New Study Reveals Consumers Value Animal Welfare Over Environmental Sustainability

A recent study conducted across five European countries sheds light on consumer preferences when it comes to choosing meat and dairy products.

Contrary to popular belief, the treatment of animals outweighs green issues in the minds of consumers.

When evaluating meat and dairy products, consumers placed high value on attributes related to animal welfare, food safety, and health and nutrition. These findings suggest that while sustainability is important to consumers, it takes a backseat to other considerations when selecting food items.

Product labels that provide information on animal welfare, food safety, and health and nutrition were particularly valued by consumers, offering insights that can aid producers in marketing sustainably produced food products more effectively.

Taking part in an online survey, 3,192 participants were asked to rate the importance of 18 different factors when shopping for meat and dairy products on a scale from one (not at all important) to five (extremely important):

Attributes: freshness, quality/taste, healthy eating, nutrition, price, processing, special offers, convenience of use/preparation and familiarity of brand 

Animal welfare attributes: animal welfare, outdoor-reared/free range and pasture-fed. 

Attributes related to environmental sustainability: locally produced, sustainable packaging, food miles, carbon footprint and organic 

Social sustainability: Fair Trade or producer/farmer fairly paid. 

Dr. Andy Jin, Senior Lecturer in Risk Management at the University of Portsmouth and co-author of the study, emphasizes the complex nature of consumer behavior in the food industry. He underscores the importance of labeling strategies that encompass multiple product attributes beyond environmental considerations alone.

“Our study highlights the complex interplay of factors that influence consumer behaviour when buying meat and dairy products. Consumers indicated that information related to animal welfare, food safety, and health and nutrition was considered more important than environmental sustainability when making food choices. The findings demonstrate the importance of labelling strategies that encompass multiple aspects of product attributes, beyond environmental considerations alone.”

The implications of this research extend beyond consumers to policymakers, producers, and retailers in the food industry. As consumer demand for more sustainable products continues to evolve, there is a growing need for effective strategies to meet these expectations. Dr. Jin suggests that labels alone may not be sufficient to drive behavioral change, especially among consumers with low intention to purchase sustainable products. Additional policy measures, such as nudges or behavioral interventions, may be necessary to facilitate the choice of sustainably produced items.

“Labels on their own are not enough to change behaviour, especially for consumers who have low or no behavioural intention to buy sustainable meat or dairy products. These results should be translated into additional policy measures, such as nudges or behavioural interventions, helping individuals to translate their attitudes into behaviour and facilitating the choice of sustainably produced products.”

Published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, this collaborative research effort involved institutions from the UK, Spain, Sweden, Czech Republic, and Switzerland. By exploring consumer preferences and behavior, the study offers valuable insights for stakeholders in the food industry striving to align with evolving consumer demands for more ethical and sustainable products.