From farm to fork: Swedish consumer preferences for traceable beef attributes

Abstract

Recent advances in information technology offer unprecedented opportunities for the agricultural sector, including novel methods of meat traceability and data acquisition. However, the uptake of digital technologies remains faster in crop and dairy farming than in meat industry. One of the main reasons for this situation is the required upfront investment and the uncertainty around recovering the costs. It is likely that part of these costs will ultimately fall on the consumer, and it is currently uncertain whether the consumer is willing to cover them. We examined the preferences of beef buyers in Sweden for information available at the point of purchase. In total, 1010 participants provided valid responses to a Best-Worst Scaling survey administered online. The results of the general model showed that country of origin was the most important factor for consumers, with many associating meat produced in Sweden with high animal welfare and environmental standards. The study also found that over 50 % of respondents were satisfied with the current regulations regarding animal welfare and food safety. In the subsequent step, employing a latent class model, we identified three groups of respondents: Information Seekers, Indifferent Shoppers, and Price-driven Shoppers. Information Seekers valued detailed information about beef higher than price and were more likely to be female and middle- to high-earners. Indifferent Shoppers paid little attention to information at the point of purchase and were guided more by price. Price-driven Shoppers were mostly guided by price and considered it the most important attribute.