Attitudes and preferences of consumers/purchasers toward different types of table eggs

Besides regular (white and brown) eggs, alternative types of table eggs (e.g. free-run, free-range, organic eggs) are also being sold in the Canadian market. These alternative egg types are collectively referred to as specialty eggs. The growth rate of the specialty eggs market has been high during the last decade in British Columbia (BC). Despite this growth there is insufficient information concerning consumers/purchasers’ attitudes and preferences relating to this differentiated egg market. The objectives of this research were: 1) to identify the consumers’ attitudes, preferences and socio-demographic characteristics towards different types of table eggs, and 2) to determine the target market for six types of eggs and to investigate the relative importance of factors (e.g. price, environmental concerns) affecting the purchase of different types of eggs. An online survey was the primary research tool used to gather data for this project. Potential subjects were randomly selected from a list of email addresses from BC residents and 702 completed surveys were processed. Our results indicated that the purchase of cage-free eggs was significantly higher in BC in 2009 than a 2007 Print Measurement Bureau consumer survey. Respondents with a higher educational level and higher income consumed more free-range eggs and less white regular eggs than respondents with a lower educational level. Respondents who were more concerned about local production and bird welfare purchased more free-run, free-range and organic eggs, whereas for purchasers of regular eggs, price was more important. Size of the household influenced the type of purchased eggs. Respondents from bigger households purchased proportionally more white regular eggs. Respondents who used fewer alternative egg types recognized the nutritional value of white regular eggs being as high as the free-run, free-range and organic eggs. Respondents who purchased different types of eggs have different priorities. The results indicated that there are potential benefits to be gained from a marketing mix plan designed to develop the market share of different types of eggs in the future.Land and Food Systems, Faculty ofGraduat