Consumer expectations of the quality of pork produced in sustainable outdoor systems

A total of 2451 consumers from Denmark, Sweden, France and the UK were recruited for participation in mail surveys in summer 2002. In Denmark and Sweden, samples were drawn on a nation-wide basis with quotas on region. In France and the UK, samples were drawn locally in the Clermont-Ferrand and South Bristol/Taunton regions. The survey questionnaire included modules on meat consumption habits, quality expectations, attitudes and buying intentions, both with regard to pork produced in conventional indoor systems and with regard to pork produced in extensive outdoor systems. In Denmark and Sweden, markets for fresh pork are dominated by consumers with very high consumption frequencies. In France and the UK, on the other hand, pork is merely one type of meat among others that are consumed with medium and low frequencies. Whilst supermarkets were the dominant channel in the other countries, most Swedish consumers bought fresh pork at the traditional butcher's. Although large segments of consumers (30-50%) stated higher purchase intentions for pork from outdoor systems than for conventional pork, results should be interpreted with caution. Since intention-behaviour consistency was found to be extremely low for pork in general, stated purchase intentions should also be discounted in the case of pork from outdoor production systems. The most striking result in the present research was observed in relation to consumers' quality expectations. Respondents had been asked to state their quality expectations for pork from pigs raised in extensive outdoor production systems as well as conventional indoor production systems. When compared for pork produced under the two different systems, a "halo" effect was found. Consumers gave substantially higher ratings to pork from outdoor production systems on all dimensions of expected quality apart from price. Unrealistic expectations about a better taste of outdoor pork may become a serious problem. Related research has shown that disappointment can only be avoided when product qualities are achieved in outdoor and organic pork that come at least close to those of conventional pork. Finally, consumers prefer as much information as possible on the label of pork products. Since influences at the point of sale, including the information on product labels, appear to be the major determinants of consumers' pork purchases, the development of clear and credible certification and labelling systems is recommended.