title: Beef consumer segment profiles based on information source usage in Poland.
abstract: The main aim of this study was to identify market segments based on consumers' usage of information sources about beef and to investigate whether the use of information sources was associated with the type of information consumers were searching for, factors guiding their decision processes to buy beef and motives related to beef consumption. Data were collected in 2014 through a self-administered survey of 501 regular beef consumers. Three distinct clusters were identified: Enthusiast (38.5%), Conservative (43.1%) and Ultra Conservative (18.4%). This study revealed that culinary and personal sources of information on beef were the most frequently used. Taste, perceived healthiness and suitability to prepare many dishes were reported as primary motives to eat beef. These results show that communication channels such as culinary programs and opportunities provided by the development of labelling systems to guarantee beef quality should be considered when developing policies and strategies to increase beef consumption in Poland.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organization and Consumption Economics, Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences WULS-SGGW, ul. Nowoursynowska 159C, 02-776 Warsaw Poland.
authors.forename: Sylwia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Żakowska-Biemans
authors.affiliation: Consumer and Sensory Research Institute Ltd, ul. Sienna 55/9, 00-820 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Zuzanna
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pieniak
authors.affiliation: Department of Organization and Consumption Economics, Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences WULS-SGGW, ul. Nowoursynowska 159C, 02-776 Warsaw Poland.
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gutkowska
authors.affiliation: Polish Beef Association, ul. Smulikowskiego 4, 00-389 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wierzbicki
authors.affiliation: Department of Technique and Food Development, Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences WULS-SGGW, ul. Nowoursynowska 159C, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cieszyńska
authors.affiliation: Department of Organization and Consumption Economics, Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences WULS-SGGW, ul. Nowoursynowska 159C, 02-776 Warsaw Poland.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sajdakowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Organization and Consumption Economics, Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences WULS-SGGW, ul. Nowoursynowska 159C, 02-776 Warsaw Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kosicka-Gębska
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002755:Choice Behavior; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D063427:Food Quality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland; D000069466:Red Meat; D035503:Sociobiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013649:Taste; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Beef; Consumer; Information sources; Motives; Segmentation