doi:10.

1017/S004393391500001X

Reviews
A review of French consumers purchasing
patterns, perceptions and decision factors
for poultry meat
K. WALLEY*, P. PARROTT, P. CUSTANCE, P. MELEDO-ABRAHAM and
A. BOURDIN

Department of Food Science and Agri-Food Supply Chain Management, Harper

Adams University, Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB, United Kingdom
*Corresponding author: kwalley@harper-adams.ac.uk

In recent years, changing public perceptions and attitudes, as well as a hostile

economic climate, have combined to potentially modify French consumer
behaviour relating to poultry meat. This paper makes use of a longitudinal
dataset that has been constructed through regular surveying of consumers and
review information relating to purchasing patterns, perceptions and decision
factors in France. These findings will be of interest to marketing practitioners as
well as policy makers, academics and others with an interest in the poultry sector.

Keywords: poultry meat marketing; purchasing patterns; consumer behaviour; French

market

Introduction
Over the last ten years, the poultry meat industry in France has been impacted by many
issues including increasing feed prices, competition from low-cost producing countries,
tight margins, media attention on welfare and a lingering recession. Indeed, it would
appear reasonable to assume that these challenges have led to changes in the way that
French consumers shop for poultry meat and the factors that influence their purchase
decisions; information that is important to poultry producers if they are to market poultry
meat successfully in France.
The aim of this paper, therefore, is to review contemporary information regarding the
market for poultry meat in France. The paper will present findings relating to purchase
patterns, consumer perceptions, and the factors impacting consumer decision making. To
begin, however, it is propitious to outline the background to the paper in terms of the
market for poultry meat in France and the industry structure.

© World's Poultry Science Association 2015

World's Poultry Science Journal, Vol. 71, March 2015
Received for publication July 2, 2013
Accepted for publication August 11, 2014 5
French consumers purchasing patterns: K. Walley et al.

Poultry meat in France

According to AVEC (2011) French consumption of poultry meat was at its highest in
2001 when consumption stood at 26 kg per person and BSE was a concern for many
consumers however in recent times consumption has declined somewhat but still remains
relatively high at 23.5 kg per person. This recent figure includes chicken consumption of
13.1 kg per person and turkey consumption of 4.9 kg per person.
While the French market has moved away from eating whole birds to individual cuts
and processed products, the whole bird market remains significant, representing 38% of
consumption, versus individual cuts at 40% and processed products at 22% (ITAVI-
GEM, 2005; Jez et al., 2009). Ducks, chicken and guinea fowl account for a small but
significant proportion of the market, making the French consumers of a greater range of
poultry products than many other European countries (ITAVI-GEM, 2005; Jez et al.,
2009).
Consumption of poultry meat is relatively high in France not only because it is versatile
and can be cooked in a variety of ways, but also because there are no religious or cultural
impediments to its consumption (Magdelaine et al., 2008) and it has been widely
promoted as a healthy alternative to red meat (CSA, 2005; Jez et al., 2009).
According to Hingley (2008) consumers across Europe have become concerned about
animal welfare and production methods and the French consumer is no exception. The
value that consumers attach to the welfare of animals is a reflection of the human
satisfaction, assurance and comfort derived from believing that the animal has been
treated in the right manner. The source of these feelings can be ethical, cultural or
individual sensitivities but the result can be seen in the increasing importance that
consumers attach to buying criteria such as quality labels.
There are several quality labels that are used in France including Organic Food, Label
Rouge, Free-Range, French Meat, and Protected Geographic Indication (a European
Label). The Organic Food label assures quality standards linked to environmental
friendly practices and high levels of animal welfare. It represents a sustainable
production system that meets the Council Regulation 834/2007 which is the official
legal standard within the European Union (European Union, 2007a). The French
Label Rouge is an assurance of high quality operated by the National Institute for
Origin and Quality (2013) for specific products including poultry. Consumption of
Label Rouge products in France represents 30% of individual cuts and processed
chicken and 62% of whole broilers (Magdelaine et al., 2008). The Free-Range label
applies separately to individual poultry species, and is regulated by Appendix IV of
Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1538/91 (European Union, 1991). The French Meat
label indicates that the animal was born, bred, slaughtered and processed in France. The
Protected Geographic Indication attests that products are linked with a geographic area
within the European Union and thus subject to certain welfare regulations (European
Union, 2006).
In recent times the poultry industry has been impacted by various food crises including
BSE in cattle and avian flu. As a consequence, consumers have become interested in food
provenance (Magdelaine et al., 2008; Clonan et al., 2010) and product quality, country of
origin, organic production and even waste management (Foxcroft and Woodgate, 2004;
Woodgate, 2006) have become important purchase criteria in addition to animal welfare.
Indeed, Hall and Sandilands (2007), Hingley (2008) and Clonan et al. (2010) suggest that
consumers are willing to pay more for superior product quality and welfare assured
poultry products.
Annual production levels of poultry meat have to some extent mirrored changes in
consumption levels. According to AVEC (2011), in 2010, French poultry production

