Consumer preferences associated with the protected geographical indication label in the marketing of lamb meat

Abstract

• Association of PGI label to other key characteristics of lamb meat is studied. • Findings show consumers association between the PGI label and the origin of meat. • PGI label alone may not be enough to attract all consumers. • Consumers were segmented using the Consumer Ethnocentric Tendency Scale (CETSCALE). • Different strategies are proposed for the two consumer segments. The aim of this work is to analyse the importance consumers attach to the geographical indication (GI) label compared to other key characteristics involved in the marketing of lamb meat. Our findings corroborate the significant association in consumers’ minds between the origin of lamb meat and the protected geographical indication (PGI). Nonetheless, it is worth noting that the consumer segments identified in this work attach greater importance to different characteristics of PGI lamb meat, which may be directly related to socioeconomic factors. In this sense, the less ethnocentric consumers, who have a higher income and higher level of education, show a greater preference for the breed of lamb, while the more ethnocentric consumers present a greater preference for brand name. The existing overlap between the preference for the PGI products and other attributes could mean that consumers would perceive similarly a product without PGI but including specific reference to all those attributes. In this regard, the PGI label may be serving to reduce search efforts and times.