Farm Behaviour in United Kingdom
Do consumers care more about environmental labelling?
Behind value for money and ethically reared animals, grass-fed beef is the third strongest motivator for consumers. However, whilst Midan Marketing found that customers are willing to pay 20% more for sustainable fresh meat, labels on products suggest a different story. Lables showing high animal welfare and the appearance of the product being fresh and tasty was a greater motivator for buying than low food miles and low carbon footprint.
This suggests that labels alone aren’t going to sway customers to purchase low carbon beef. Perhaps policymakers will have greater influence on purchasing decisions than what’s on the packaging.
Research also suggests that people across Europe perceive goat and sheep production to be less intensive than other forms of agriculture. So by buying goat and sheep meat and milk, they are purchasing lower carbon products without the need for a label. Other meat attributes are also considered differently across Europe. For example, meat labelled as organic is well received in France and Greece but less so in the UK. So, knowing where your sell best can influence their success.