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 French consumers purchasing patterns: K. Walley et al.

totalled 1,850,000 tonnes. Chicken production stood at 1,045,000 tonnes while turkey
and duck production were 412,000 tonnes and 240,000 tonnes, respectively.
Over the last decade French production of poultry products has decreased while world
production has increased (France AgriMer, 2009). It would appear that despite the
advantage of relatively low feed costs, broiler production in France is not competitive
on an international basis. This could be due to the additional costs arising from recent EU
legislation relating to poultry production methods such as Directive 2007/43/EC
(European Union, 2007b). Indeed, in 2008 consumption of imported poultry meat
stood at 24% which is significantly higher than in 1998 when it was only 10%
(France AgriMer, 2009).
The Establishment National Des Products De L'Agriculture Et De La Mer (French
Institute for Agricultural and Sea Products) suggests that the majority of poultry sales in
France take place in supermarkets (67%) and a lesser, though still significant, amount of
sales are from local grocers or farm shops (9%) and butchers (8%) (France AgriMer,
2009).

Research design and sampling

The information on which this paper was based is derived from a database originally
established by Jones and Parrott (1997). A review of the literature was used to inform the
development of a research instrument that has been used to survey consumers at intervals
during the intervening years. This research instrument has evolved over time to reflect
contemporary issues, but in the most recent 2012 version it focused on purchase patterns
(Vukasovic, 2010; Sismanoglou and Tzimitra-Kalogianni, 2011), consumer perceptions
(Charles, 1975; Yeung and Morris 2001; Kennedy et al., 2004; Vukasovic, 2009; 2010;
Sismanoglou and Tzimitra-Kalogianni, 2011; Vukasovic, 2012) and the factors impacting
on consumer decision making (Kennedy et al., 2004; Vukasovic, 2010; Sismanoglou and
Tzimitra-Kalogianni, 2011). A total of 3,000 questionnaires were delivered by hand to a
cross-section of housing types at each survey round. The data was analysed using the
current version of SPSS. A review of the most recent information entered into the
database formed the basis of the remainder of the survey.

Survey findings
Data concerning the consumption of poultry meat is presented in Table 1. Of the 460
people who contributed to the 2012 review, 455 (98.9%) confirmed that they do eat
poultry meat.
Table 1 Consumption of poultry meat.

Number Percentage

Eat poultry meat 455 98.9

Don't eat poultry meat 4 0.9

Data concerning the frequency of purchasing poultry meat is shown in Table 2. The
modal purchase frequency for poultry meat was once a week, with 185 respondents
(40.2%) buying this often. It is interesting to note that 88 respondents (19.1%) bought it
even more often and 106 (23.0%) bought it 2-3 times a month, so that overall 379

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French consumers purchasing patterns: K. Walley et al.

(82.3%) of respondents bought poultry meat almost weekly, which confirmed its
popularity with many people in France. This may be due to poultry meat being
perceived as a healthy and nutritious food (CSA, 2005; Jez et al., 2009).
Table 2 Frequency of purchase.

Number Percentage

Several times a week 88 19.1

Once a week 185 40.2
2-3 times a month 106 23.0
Once a month 47 10.2
Once every 2-3 months 9 2.0
Rarely 15 3.3

Data indicating the type of poultry meat purchased in France is presented in Table 3.
Chicken was by far the most popular poultry meat in France with 443 (96.5%) of the
respondents purchasing. However, turkey and duck were still popular with 263 (57.2%)
and 193 (42.0%) of respondents purchasing respectively. A significant minority of
respondents, 96 (20.9%) and 26 (5.7%) purchased guinea fowl and quail respectively.
It would appear, therefore, that poultry meat is a popular food in France and that French
consumers appreciate a broad range of poultry meats.
Table 3 Type of poultry meat purchased.

