Consumer perception of health properties and of other attributes of beef as determinants of consumption and purchase decisions

Background. Consumers may feel confused by receiving conflicting information about health-related aspects of beef. Therefore, it is invariably important to assess how consumers perceive the health benefits of beef. Objective. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of consumer perception of beef values on consumer behavior towards this type of meat. Material and methods. The study consisted of a survey conducted among residents of Świętokrzyskie voivodeship in the period February 2013 – September 2014. The research was conducted among 1004 consumers. The questions included in the questionnaire concerned habits associated with consumption of beef, as well as issues related to the process of purchasing decisions, and in particular the place and frequency of purchase of beef. Results. It was found that the frequency of buying beef was also significantly dependent on consumer belief in the health attributes of beef. Consumers consuming beef for this reason more often indicated that they consume beef once a week and 2-3 times a month. On the other hand, consumers who did not eat beef because of its impact on health in which they believed, more often pointed to its occasional/ sporadic consumption, that is once a month and less often. Conclusions. A significant percentage of consumers in the Świętokrzyskie voivodship misinterpret dietary recommendations and conclude that it is necessary to increase the consumption of beef due to medical reasons. Medical recommendations indicating the need to reduce meat consumption for a significant percentage of consumers from the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship are of little importance and do not contribute to changing their eating behavior. Especially in the case of men, there is often a reluctance to change eating habits if it would involve the need to reduce the consumption of meat. There is a need to verify marketing messages and to carry out general nutrition education so that it is possible to actually reach consumers with information about the need to limit the consumption of meat products