Exploring South African consumers' attitudes toward game meat

Abstract

The study explores South African respondents’ attitudes toward game meat and finds the differences between the attitudes of consumer and non-consumer respondents of game meat toward the following attributes of game meat: sensory characteristics; health benefits; game meat production ethics; animal welfare; safety for human consumption; availability; price; promotion; and preparation. This quantitative study determined the attitudes of 1096 consumers and 310 non-consumers of game meat with an online survey using questionnaires. Recruitment was done through social media and e-mail forwarding. The differences in attitudes between consumer and non-consumer respondents were determined using Fishbein’s attitude-toward-the-object model. Based on attitudes toward individual attributes, respondents classified some product attributes as important in their decision to consume, or not to consume, game meat. Respondents indicated that the availability, sensory characteristics, game meat production ethics and health benefits are considered to be important in their consumption of game meat. To market game meat purposefully, the industry should focus on these attributes.