Farm Animal Welfare in Canada: Role of Values, Attitudes and Knowledge on the Consumer Choice of Farm Animal Welfare Labelled Meat

• Author / Creator

  Laryea, Anita A.

• Consumers in developed countries are increasingly considering process attributes including Farm Animal Welfare (FAW) in their purchasing decisions. However, there have been few studies on Canadian consumers’ concern for FAW and the choice of FAW labelled meat as a process attribute in meat purchasing decisions. Furthermore, the psychological constructs that drive the decision to purchase FAW labelled meat have also not been explored extensively. The objective of this study was to examine FAW concern in Canada and explore the role of knowledge, values, attitudes and beliefs on purchase intention for FAW labelled meat products. The study identifies the nature, strength and relative importance of the constructs on intention to purchase FAW labelled meat by applying a modification of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) using the Certified Humane (CH) label as a case study. Additionally, choice data were used to model consumers’ relative preference for FAW labelled meat. The study hypothesised that there exists a positive relationship between the psychological constructs: attitude, self-identity, perceived behavioural control, personal and social norm with intention to purchase FAW as a process attribute. The study provides evidence to support the role of values, knowledge, beliefs on intention to purchase FAW labelled meat. There is a positive relationship between the constructs of the TPB and intention to purchase FAW labelled meat. Attitude and self-identity were the most significant in determining intention. Stated FAW concern, willingness to engage in activities that promote FAW, agricultural knowledge and income were the most significant in predicting intention to purchase FAW labelled meat. The choice analysis provides evidence to support the relative preference for a combination of organic and FAW attribute label. There is evidence of FAW concern across all sociodemographic segments with females, younger people, liberals and pet owners showing comparatively more concern.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Consumer Choice
  • Farm Animal Welfare
  • Theory of Planned Behaviour

• Graduation date

  Fall 2017

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R37S7J63C

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.