Risk Perception and Risk Reduction When Buying Beef Meat

8/13/2019 Risk Perception and Risk Reduction When Buying Beef Meat

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Risk perception and risk reduction when buying beef meat :

an exploratory study

Bories DenisAssociate Professor in Marketing

University of Toulouse II IUT de FigeacLaboratory LRPmip

[email protected]

-

Cazes-Valette GeneviveAssociate Professor in Marketing

Toulouse Business SchoolRMC Laboratory

[email protected]

Pichon PaulAssociate Professor in Marketing

University of Toulouse IIISTHIA - Toulouse School of Tourism, Hospitality Management

and Food StudiesLaboratory CERTOP-EAST - UMR-CNRS 504

[email protected]

Laborde ChristianAssociate Professor in Marketing

University of Toulouse IILaboratory CERTOP-EAST - UMR-CNRS 504

[email protected]

1


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Introduction

Food and health crises have been regularly repeated since 1996

The food market has experienced a dramatic change both in its legislation andin its relationships to consumers

France remains the leading consumer of beef in Europe : Every year, the French eat on average 17 kg of beef meat per person

However, since the early 80s, the consumption of French beef has changed : Sales of beef regularly decline by 1 to 2% a year


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Introduction

In this context, it seems essential to go back to the same risk perception that

consumers associate with the consumption of beef :

What kind of risks do consumers perceive ?

Do they lead to changes in their eating habits ?

What actions are consumers prepared to take to reduce perceived risk ?


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Conceptual framework

Dietary risk is never zero and it is not easily quantifiable (Apfelbaum, 1998)

The principle of incorporation can explain these repeated risk-taking decisions (Raven in Raven and Poulain, 2002)

The concept of risk is pervasive in food marketing and manyresearchers have attempted to identify the different types of

risks (Kapferer, 1998; Guillon, 1998; Brunel, 2002).


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Conceptual framework The risk is multidimensional and covers :

The performance risk The financial risk The physical risk (short term & long-term) The psycho-social risk (fear of gaining weight and self-esteem) The societal risk (socio-economic and ecological consequences caused by

the consumption of the product)

Under the principle of incorporation, physical or health risk is the major riskin food consumption (Mller, 1985 Kapferer, 1998; Dandouau 1999, Brunel,2000; Poulain, 2002; Gallen and Cases, 2003; Muraro-Cochart , 2003; Pichon,2006)


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Methodology

The empirical part of this research is based on a qualitative study of 70

French consumers aged 18 to 75 through individual interviews


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Methodology Themes of the interview guide :

Theme 1: The buying habits of food and beef Theme 2: Risk reductors Theme 3: Labels Theme 4: opinion on labels

One hour interview on average

Period : From March 2013 to June 2013

The collected corpus was analyzed using the Alceste software


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Results


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Results

The food industry is clearly challenged by the respondents : I think the food industry is trying to make money at all costs and makes mistakes in

trying to make money (textual Unit No. 4642 , phi = .024 , Individual # 54 , Man age_40-44)

One can observe a form of fatalism and acceptance among respondents : In any case, as long as there isnt any solution to speculation on food, nothing will

change (textual unit n 563 , Phi = .023 , Individual # 6 , Man age_40 -44)


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Results This fatalism is accompanied by suspicion of the food system :

There is so much money involved that large industrial groups put pressure on regulators or

on the State, making use of their financial power to prevent scandals (textual Unit No. 5807 ,Phi = .023 , Individual # 67 , Female, age_35 -39)

Respondents are neither pessimistic nor optimistic about food : " Not necessarily optimistic about everything that is happening, but not necessarily worried,

because the problems we've had recently affect a minority of food products (textual Unit5003 , Phi = .026 , Individual # 59 , Man age_40 -44)

The media act as catalysts dramatizing consumer concerns regarding food : I think the media overdo it. They tend to exaggerate, as in the horse meat case . To me,

eating healthy horse meat cannot be dangerous (textual unit 97, Phi = .016 , Individual # 2 ,Male, 55-59 age)


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Results

The term label is not seen as central to ALCESTE, consequently , it has not

been used to build the identified classes :

Even If the interviewees are aware of labels, they do not know theircharacteristics :

