Market intelligence company Key Note commissioned NEMS Market Research to conduct a nationally representative survey to establish who consumers blame for the horsemeat scandal in the UK and if they have changed their meat consumption habits since the outbreak. It questioned 1,002 adults, including 499 males and 503 females.
Good news for hospitality
The survey results are good news for hospitality, finding that Britons principally blame producers for the crisis and that the majority have not changed their meat consumption habits.
In total, more than half said they were still eating the same amount of processed red meat (58.8%). In addition, 65.2% responded that they are consuming the same amount of processed white meat.
Although Britons reacted strongly to the outbreak, the majority have not significantly altered their lifestyles as a result of the horsemeat scandal. Ultimately, they believe that corporate profit and an emphasis on value are the main reasons behind the crisis. A lack of internal and external regulation is also deemed to be a major factor. However, they continue to eat meat in its various forms in the UK market.
Faith in quality of fresh meat
Consumers appear to have more faith in the quality of fresh meat products as 81.1% said they had not changed their fresh red meat consumption habits, 85.9% said they were still eating the same amount of fresh white meat and 74.2% responded that they were eating the same quantity of fresh fish.
Nevertheless, consumers are more likely to be eating more white meat and fish than before the scandal, in addition to fresh red meat. Thus, the horsemeat scandal has damaged the reputation of processed red meat and consumers are more likely to be eating other types of meat instead.
Producers at fault
Nearly half of respondents primarily blame producers for the scandal (47.1%). Moreover, consumers aged between 20 and 24 years are more likely to hold producers responsible than those in any other age group, especially compared to those aged between 16 and 19 years and 65 years and over.
25.4% responded that producers were responsible for the horsemeat outbreak because of the lack of disclosure about where their meat came from.
Supermarkets
After producers, supermarkets are the most blamed for the horsemeat scandal (16.5%). Of these, nearly half said that retailers were responsible because of the pressure they placed on producers to reduce prices (47.9%).
Overall, 34.2% of respondents who blame supermarkets said that retailers were responsible because of the failures in and the lack of adequate testing.
Finally, 16% of those who attribute the horsemeat scandal to supermarkets said that this was because they used local producers on a limited basis.
Government
13.1% of respondents said that Government is principally to blame for the horsemeat scandal.
Of respondents who blame Government, 49.9% said that this was due to lack of enforcement of legislation. An additional 26.3% of survey participants who hold Government responsible said it was mainly due to a lack of legislation.
Consumers to blame?
Only 9% of Britons blame consumers for the horsemeat scandal.
The majority who blame consumers said that this was due to the pressure placed on producers to reduce prices (68.3%).