Exploring U.S. Consumer Insights on Poultry Welfare and Labeling

Abstract

The poultry industry has experienced significant growth, leading to increased scrutiny of poultry welfare and labeling practices. This study aims to assess consumer perceptions of broiler stunning methods which are directly related to poultry welfare during processing, animal welfare, and key labeling attributes influencing purchasing decisions in poultry meat products. Through an online survey, the first study evaluated consumer (n=986) knowledge and attitudes toward poultry stunning methods (Electrical vs Controlled Atmosphere stunning). The results show that 10% of respondents understood the concept of stunning, and 22% had a conceptual understanding of animal welfare. Despite growing awareness of animal welfare; food safety and price remain the primary concerns in poultry products. Consumers with higher knowledge (those who scored <10 on knowledge assessment) of poultry processing represented 18% of respondents, highlighting a gap in public understanding of animal welfare practices. A follow-up survey, Choice Based Conjoint study, with 630 U.S. chicken consumers was conducted to examine the impact of labeling attributes on purchasing behavior for raw and ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken. The findings indicate that price was the most influential factor (RAW=52.3%; RTE=57.2%), followed by certified labels (RAW=28.9%; RTE=28.2%) and claims (RAW=18.7%; RTE=14.7%). Across categories, the “$2.97/lb.,” “3.47/lb.,” “USDA Organic,” label and “NAE” and “NAHS” were preferred. Additionally, consumers expressed higher interest in welfare for RAW than RTE products. These results reveal that while consumer behaviors may vary for products within the same category, pricing remains a priority along with simple packaging cues. Consumer knowledge and familiarity remains limited about the implications of animal welfare and available certifications in the market. The findings from both studies demonstrate that price is the dominant factor driving purchasing behavior in poultry meat products.