‘Meat Matters’ Webinars Probe Consumer Response to Hot Topics

The fresh meat industry was under constant scrutiny in 2012, with hot topics like “pink slime,” sow gestation stalls and livestock antibiotics and growth hormones creating a media fury that put the industry under the public microscope. But what do consumers really know about these issues? And how are they changing their purchasing behavior?

To find out, Midan Marketing surveyed consumers about their perceptions of today’s most-talked-about meat issues. The research results are part of Midan’s “Meat Matters” webinar series that reveals how shoppers are really responding to the media hype about meat.

The “Meat Matters” series consists of three webinars, with each addressing a different hot topic: lean finely textured beef (LFTB), gestation stalls and antibiotics and growth hormones. Individual webinars will be made available on Feb. 5, Feb. 7 and Feb. 14.

The goal of the “Meat Matters” research is to better understand how consumer attitudes translate to actions at the meat case.

“We wanted to get beyond the headline frenzy and find out if consumers are changing their meat-purchasing behavior based on what is being reported in the news,” says Danette Amstein, principal of Midan Marketing. “For example, we know that 68 percent of consumers surveyed said that they are concerned about LFTB, yet 61 percent said that they do not know if their grocery store carries it or not.”

These insights into the consumer mindset offer a starting point for developing messaging that educates consumers about the facts and helps ease their concerns. Additionally, implications from the study will reveal opportunities for the meat industry to be more proactive and prepared in responding to issues that will arise in the future.

“The meat industry will remain under close scrutiny. Midan Marketing’s goal is to be proactive and use our understanding of the consumer to help the industry communicate effectively about important issues,” adds Amstein.

The Meat Matters study is part of The Consumers’ Case, Midan Marketing’s ongoing market research platform, designed to help the meat industry stay tuned in to the ever-changing consumer.

Additional information on the webinars, including a sign-up form is available on www.MidanMarketing.com.