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Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE, 3/1/13
Of the major meat-related issues at the tops of consumers’ minds, the use of antibiotics and growth hormones in livestock are the trickiest to address, according to new research by Midan Marketing.
Consumers are more aware of these issues than they are about other meat-related issues, such as LFTB and the use of gestation stalls, but they also are more misinformed, according to Midan’s “Meat Matters” issues management series. The research results were presented in a webinar posted on Midan Marketing’s website.
For the “Meat Matters” project, Midan polled consumers on their knowledge and beliefs regarding controversial topics in meat production and processing. Among their findings regarding consumer knowledge of the use of antibiotics and growth hormones:
• 79 percent of respondents were aware of the issues regarding the use of antibiotics, and 85 percent had heard of the use of growth hormones in livestock.
• TV news is the No. 1 source of information on these subjects for consumers.
• Consumers generally understood that antibiotics are used to prevent disease in livestock and growth hormones are used to promote greater and faster growth, and 72 percent said they understood what the difference was between the two substances. However, only 54 percent could accurately state what each category was.
• Both categories of treatments were believed to have a negative effect on humans, with respondents much more concerned about the use of growth hormones; 41 percent said they were concerned about the use of antibiotics (concerned that they would promote antibiotic resistance in humans) and 58 percent were concerned (and 24 percent very concerned) that the use of growth hormones in livestock would harm humans (by promoting early puberty, primarily).
• 76 percent found a statement that “antibiotics are overused in livestock” to ring true, 78 percent said they believed a statement that the use of growth hormones in livestock causes early puberty, and 38 percent said a statement that the presence of growth hormones in beef changed the genetic make-up in humans was true.
• Meanwhile, 61 percent they did not believe a statement that antibiotics are administered only for health reasons; 50 percent said they didn’t believe that government regulations protected consumers from the presence of antibiotics in meat; and 58 percent said they not believe that the USDA tracks hormone misuse among producers.
Despite holding these beliefs, 44 percent said they had not changed their shopping habits because of them. One-fifth said they had switched to “organic” or “natural” poultry and red meat in order to avoid what they perceived as the presence of antibiotics and growth hormones in their meat. Only 3 percent said they had stopped buying beef or pork altogether.
When presented with statements that explained the scientific facts behind the use of antibiotics and growth hormones in livestock, a large portion of the respondents said that their concerns had been eased, whether the topic was antibiotics or growth hormones.
“More than the other topics [in the ‘Meat Matters’ series, LFTB and gestation stalls] this is a huge opportunity for consumer education,” said Danette Amstein, principal of Midan Marketing, in her analysis included in the online webinar.
“Consumer awareness is high," she said. "The bad news is that the depth and breadth of misinformation is mind-boggling. The industry has a lot of work to do."
A key consideration is the fact that the issues of antibiotics and growth hormones in meat production have been around for many years, and it will take time to unravel the misconceptions, she added. “Alliances will be key in making progress. The amount of misinformation is proof that the industry hasn’t been proactive enough [and consumers] haven’t been exposed to anything that familiarizes them with common industry practices.”
Tapping into the producers’ and processors’ passion for their industry is important. “Most of the time the industry squelches passion in favor of science,” Amstein observed. Meanwhile, activists working against the meat industry base their messages on emotion.
The full report is expected to be available in March.
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