International preferences for pork appearance: II. Factors influencing consumer choice

The preference for pork varying in its fat cover, lean colour, marbling and drip differs among countries, but the influence of socio-demographic factors is unknown. In this study of 11,717 consumers from 22 countries, more than 80% of consumers liked pork, thought that pork quality was at least almost always good and either had not changed or had decreased their pork consumption recently. Pork was liked for a variety of reasons of which taste was cited most by consumers from all countries, except Korea, Taiwan and Yugoslavia where availability was most cited. Most socio-demographic factors and eating habits were related to choice, and mainly to choice of fat cover, but few factors were common across countries. Gender had the most consistent influence and in most, but not all, countries a greater proportion of women than men chose the leaner external fat cover but not the non-marbled pork.