I know the AB label, organic , eco label . I also know the red label, but Idont know what it means. I know nothing about PDO (product of

designated origin). Recognized flavor of the year , it's crap (textual UnitNo. 742, Phi = .058 , Individual # 7 , Female, 40-44 age)

If the labels are considered as indicators of quality, variety mayexplain the lack of knowledge of the respondent s :

there are so many labels now we no longer know. I've seen TV shows

that talked about organic labels, but there were so many that it didntmake sense (textual Unit No. 3884 , Phi = .020 , Individual # 45 , Male,age 45-49)


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Results

The presentation of the products matters more than labels : " I'm more confident in what I see on the shelves than on labels. The presentation is

important " (textual Unit No. 4873 , Phi = .015 , Individual # 57 , Male, 40-44 age)

The aspect of meat is a major purchase criterion : The color , the color of mostly fat . I pay great attention to the aspect of what I buy.

Anyway , you can not taste the meat in a supermarket (textual Unit No. 5111 , Phi =.026 , Individual # 60 , Man age_45 -50)


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Results

The French origin of the meat : It goes back to quality, traceability. Between a product from abroad and a French product, I

rather take the French one (textual Unit No. 2527 , Phi = .027 , Individual # 28 , Man - age_6569)

Traceability is often mentioned by respondents

To ensure the provenance of meat , respondents value short distributioncircuits :

The label must first mention the country or region, next how the animal was raised and alsoslaughter and sale dates " (textual unit No. 4560 , Phi = .025 , Individual # 53 , Man age_40 -44)

Short distribution circuits are considered by respondents as a solution for the future

The butcher enjoys respondents almost blind trust : In supermarkets, I pay attention to how the meat is cut and then I read the labels when its

packaged meat but when I'm at the butchers, I am fully confident that the meat is good meat (textual Unit No. 4724, Phi = .022, Individual # 55, Female, age_40 -44)


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Discussion Risk is present but diffuse

it is associated with food in general rather than with meat and is as much about the healthcomponents as about the risk of being a victim of fraud (on the product or its characteristics)

One can observe a discrepancy between our results and those that might have beenexpected :

The multitude of signs and indicators of quality tends to puzzle the consumers minds (Pichon, 2006) Even when stimulating respondents , we get a very neutral speech in which they distance

themselves from labels they know by name but whose contents they ignore

Consumers are more confident in themselves than in the system they do not trust Consumers use their own DIY risk reductors to minimize danger (color, odor, aspect)

Consumers need to recreate a feeling of proximity : With the industrialization of production and food processing , new products lacking identity have

emerged (Poulain , 2002) They are looking for the interpersonal relationships they are able to build , especially with the

butcher, seen as a person and whom they almost blindly trust


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Managerial implications The need to rebuild the confidence of consumers in the food system :

Restore confidence in the major industrial and retail brands

Butchers should take advantage of the trust consumers place in them to build their differentiation fromsupermarkets : The relationship between consumers and butchers shows that it is necessary to create interpersonal

connections :

Need for recreating a feeling of proximity : e.g : brand names being personalized : Charles Gervais , Monique Ranou, Jean Roze However, it is noted here that customization should not be limited to brand names Between consumers and the industry players such as meat producers through the development of short

circuits or the organization

At product level : Improve the display of meat on the butchers shelves and pay particular attention to its color Highlight the origin of the product , especially the French origin of meat Insist when meat comes from local farmers

Finally, the results of this research tend to raise doubts about the effectiveness of labels : Producers should explore other ways to meet consumers expectations, particularly in terms of food

security


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Risk perception and risk reduction when buying beef meat :

an exploratory study

Bories DenisAssociate Professor in Marketing

University of Toulouse II IUT de FigeacLaboratory LRPmip

[email protected]

-

Cazes-Valette GeneviveAssociate Professor in Marketing

Toulouse Business School

RMC Laboratory

[email protected]

Pichon PaulAssociate Professor in Marketing

University of Toulouse IIISTHIA - Toulouse School of Tourism, Hospitality Management

and Food StudiesLaboratory CERTOP-EAST - UMR-CNRS 504

[email protected]

Laborde ChristianAssociate Professor in Marketing

University of Toulouse IILaboratory CERTOP-EAST - UMR-CNRS 504

[email protected]

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Risk Perception and Risk Reduction When Buying Beef Meat