Number Percentage

Chicken 443 96.5

Turkey 263 57.2
Duck 193 42.0
Guinea Fowl 96 20.9
Quail 26 5.7

Table 4 presents data relating to the place where the respondents purchased poultry meat.
As might be expected, the majority of respondents 298 (64.8%) bought poultry meat from
the supermarket, making it the single most important outlet. However, significant numbers
of respondents also purchased poultry meat via other outlets, with 170 (37.0%) buying at
markets, 158 (34.3%) at butchers’ shops and 73 (15.9%) at farm shops. While the
supermarkets obviously dominate the supply chain for poultry meat in France, the level
of dominance was not as high as in other countries, such as the UK, and many French
consumers appear happy to shop for poultry products at other types of outlet.
Table 4 Place of purchase of poultry meat.

Number Percentage

Supermarket 298 64.8

Market 170 37.0
Butcher 158 34.3
Farm shop 73 15.9
Local Grocer 13 2.8
Online 5 1.1

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 French consumers purchasing patterns: K. Walley et al.

Consumer perceptions of poultry meat

Data relating to consumer perceptions of poultry meat is presented in Table 5. The
statements were ordered using the respondents’ mean scores to aid interpretation.
Essentially, the statements at the top of the list are those that respondents agreed with
more strongly while the statement at the bottom is the only one with which, albeit fairly
mildly, they disagreed.
The statement that respondents most strongly agreed with was ‘I disapprove of poultry
being kept inside all the time’ which on the face of it appears to suggest that French
consumers are particularly concerned about animal welfare. Further evidence to support
this contention was provided with the respondents’ tendency to concur with the
statements ‘I look on the meat label for welfare guarantees’, ‘I am prepared to pay
more for meat with welfare assurance’ and ‘The Label Rouge on poultry meat shows it
has been produced to the highest welfare standards’. However, the respondents
demonstrated strong support for the statement ‘Free range poultry meat is tastier than
intensively reared meat’ which raises the suspicion that the reason that French consumers
disapprove of poultry being kept inside all the time and make use of indicators of animal
welfare is actually more to do with the impact on taste rather than animal welfare.
The respondents also strongly agreed with the statement ‘I look to buy French poultry
meat’ even though their support for the statement ‘Poultry produced in France is the
best’ was somewhat weaker. This preference for French poultry even when it may not be
the best is probably further evidence of the well documented phenomenon of consumer
ethnocentrism (Zolfagharian and Sun, 2010; Vukasovic, 2014).
As the respondents agreed with the statements ‘Pack sizes are appropriate to my
needs’, ‘I would prefer to buy poultry where I am assured that all the by-products
will be used’, and ‘I use left-over poultry meat to make stock’ it appears that French
consumers are very much aware of food waste as an issue and do act to reduce it.
However, the fact that they also agreed with the statement ‘I always throw away the
chicken left-overs (carcase, bones etc.)’ suggested that there is still some potential to
reduce waste still further and that a programme of education might be useful in this
respect.
The respondents tended to agree with the statements ‘I am concerned about antibiotic
residues in poultry meat’, ‘I do think about recent health scares when I buy meat’, and ‘I
am careful to cook poultry meat well to avoid ill health’ and disagreed that ‘The risk of
consuming Genetically Modified (GM) material that has been fed to poultry is low’. As
such, French consumers appear to be aware of the risks of contamination arising from
eating poultry meat, and it is probably this that led to the respondents agreeing with the
statement ‘I consider the quality of poultry meat in restaurant meals’ and disagreeing
with the statement ‘I rarely consider the quality of poultry in ready-prepared meals’. It
would appear, therefore that French consumers give some thought to the purchase and
consumption of poultry meat which suggests that ‘involvement’ was a little higher than
might be expected. Indeed, the thinking behind the purchase of poultry meat in France
may have contributed both to the respondents agreeing with the statement ‘My buying
behaviour has changed in light of adverse publicity regarding poultry production’ and
with ‘Organic poultry meat tastes better than other poultry meat’.

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French consumers purchasing patterns: K. Walley et al.

Table 5 Perceptions of French poultry.

Mean

I disapprove of poultry being kept inside all the time 1.54

Free range poultry meat is tastier than intensively reared meat 1.63
I look to buy French poultry meat 1.70
I always throw away the chicken left-overs (carcase, bones etc.) 1.88
I look on the meat label for welfare guarantees 2.12
I use left-over poultry meat to make stock 2.12
I am prepared to pay more for meat with welfare assurance 2.14
I am concerned about antibiotic residues in poultry meat 2.17
Poultry produced in France is the best 2.25
The Label Rouge on poultry meat shows it has been produced to the highest welfare standards 2.28
I do think about recent health scares when I buy meat 2.43
Organic poultry meat tastes better than other poultry meat 2.45
My buying behaviour has changed in light of adverse publicity regarding poultry production 2.45
I consider the quality of poultry meat in restaurant meals 2.50
Pack sizes are appropriate to my needs 2.54
I am careful to cook poultry meat well to avoid ill health 2.64
I would prefer to buy poultry where I am assured that all the by-products will be used 2.70
I frequently eat poultry when I ‘eat out’ 3.20
The risk of consuming Genetically Modified (GM) material that has been fed to poultry is low 3.44
I rarely consider the quality of poultry in ready-prepared meals 3.58
Note: Don't knows omitted from mean calculation.

