aspectos sociales, económicos y culturales) y el producto (características físicas, procesos productivos y controles de calidad) (Grunert y col., 1996; Becker, 2000; Brunsøy col., 2005). La teoría económica establece que, cuando aumenta el poder adquisitivo de una población y sus necesidades básicas son satisfechas, se inicia la búsqueda de nuevos atributos de calidad (Becker, 2000;Oyarzún, 2001; Grunert y col., 2002). Este sería el caso de una proporción de los consumidores nacionales, que valoran un producto de calidad y están dispuestos a pagar un sobreprecio por él (Fundación Chile, 2000).…”

“…Dado que en Chile los precios internos de la carne están muy influidos por los internacionales y que en este rubro existe poco espacio para disminuir costos, las miradas se han puesto sobre las opciones para mejorar la calidad de la oferta chilena. La razón de esto es que al tomar decisiones de compra, los consumidores consideran principalmente el precio y la calidad del producto (Grunert, 1997; Becker y col.,2000; Bernués y col.,2003).Distintos investigadores han intentado explicar el proceso de percepción de calidad (Becker, 2000; Grunert y Bech Larsen, 2004; Brunsøy col.,2005). Este proceso comienza cuando el consumidor observa el producto y recibe información de sus características, creando expectativas respecto a su calidad.…”