Motivations and obstacles to goat meat consumption willingness: exploring influencing factors related to consumer habits and awareness

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the main motivation and barrier factors to the consumption of goat meat as well as evaluate the impact of consumer habits and awareness on willingness to eat this meat. 240 randomly selected consumers from the El Oued region in south-east Algeria were given organised, independently managed surveys. The top three reasons why satisfied survey participants (202 consumers) chose to consume goat meat were its flavour (35.1%), low fat level (30.2%), and health advantages (23.3%). The most significant barriers to the consumption of this meat for the 38 dissatisfied consumers were, concurrently, its flavour and aroma, with percentages of 57.9% and 26.3%, respectively. The greatest significant effect on consumption willingness was found to be the frequency of consumption (p < 0.001). Knowledge of cooking techniques and nutritional advantages also had a significant positive relationship (p < 0.05). The consumption of goat meat was more closely connected by the survey participants (p < 0.05) with stewing techniques than with grilled methods. The sensory factors behind consumer decisions also substantially affected the intake of goat meat (p < 0.05). Overall, an organised and planned strategy to market goat meat as a nutritious food, increase knowledge of its unique qualities, and increase exposure and communication about its preparation techniques might increase consumer demand for it.

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

Goat meat is acknowledged for its health benefits as a viable alternative to other meat sources, and it is recognised for being more environmentally sustainable. Moreover, goat species have the potential to significantly address the increasing demand for animal protein spurred by a rapidly growing population. Despite these advantageous characteristics and opportunities, goat meat remains on the periphery and is not widely embraced in various countries worldwide, including Algeria. Exploring the motivations and challenges faced by goat meat consumers can provide valuable insights into comprehending consumer perspectives and devising strategies to encourage goat meat consumption. This, in turn, can contribute to the sustainable advancement of the caprine sector within a sustainability framework oriented towards market needs. Additionally, the findings from this study have the potential to illuminate the strategies required to bolster goat meat consumption and foster market development, ultimately fostering socio-economic growth for both the population and the country.

Keywords:

• Awareness
• consumption
• goat meat
• habit
• motivations
• obstacles

SUBJECTS:

• Agriculture & Environmental Sciences;Agriculture and Food; Consumer Psychology

REVIEWING EDITOR:

• M. Luisa Escudero-Gilete, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the staff that assisted them in carrying out this study and express their gratitude to the participants.

Author contributions

Study design and conceptualization, B.H.; experiments, B.H., L.H., and M.B.; data Analysis, B.H.; writing – original draft preparation, B.H.; writing – review & editing, B.H. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was a part of the PRFU research project D04N01UN390120220001, which was financed by the Algerian Ministry of High Education and Scientific Research.

Notes on contributors

Brahim Hamad

Brahim Hamad is a Senior Lecturer and researcher at the Department of Agronomy of the Faculty of Life and Natural Sciences, El Oued University, Algeria. He holds an HDR degree in Veterinary Sciences, specialising in animal science and food studies. His research interest lies in the domains of animal welfare, animal health, food chain, camel food products, and consumer behaviour. Possessing more than a decade of teaching and research expertise, he has authored a multitude of research articles published in diverse international peer-reviewed journals, including those indexed in SCI, SCIE, SCOPUS, and WOS.

Leyla Hadef

Leyla Hadef is working as a Senior Lecturer and researcher in the Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Life and Natural Sciences, El Oued University, Algeria. She has an HDR degree in Veterinary Sciences. Her research interests cut across animal health, livestock management, camel milk, and meat, agricultural development, consumer behaviour, agribusiness marketing, and supply chains. In addition to publishing various scientific papers in reputable journals, she has participated in different scientific conferences and research projects.

Meriem Bellabidi

Meriem Bellabidi is a Teacher and researcher at the Higher School of Saharian Agriculture, El Oued, Algeria. She obtained a doctoral degree in Agricultural Sciences. Meriem has a research interest in agricultural food marketing and animal sciences.