title: Consumer perceptions of beef healthiness: results from a qualitative study in four European countries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Consumer perception of the healthiness of beef is an important determinant of beef consumption. However, little is known about how consumers perceive the healthiness of beef. The aim of this study is to shed light on the associations between beef and health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight focus group discussions were conducted in four European countries (France, UK, Germany, Spain), each consisting of seven to nine participants. A content analysis was performed on the transcripts of these discussions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although beef was generally perceived as healthful, focus group participants expected positive as well as negative effects of beef consumption on their health. Labelled, branded, fresh and lean beef were perceived as signalling healthful beef, in contrast with further processed and packaged beef. Consumers felt that their individual choices could make a difference with respect to the healthiness of beef consumed. Focus group participants were not in favour of improving beef healthiness during processing, but rather focussed on appropriate consumption behaviour and preparation methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The individual responsibility for health implies that consumers should be able to make correct judgements about how healthful their food is. However, the results of this study indicate that an accurate assessment of beef healthiness is not always straightforward. The presented results on consumer perceptions of beef healthiness provide insights into consumer decision making processes, which are important for the innovation and product differentiation in the European beef sector, as well as for public health policy decisions related to meat consumption in general and beef consumption in particular.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, Belgium. Lynn.VanWezemael@UGent.be
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Wezemael
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Verbeke
authors.forename: Marcia D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: de Barcellos
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scholderer
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perez-Cueto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003257:Consumer Product Safety / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards; D008875:Middle Aged; D009753:Nutritive Value; D036301:Qualitative Research