Discoloration of beef products leads retailers to offer discounts or discard beef products, as consumers tend to reject a brownish beef color. This practice contributes to retail food waste and inefficient resource allocation linked to beef production. The objective of this study was to investigate U.S. consumer preferences for beef color and price discounts. After an initial test for screen acuity regarding color perception using a condensed form the ishihara test, data on meat purchasing behavior as well as demographic information was collected for all participants. An additional part of the study undertook a hypothetical discrete choice experiment using digital photos of beef steaks with different meat color, price, and discount labels in retail packaging to examine consumer preferences, willingness to pay, and the effects of discount pricing. Results of a Mixed Logit Model based on choice data show that beef shoppers perceive, see, and prefer color nearly linearly across days of retail display. Consumers' willingness to pay was negative for 4, 7 and 9 days of retail display relative to day zero and decreased with an increase in discoloration. Results indicate that beef shoppers would have to be financially compensated for choosing a steak that was discolored after 9 days of retail display. However, male beef buyers exhibit weaker preferences for color and could be a target segment for promoting discolored beef products to reduce meat waste.

Food waste is a global challenge. Detailed information on quantities and drivers is needed to provide tailored recommendations for prevention measures. Current studies on meat waste in the Hospitality and Food Service business (HaFS) sector are rare, often based on small sample sizes, and seldom use comparable reference units. The present study reports meat and meat product waste in the German HaFS business sector based on structured telephone interviews. Purchased fresh meat and meat product quantities, as well as waste during storage, due to preparation and leftovers, are captured for four different market segments. Waste ratios referring to weekly meat purchases are analysed and compared between these segments, as well as on the business-type level. In this context, the authors distinguish total and avoidable meat waste. Absolute meat waste volumes are extrapolated on a weighted base for the entire German HaFS sector. Factors influencing meat waste are identified through regression analysis in order to derive possible food waste prevention measures. The results are discussed to provide recommendations for future national monitoring, policy instruments and research.

Meat‐focused diets are highly debated considering their environmental and health consequences. A change in consumption patterns in industrialized countries seems inevitable. To inform marketers and policymakers on how to mitigate meat consumption as a means of obtaining sustainability goals, the present study identifies consumer segments based on their actual purchases of fresh meat cuts using German household scanner data for the year 2014. Our revealed‐preference approach suggests that pork and beef traditionalists and convenience‐oriented pork buyers may react to financial incentives. Poultry and premium red meat lovers may be influenced by targeted labeling and quality signals. Overall, low‐meat consumption patterns seem to be less prevalent in Germany than commonly portrayed. [EconLit Citations: C38, D12, E21, Q18].

Meat consumption has become increasingly relevant within the greater scientific, political, and public debate due to the variety of ...