Decision factors
Data relating to the factors that impact the consumer purchase decision for poultry meat
is presented in Table 6. The factors are ordered according to their importance, with the
most important at the top of the list and the least important at the bottom.
In the first instance it is important to note that in rating all the factors the respondents
were confirming that they are all of some importance in the decision to buy poultry meat.
It is, however, clear that some factors were considered much more important than others.
Thus, while factors at the bottom of the table, such as ‘Packaging’, ‘Brand name’ and
‘Weight’, did impact the purchase decision for poultry meat, the factors at the top of the
table, such as ‘Use by date’, ‘Taste’, ‘Country of origin’ and ‘Tenderness’, played a much
more significant role.
It is interesting to note that most of the factors at the top of the table are either the main
proxy for product quality (e.g. ‘Use by date’) or are actual measures of product quality
(‘Taste’, and ‘Tenderness’). These factors were seen as more important than most of the
marketing factors or of price, and so it would appear that the most important factors
impacting the French consumers’ purchase of poultry meat are technical indicators of
product quality.
The exception to the most important factors being technical in nature is ‘Country of
origin’ which was rated by respondents as the third most important factor in the purchase
decision for poultry meat. This indicates that French consumers prefer to buy poultry
meat originating in France, but that they may compromise their preference in respect of
high quality poultry meat originating overseas.
Respondents were asked about animal welfare, but the surveyed statements on ‘Welfare
assurance’ and ‘Label Rouge mark’ were only mid-way down the table. This lends
further evidence to the view that, while French consumers may wish animals to be

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 French consumers purchasing patterns: K. Walley et al.

cared for properly and will indicate this when asked about the subject out of context,
when it comes to purchasing, it is not such an important issue.
Table 6 Factors impacting the purchase of poultry meat in France.

Mean

Use by date 4.68

Taste 4.46
Country of origin 4.16
Tenderness 4.11
Odour 4.07
Rearing method 4.05
Texture 4.03
Diet the poultry were fed on 4.01
Welfare Assurance 3.81
Colour 3.77
Price 3.76
Leanness 3.60
Label Rouge Mark 3.58
Producer name 3.55
Retailing store 3.21
Weight 3.15
Brand name 2.89
Packaging 2.22
Note: Don't knows omitted from mean calculation.

Recommendations
The data presented in this paper permitted the development of a number of
recommendations. These recommendations relate primarily to the marketing of poultry
meat in France and as such are intended to inform the decision making of marketing
practitioners. However they should also be of interest to policy makers, academics and
others with an interest in this sector.
The first recommendation arising from this study is that marketing practitioners should
seek to create, develop and enhance the competitive advantage of their poultry meat
products in respect of all the factors impacting the consumers’ purchase decision, and
should give particular emphasis to aspects of product quality such as taste and tenderness.
Additionally in order to produce poultry meat of the standard required by consumers,
managers should seek to develop rigorous quality assurance systems incorporating low
tolerance levels in order to drive up standards. Marketers need to commission advertising
and promotional material that emphasises the French origins of poultry meat as well as its
high quality level. Managers should seek to develop supply chain strategies that
acknowledge the dominance of the supermarkets as an outlet for poultry meat in
France but also allow for a reasonable amount of supply through markets, butchers
and farm shops. Managers should work to ensure the welfare of their birds but
recognise that it is not the most important factor in the French consumers purchase
decision for poultry meat. Finally policy makers might consider a programme of
education that would seek to inform and encourage French consumers to make better
use of their poultry purchases in order to reduce waste.

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French consumers purchasing patterns: K. Walley et al.

Conclusions
The aim of this paper was to survey and review information regarding the market for
poultry meat in France for the benefit of marketing practitioners and to provide insight for
those involved in the production and sales of poultry meat in France. Indeed, it is
recommended that managers focus their attention on various aspects of product
quality, seek to enhance standards via improved quality assurance systems and seek to
build reputation by promoting these aspects of poultry meat to the consumer.

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