Consumers' perception and purchase behaviour of meat in China

Abstract

China has experienced significant economic growth in recent decades, and this has accounted for an increase in meat consumption. Therefore, it is important to understand the underlying factors of consumers' perception and purchasing behaviour of lamb meat in China. This study adopts a conceptual framework, which includes expectations, perception, and purchase behaviour of red meat among Chinese consumers. A total of 31 questions were included in a self-administered questionnaire through an online platform, with 601 meat consumers who participated in this study. Results showed that Australian and New Zealand meat were perceived as having positive quality characteristics (e.g. natural, reliable) followed by Chinese local meat. Partial Least Squares Path Modelling (PLS-PM) further identified that the key drivers that influenced meat purchase were seasonality, purchase location, and consumer experience particularly in cooking methods used. Purchase point for Chinese consumers were equally weighed with butchers, supermarket, and traditional market as being the most common purchase locations. Unexpectedly, Chinese consumers were found to consume less meat in summer and more during winter. Purchase drivers included meat safety certification and the perceived health benefits of meat.