Do pig farmers preferences bias consumer choice for pork? Response to critique of the pork preference studies

Québec consumers and pig farmers selected their preferred chop from 16 images that had been modified to give 16 treatments: two levels each of fat cover, colour, marbling and drip. The selection process was repeated eight times from different groups of chops. Fat cover (47% preferred lean) and colour (44%, light red) were the most frequently chosen characteristics. No significant differences were observed between farmers and consumers preferences (χ2 test, P < 0.05). Two preference-based clusters were found; 41% preferring dark red, lean meat and 59%, light red, lean meat, without marbling or drip. Choice-based clusters showed no significant links with either individual socio-demographic items, including pig farmer as occupation, or the three socio-demographic-based clusters observed (χ2 test, P < 0.05). No evidence was found to suggest that the choices of pig farmers differed from those of consumers and, therefore, inclusion of pig farmers in consumer panels would not bias consumer choice for pork.