Few consumers pay more for animal welfare when it comes to meat

Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences tests willingness to buy animal welfare products in supermarkets.

Animal welfare initiative supports investigation.

· low willingness to pay a surcharge for meat products with an animal welfare seal

· for packaged pork: Only 16 percent of consumers showed an affinity for animal welfare in the test

· Actual purchase decisions differ significantly from survey results

(Osnabrück, January 17, 2019) A recent study by Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences has shown that 16 percent of retail customers are willing to buy an animal welfare item (in the form of packaged goods) instead of conventionally produced goods. Animal welfare seals did not consistently have a positive influence on the willingness to buy. In addition, only price surcharges of around 30 cents were accepted for a medium-priced pork item that was produced according to animal welfare standards. This corresponds to a price increase of 9 to 13 percent depending on the starting price of the item.

"The results surprised us," comments Prof. Dr. Ulrich Enneking from the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences. “Previous surveys have shown that many consumers are generally willing to spend significantly more money on meat if it has been produced according to higher animal welfare standards. We now know that the observed reality of actual purchasing behavior is more nuanced and complex. The basic willingness to spend more money for such meat in the test is only conditionally pronounced.” This low level of interest in buying contradicts the results of the survey carried out at the same time in the checkout area. Significantly more consumers stated that they prefer animal welfare products.

Results based on 18.000+ purchases
In the practical test, the sale of self-service bratwurst, minute steak and pork goulash from the entry-level price brand “Gut und Billig” and the organic premium brand “Bio Janssen” was compared with a new product in the medium price segment with an animal welfare seal. During the nine-week test period, more than 18.000 of the nine test products were sold in a total of 18 EDEKA and NP discount stores. In 16 percent of the purchases, the decision fell on the animal welfare article. Only surcharges of between 9 and 13 percent were accepted. With noticeably higher price surcharges (e.g. 26 percent for goulash) and smaller increases, sales fell significantly. "The purchasing decisions of the customers in the test therefore deviate significantly from the willingness to pay more, which was determined in many surveys known to us," says the professor of agricultural marketing.

In this context, Enneking refers to the complexity of the subject and contradicts sweeping statements about a fundamental and always existing willingness to pay extra. "You have to look at these in a very differentiated way, since numerous factors such as purchasing power or the product always have an influence on buying behavior." He calls for further research efforts, especially including real buying behavior. The determined willingness to buy could develop more positively through the introduction of a state animal welfare label, for example, provided that it builds up a high level of consumer awareness and acceptance.

The study was conducted by Prof. Dr. Ulrich Enneking and supported and financially supported by the Animal Welfare Initiative. The EDEKA regional company Minden-Hannover provided a total of 18 stores and the goods tested for the study.

To the background:
For the study by the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, the actual purchasing behavior of consumers in 15 EDEKA and NP discount stores of the EDEKA regional company Minden-Hannover was examined between October 15th and December 2018th, 18. Halfway through the test period, the newly introduced goods were repositioned as animal welfare goods with an animal welfare seal and "on-site information" in the form of ceiling hangers and flyers on animal welfare. The meat for the animal welfare products came from farmers who offered their animals more space, more employment opportunities and a more comfortable stable floor than required by law. In addition, the price was changed in three stages in order to make statements about the price sensitivity of buyers. In addition to the sales test, a scientific survey in the checkout area of ​​the participating stores supplemented the experiment. Here, a difference between willingness to buy and survey results was demonstrated.

Detailed results of the study can be found at
www.hs-osnabrueck.de/prof-dr-ulrich-enneking/#c321757

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