Beef quality model: portuguese consumer's perception

Doutoramento em Engenharia Agronómica - Instituto Superior de AgronomiaThe aim of this work was to investigate how consumers perceive product quality and what are the main factors that influence this process regarding beef in Portugal. With this goal in mind, new theoretical and methodological guidelines for the analysis were introduced. An integrative approach to consumers’ quality perception process has been applied, studying how Portuguese consumers perceive beef quality in a real-life purchase environment, at the point of purchase, as well as upon beef consumption, and it’s implications for future purchase intention. Branding has been found to be an important factor in consumers’ perception of beef quality and is used both for inference of intrinsic cues and quality expectations. Animal production method has been found to influence consumers’ quality experience of beef, where beef from traditionally raised animals is perceived as of better quality. These consumers’ quality perceptions were found to be dependent upon the previous product-related experience. The insights from this research show potential pathways for consumer-led product development in the beef sector. In a broader context, this thesis may serve to sensitize researchers for the need and interest of studies on consumers’ product quality perception proces