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Beata Kupiec-Teahan presents Workshop paper 8
In workshop 3: Do extensive production systems provide high animal welfare?
Friday, 12 September 2008 from 14h00-15h45 in the Aula chaired by Pete Goddard
CONSUMER PERSPECTIVE
B. Kupiec-Teahan
183
Workshop paper 8
Food Marketing Research, Land Economy Research Group, Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh, UK
Ethical consumerism has been in the public focus for years and developed into a broad spectrum of
topical areas supported by the view that consumption and purchase decisions of consumers can
influence wellbeing of societies and environment. These early trends were later used to segment and
add value to food products in a form of extrinsic, intangible attributes sought by socially
responsible, ethical consumers.
In the UK, animal welfare in the applied market context was introduced in 1994 to indicate the
proportion of market with ethical attitudes. The first independent labeling scheme, Freedom Food,
was established to provide reassurance to consumers concerned with animal welfare and encourage
better welfare standards in food production. Now industry considers animal welfare aspects of
consumer demand as both strength and opportunity for the meat sector. Increasing media coverage
of animal welfare issues, access to information and broadening set of product alternatives creates an
opportunity to market product attributes that relate to a natural, "green" environment. Thus, natural
conditions are seen by consumers as best for animal welfare. Meat consumers can "reconnect" with
farmers when relating to extensive systems of production which are perceived as traditional and fit
well into the moral self of contemporary customers. This is important as consumers often sever
cognitive links between the animal and meat to avoid conflict with their value system. Images of
animals living free, in native environments, can be also projected onto food; e.g. in a 2008 study the
majority of consumers agreed with the statement that pasture-raised products are healthier.
The undisputable, in the eyes of most consumers, contribution of industrial farming systems to poor
animal welfare creates an opportunity to present extensive farming systems as an alternative which
offers better animal welfare and quality of food on top of benefits to environment and the
countryside.
Contact information: Beata Kupiec-Teahan or email b.kupiec@sac.ac.uk
Complete address: Food Marketing Research, Land Economy Research Group, Scottish Agricultural
College, Edinburgh, UK
Species: General