Intensive vs. free-range organic beef. A preference study through consumer liking and conjoint analysis

•Consumer liking and conjoint analysis were used to compare conventional and organic beef.•The most preferred beef regarding colour – a key purchasing attribute – was organic-fed-on-grass.•Regarding other sensory attributes, organic-fed-on-concentrate beef was preferred over organic-fed-on-grass beef.•Consumers are willing to pay a premium of 40–50% for organic beef vs. conventionally produced.

This paper evaluates consumer liking and preferences towards organic beef from two production systems allowed by EU regulation: i) free-range and ii) intensive (fattened in feed-lot with organic feedstuff) as compared with conventionally produced beef.Data were obtained in April–May 2014 with a sample of 150 regular beef consumers who completed two tasks: firstly a sensory test where consumers tasted and rated the meats and secondly a conjoint analysis to study beef purchasing preferences. Willingness-to-pay for the different meats was also calculated from conjoint results.Results show that consumers preferred organic-from-concentrate beef at sensory level while organic beef from animals fed on grass was preferred when process characteristics (i.e. farming system) or attributes perceived at the point of purchase (i.e. colour) were evaluated. It was also found that the price-premium for organic beef is over 40%, with organic-fed-on grass beef preferred slightly over that fed-on-concentrate.