Source: Michael Fielding, MEATINGPLACE, 12/16/16


Compared to last month, consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP) decreased for all meat products except hamburger, which remained nearly unchanged, according to Oklahoma State University's latest monthly Food Demand Survey (FooDS). 

Pork chops experienced the largest percent decreases in WTP ($3.50 in December 2016 compared to $3.85 last December), and WTP for all meat products are all lower compared to one year ago. Steak, chicken breast and chicken wings are all more than 2 percent lower than last month.

Expenditures on food eaten at home increased 3.71 percent from November to December and expenditures on food purchased away from home decreased 6.18 percent from November to December. Consumers expect higher beef prices compared to one month ago, while price expectations for chicken and pork remain similar to one month ago. Consumers purchase plans or chicken, beef and pork remain similar to last month.

Awareness and concern tracking
Meanwhile, GMOs, E. coli and salmonella were the most visible issues in the news over the past two weeks. Awareness decreased for all issues this month. The largest percent decrease in awareness from November to December was for battery cages followed by farm animal welfare.

E. coli, salmonella and hormones were ranked as the top three food safety concerns in December. The largest percent increase in concern over last month was for farm animal welfare followed by hormones. The largest percent decrease in concern was for bovine spongiform encephalopathy disease followed by finely textured beef.

Taste, safety and price remained consumers’ most important values when purchasing food this month. Consumers’ food values remained similar to those in past months with an uptick in the relative importance of the most important values.

Similar to previous months, consumers reported that their main challenge was finding affordable foods that fit within their budget. Avoiding pesticides, added hormones and antibiotics was the challenge experiencing the largest percentage increase, while finding foods children will eat experienced the largest percent decrease.

In December, 5.82 percent of participants reported having food poisoning, a 29.11 percent decrease from one month ago. About 6.6 percent of respondents reported being vegetarian or vegan.

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