How product trial changes quality perception of four new processed beef products

Consumer Preferences for Cured Meat Products from the Autochthonous Black Slavonian Pig

This study investigated the attitudes of Croatian consumers regarding their preferences for cured meat products from the Black Slavonian Pig. The survey was conducted on a sample of 410 consumers who completed an online survey about their consumption habits, knowledge about the pig breed, and socio-demographic characteristics. In this study, the independent samples t-test and ANOVA were conducted to determine the significant differences between the most important attributes in the purchase of cured Black Slavonian Pig products and the socio-demographic characteristics, consumption, and purchase habits of the respondents. Statistically significant differences were found between the studied intrinsic (color, odor, fat content, and salt content) and extrinsic variables (production method, brand, quality mark, and origin) in relation to the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents (gender, age, employment status, number of household members, and number of children under 15 in the household) and place of purchase, knowledge about the breed, and frequency of consumption of Black Slavonian Pig meat and products. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were used to determine the consumer segments. Based on the responses received, three homogeneous consumer segments were identified: intrinsically oriented meat consumers, extrinsically oriented meat consumers, and uninterested meat consumers. The information obtained in the study is important for producers and retailers, as they can use our findings to develop successful marketing tools and different marketing strategies to promote cured Black Slavonian Pig products.

Exploring Purchasing Determinants for a Low Fat Content Salami: Are Consumers Willing to Pay for an Additional Premium?

Consumers today are increasingly moving toward healthier lifestyles and food purchasing habits. This new awareness has also prompted the meat industry, usually indicted for the use of harmful compounds and ingredients such as additives, salt, and fat, to introduce innovative measures to meet demand. This study aims to assess consumer willingness to pay an additional price premium (APP) for a healthy salami by identifying which factors are more likely to have an effect on the willingness to purchase, such as socio-demographic and product and market-related attributes. An Ordered Logit model has been applied to define factors influencing consumers' willingness to pay for a low-fat salami. Results show a favorable consumer acceptance of reduced-fat salami conveyed by the willingness of consumers to pay an additional price for this product and confirm that the health awareness of consumers is an important driving force in cured meat marketing strategies.

The Reformulation of a Beef Patty Enriched with n-3 Fatty Acids and Vitamin D3 Influences Consumers' Response under Different Information Scenarios

The objective of this study was to investigate the sensory acceptability and willingness to pay (WTP) for a beef patty elaborated with beef from a local breed that was enriched with nutritional ingredients (vegetable oil mixture and vitamin D₃). The experiment was conducted under two information scenarios (blind; full: ingredients used to enrich the patties in n-3 PUFA and vitamin D₃). An in-home use test was carried out by 180 consumers to study consumer liking of two low-fat beef patties (C: conventional, M: modified). There were no differences in color and odor for the raw patties (p > 0.05). The sensory parameters of the cooked patties were assessed as being similar (p > 0.05) regardless of the information scenario. The sensory parameters remained crucial criteria for product acceptance and repeat purchase. Consumers positively evaluated the M patty. The information provided to consumers on the composition of the product influenced the response of consumers. It was also observed that the higher the education level of the consumer, the higher their scores for M beef patties in the blind scenario. It is thus necessary to implement appropriate marketing strategies in order to highlight the nutritional properties of the modified patties, making them competitive ahead of conventional patties.