Public Understanding and Attitudes towards Meat Chicken Production and Relations to Consumption

Abstract

Little is known about public knowledge of meat chicken production and how it influences attitudes to birds' welfare and consumer behaviour. We interviewed 506 members of the public in SE Queensland; Australia; to determine how knowledge of meat chicken production and slaughter links to attitudes and consumption. Knowledge was assessed from 15 questions and low scores were supported by respondents' self-assessed report of low knowledge levels and agreement that their knowledge was insufficient to form an opinion about which chicken products to purchase. Older respondents and single people without children were most knowledgeable. There was uncertainty about whether chicken welfare was adequate, particularly in those with little knowledge. There was also evidence that a lack of empathy towards chickens related to lack of knowledge, since those that thought it acceptable that some birds are inadequately stunned at slaughter had low knowledge scores. More knowledgeable respondents ate chicken more frequently and were less likely to buy products with accredited labelling. Approximately half of the respondents thought the welfare of the chicken was more important than the cost. It is concluded that the public's knowledge has an important connection to their attitudes and consumption of chicken.

Keywords: animal welfare; attitudes; chicken; consumption; knowledge; poultry.

Figure 1

Distribution of K scores (out of 15) approximated a normal distribution curve with a higher than expected number of zero values (n = 28). The mean value was 1.99 (K score 3.96/15), Standard Deviation 1.24, and Median Value 2.00 (K score 4/15).

Figure 2

Biplot of Principal Component Analysis of attitude questions, showing the first two components. The first component appears to relate to purchasing issues and the second to pragmatic issues of providing for animal welfare. AW = animal welfare.