UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
DEPARTMENT BULLETIN No. 1443 
Washington, D. C. 
November, 1926 
CONSUMER HABITS AND PREFERENCES IN THE PURCHASE AND CON- 
SUMPTION OF MEAT ' 
By Kelsey B. Gardner, Associate Economic Analyst, and Lawrence A. Adams, 
^fjqrmerly Associate Economic Analyst, Bureau of Agricultural Economics 
CONTENTS 
Page 
Relation of consumer to production and con- 
sumption 1 
Scope and nature of study _ 2 
Cities covered 2 
Population groups 3 
Number of questionnaires 4 
The consumer questionnaire 5 
Collection of information 5 
Results of the survey 6 
Method of presentation 6 
Replies to questions 7 
Page 
Summary of results _ 34 
Meat consumption 34 
Meat purchasing 85 
Meat advertising 36 
Consumer knowledge of meat quality and 
cuts 36 
Questionnaire 37 
Tables 39 
RELATION OF CONSUMER TO PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION 
Producer, distributor, and consumer are concerned in varying 
degree with production and distribution problems. Of these three 
groups, the consumer is recognized as the one wielding the strongest 
influence not only because it is in this group that consumption of 
products takes place but because of the effect of consumer preferences 
and demands in the determination of production and distribution 
methods and practices. 
The importance of consumer demand in the production and mar- 
keting of meat is unquestioned. Consumer preferences for the vari- 
ous kinds and cuts of meat are influences of the highest importance 
to producers of meat animals and to distributors of meat and meat 
products. More definite knowledge of these consumer preferences 
and buying habits in the purchasing and consumption of meat 
should be of aid in adjusting production and distribution methods 
to meet consumer demand and in developing programs of education 
designed to eliminate some of the lack of consumer knowledge which 
now renders consumers peculiarly susceptible to unwitting purchase 
of meats and meat products of inferior quality. 
i This survey was planned and organized by J. Clyde Marquis, agricultural economist; the field work 
of gathering the materials was supervised by Lawrence A. Adams; the data were analyzed and tbe manu- 
script was preDared by Kelsey B. Gardner. Mayme C. Parker assisted in compiling the data and in 
making the computations. 
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