Meat attachment or health awareness? Understanding the factors influencing the consumption of local red meat in Italy

The literature suggests that consumers who purchase local foods tend to maintain more sustainable and healthier diets and are more likely to engage in fitter lifestyles. While this holds true for many local food products sold through short supply chains (such as eggs, milk, fruits, and vegetables), the role of a widely debated food like local red meat remains unclear. Specifically, it is uncertain whether health-related attitudes and justifications for meat consumption vary based on the frequency of red meat consumption among consumers of local red meat. This study aims to examine the influence of health attitudes and meat attachment on local red meat consumption among Italian consumers, differentiating between those who consume red meat within and those who exceed the World Health Organization's recommended nutritional guidelines. A stratified sample of 1135 Italian red meat consumers responsible for household food purchases was used for this analysis. To assess the data, a logistic regression model with robust standard errors was applied. The findings indicate that health attitudes drive consumer behaviour regardless of the overall quantity of meat consumed. However, only consumers with low meat consumption tend to justify their consumption of local red meat, while justifications for meat consumption decrease as meat intake increases. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the local red meat market and provides valuable insights for companies to tailor their marketing strategies and product value propositions to consumer perceptions. Additionally, the findings can inform policymakers in designing interventions aimed at reducing excessive meat consumption.