# Brazilian Consumer Attitude Towards the Concept of Meat Products with Claims of Naturalness, Healthiness and Sustainability

## TL;DR

This study explores how Brazilian consumers perceive and respond to chicken meat products with natural antioxidants, highlighting preferences for health, naturalness, and sustainability.

## Contribution

The study introduces insights into consumer attitudes toward meat products enriched with natural antioxidants from avocado by-products in Brazil.

## Key findings

- Consumers associated synthetic antioxidants with negative perceptions, while natural antioxidants were linked to health, naturalness, and sustainability.
- Health-conscious and environmentally aware consumers showed stronger support for reformulated products with natural antioxidants.
- Purchase intention for reformulated products increased with belief in the health benefits of natural antioxidants.

## Abstract

This study investigated Brazilian consumers’ perceptions, attitudes, and purchase intentions regarding traditional and reformulated chicken meat products (fresh sausage and burger) enriched with natural antioxidants obtained from avocado by-product extracts. A mixed-methods approach was applied, using a word association task, a Likert-scale attitudinal questionnaire, and purchase intention scales (n = 422). Word association revealed predominantly negative perceptions toward products containing synthetic antioxidants, while natural antioxidant formulations elicited positive associations related to health, naturalness, and sustainability. Attitudinal data indicated strong alignment between health consciousness, environmental concern, and openness to food innovation. Pearson correlations (p < 0.05) showed moderate-to-strong relationships (r ≥ 0.40) among beliefs about healthy eating, perceived benefits of natural antioxidants, and support for sustainable production. Contingency analyses demonstrated that belief in the health benefits of natural antioxidants significantly increased purchase intention for reformulated products, whereas consumers less engaged with healthy eating were more accepting of synthetic formulations. Noting sample limitations primarily comprising young, educated females, who correspond to the group of consumers who tend to be more sensitive to health and environmental responsibility claims, the findings highlight consumer interest in natural, functional, and sustainable meat products. These results reinforce the potential of using agro-industrial by-product extracts as natural antioxidants in meat formulations and underscore the importance of communication strategies emphasizing health, naturalness, and sustainability to improve consumer acceptance.