Perception of beef quality for Spanish and Brazilian consumers

Abstract

Understanding the priorities of beef consumers is important for planning strategies to attract and maintain each customer. Using self-administered interviews with Spanish and Brazilian adults who regularly consume beef, we analyzed their purchasing behaviors in relation to their perceptions and priorities regarding beef quality that guide their choices. The current study identifies the influences of information (labeling and marketing) requirements, concerns about humane production systems, and the intrinsic characteristics of beef. To evaluate the data extracted from the interviews, the questions were grouped into four main factors. While extrinsic factors are the highest valued in both Spain and Brazil, those such as beef freshness and tenderness present inverse concerns between the two countries based on cultural dissimilarities. The data also reveals a clear symmetry among consumers who increasingly seek specific pre-purchase information and products with guaranteed superior quality. Despite other characteristics that differentiate developed and developing countries, the perceptions of quality among consumers in Spain and Brazil are decidedly similar.

Keywords: Consumer study; Cross-cultural; Marbling; Preferences; Quality attributes; Supply chain.