Quality and safety are two important elements in consumer food perceptions and decision making associated with food choice (Grunert, 2005). The quality of food is an extremely important aspect of human life and people are becoming more concerned about nutrition, food safety and environmental issues that determine their acceptance of food products (Lazarova, 2010). Consumers are believed to generally prefer product of high quality. However the underlying cognitive determinants of quality and safety are not sufficiently understood within the area of consumer behaviour (van Rijswijk and Frewer, 2008). Consumers are likely to derive quality or safety perceptions from other product cues, either intrinsic or extrinsic cues (van Rijswijk and Frewer,
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Perceptions of consumer’s on meat and meat products can have a direct impact on the profitability of meat industry. However consumers are still struggling to define the quality of meat at a point of purchase due to different perceptions. The process of influencing the consumers to accept certain meat or meat product involves several aspects. In order for consumers to willingly purchase and consume a particular type of meat, their perceptions must be positive towards the product (Rani et al., 2013). In the case of meat, meat quality is a topic of concern to most consumers. Furthermore meat has appeared under much inspection in relation to food safety in current times and consumer’s perception and expectation of meat quality varies (Oꞌ Donovan et al., 2002). The quality of meat must be driven by consumer perception, preference and expectations. It is not adequate to state that a product has a high quality to motivate a consumer because quality must be supported by a specific concrete benefit for the consumer (Issanchou, …show more content…
The main concern for meat consumers is not only on value for money but it is also on health implications because of subsequent effect that food consumption has on health, morbidity and mortality (Sorbal et al., 2006). Consumer perceptions of meat such as pork are believed to be based on intrinsic quality cues, extrinsic quality cues and environmental issues. Commonly, consumers identify pork to be less healthy and to contain more fat than any other kind of meat (Verbeke et al., 1999). According to (Bredah and Poilsen, 2002) findings were that consumer’s defined high quality pork in terms of good taste, tenderness, juiciness, freshness, leanness and healthiness. The colour of the meat and the share of fat were important quality cues (Scholderer et al., 2004). Generally consumers look for meat with little fat. However the effect that perception of pork has on the demand for pork creates an importance for the pork industry to be consumer driven and it is the best interest of all parties involved for the consumer preferences and perceptions on pork to be established and addressed (Ngapo et al.,
Perceptions of consumer’s on meat and meat products can have a direct impact on the profitability of meat industry. However consumers are still struggling to define the quality of meat at a point of purchase due to different perceptions. The process of influencing the consumers to accept certain meat or meat product involves several aspects. In order for consumers to willingly purchase and consume a particular type of meat, their perceptions must be positive towards the product (Rani et al., 2013). In the case of meat, meat quality is a topic of concern to most consumers. Furthermore meat has appeared under much inspection in relation to food safety in current times and consumer’s perception and expectation of meat quality varies (Oꞌ Donovan et al., 2002). The quality of meat must be driven by consumer perception, preference and expectations. It is not adequate to state that a product has a high quality to motivate a consumer because quality must be supported by a specific concrete benefit for the consumer (Issanchou, …show more content…
The main concern for meat consumers is not only on value for money but it is also on health implications because of subsequent effect that food consumption has on health, morbidity and mortality (Sorbal et al., 2006). Consumer perceptions of meat such as pork are believed to be based on intrinsic quality cues, extrinsic quality cues and environmental issues. Commonly, consumers identify pork to be less healthy and to contain more fat than any other kind of meat (Verbeke et al., 1999). According to (Bredah and Poilsen, 2002) findings were that consumer’s defined high quality pork in terms of good taste, tenderness, juiciness, freshness, leanness and healthiness. The colour of the meat and the share of fat were important quality cues (Scholderer et al., 2004). Generally consumers look for meat with little fat. However the effect that perception of pork has on the demand for pork creates an importance for the pork industry to be consumer driven and it is the best interest of all parties involved for the consumer preferences and perceptions on pork to be established and addressed (Ngapo et al.,