Consumer Attitudes to Different Pig Production Systems: A Study from Mainland China

Agriculture and Human Values, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 443-455, 2013

Posted: 24 Feb 2014

See all articles by Marcia Dutra de Barcellos

Marcia Dutra de Barcellos

Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS/PPGA)

Klaus G. Grunert

Aarhus University - School of Business and Social Sciences

Yanfeng Zhou

Independent

Wim Verbeke

Ghent University - Department of Agricultural Economics

Federico Perez-Cueto

Ghent University

Krystallis Athanasios

Independent

Date Written: 2013

Abstract

In many Western countries, consumers have shown an increasing interest to the way in which food products are being produced. This study investigates Chinese consumers' attitudes towards different pig production systems by means of a conjoint analysis. While there has been a range of studies on Western consumers' attitudes to various forms of food production, little is known about the level of Chinese consumers' attitudes. A cross-sectional survey was carried out with 472 participants in six Chinese cities. Results indicate that Chinese consumers prefer industrial pig production systems, where traditional pig breeds are raised, over large-scale and small family farms. Farms with maximum attention to food safety which furthermore can provide lean meat with consistent quality are also preferred. Imported pig breeds and tasty, but variable meat were rejected. A 3-cluster solution found that consumers from Cluster 1 focus almost exclusively on the food safety aspect (food safety focused). Consumers from cluster 2 (indifferent) show generally weak attitudes to pig production systems in general. Cluster 3 (industrial production oriented) stands out by being very positive about industrial, large size farms and consistent quality. From a Chinese consumer's perspective, the industrial approach seems to represent values such as achievement, evolution, quality and safety, since pig production is moving away from low-cost, low-quality and low-safety family scale systems. A complex set of rural and environmental development, quality aspects and food safety measures are challenges that must be met by the stakeholders of pig production systems in China.

Keywords: consumers, pig production systems, China, survey, conjoint analysis

Suggested Citation

de Barcellos, Marcia Dutra and Grunert, Klaus G. and Zhou, Yanfeng and Verbeke, Wim and Perez-Cueto, Federico and Athanasios, Krystallis, Consumer Attitudes to Different Pig Production Systems: A Study from Mainland China (2013). Agriculture and Human Values, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 443-455, 2013, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2400318

Marcia Dutra De Barcellos (Contact Author)

Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS/PPGA) ( email )

Rua Washington Luiz, 855. Centro
Porto Alegre - RS, 90010-460
Brazil

Klaus G. Grunert

Aarhus University - School of Business and Social Sciences ( email )

Fuglesangs Alle 4
Aarhus V., DK-8210
Denmark
(+45) 89 48 64 39 (Phone)
86 15 39 88 (Fax)

Yanfeng Zhou

Independent ( email )

Wim Verbeke

Ghent University - Department of Agricultural Economics ( email )

Coupure Links 653
Ghent, 9000
Belgium

Federico Perez-Cueto

Ghent University ( email )

Coupure Links 653
Ghent, 9000
Belgium

Krystallis Athanasios

Independent ( email )

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