How can proteins build trust with skeptical consumers?

Consumer trust in government, media and businesses declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. This poses a challenge to the meat and poultry industries, since modern consumers want to buy from brands they trust and they’re willing to pay more for that trust.

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Closeup side view of a late 20's couple choosing some fresh meat for tonight's dinner. They are reading label on one of the packages and seem a bit uncertain about it.
Closeup side view of a late 20's couple choosing some fresh meat for tonight's dinner. They are reading label on one of the packages and seem a bit uncertain about it.
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Consumer trust in government, media and businesses declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. This poses a challenge to the meat and poultry industries, since modern consumers want to buy from brands they trust and they’re willing to pay more for that trust.

“We’re seeing those whole environment very ripe for breeding of distrust in institutions,” Joe Pawlak, Managing Principal at Technomic, said during the ProteinPACT 2021 Summit. “As Americans, we’re just very skeptical of our institutions and that’s really declined over the last 18-20 months as the pandemic has taken place.”

How meat can build trust

Technomic collaborated with the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) over the past year to perform quantitative research on consumer trust of the meat and poultry industries.

The research focused on five pillars that can build trust in the meat industry: labor and human rights, animal welfare, health and wellness, food safety and the environment and sustainability

Presently, consumer trust for each of these rates at 3.4 to 3.7 out of five. If the meat industry can find a way to improve the scores to four out of five, protein consumption is predicted to rise 13% overall.

“That’s why it’s so important that we elevate trust throughout with consumers, as well as the industry – from retail to foodservice – because we do see that there is a benefit to it in terms of actual consumption and volume,” Pawlak said.

Where poultry does well 

Overall, the news was good for poultry.

Chicken and turkey scored the highest among proteins when it comes to consumer trust that farmers will produce a healthy product. Intriguingly, plant-based meat scored low, just above processed meats.

The survey respondents also indicated that they had the greatest trust that chicken and turkey farming can be done in an environmentally friendly way. However, a lower percentage believed that chicken and turkey is produced in a socially responsible way.

The survey also revealed a need for transparency as well as a high value placed on products that are considered real and all-natural. Turkey and chicken scored higher on these categories than pork or processed meats.

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