WHITE STRIPING EFFECTS ON CONSUMERS’ PURCHASE INTENT UNDER BLIND AND INFORMED CONDITIONS

The visual appearance is one important sensory attribute that influence consumers' purchase intention. The impaired appearance of chicken breast affected by the White Striping (WS) condition, characterized by the presence of white striations, can affect the consumers’ perception compromising the selection and purchase this product in the market. The present study seeks to evaluate the influence of information on consumers perception of the WS meat. The purchase intention (PI) was evaluated under blind and informed conditions (short report on the WS myopathy) by 101 consumers using a 5 points hedonic scale in commercial samples purchased from a Spanish marketplace. Broiler breasts were categorized as normal (n=4), and moderate (n=4), and severe (n=4) degrees of White Striping. The samples were presented to participants simulating retail conditions in supermarket. About 85 percent of consumers reported not knowing the WS myopathy. In addition, the results show that striped breast meats presented lower PI compared to Normal meat, in both experimental conditions. No large differences were found between moderate and severe WS samples. The information on WS did not modify consumer hedonic perception of the Normal meat (purchase acceptance of 82% in both conditions), yet, it significantly increased consumers' purchase rejection of moderate and severe White Striping, from 50% to 64%, and 45% to 72%, respectively. These results indicate that consumers reject chicken breast with WS, even in unaware consumers. Under informed conditions, the rejection is enlarged even further.