Consumer perceptions of rabbit meat as an alternative animal protein source: auniversity-based study

The need to meet the daily animal protein requirements of the teeming human population requires that other protein sources, including rabbit meat, be explored. Rabbit meat can be used as an alternate protein source to combat protein deficiency in South Africa as it is healthier and has a higher proportion of digestible proteins compared to currently popularly consumed meats such as pork, beef, and chicken. However, consumers should be the primary focus when promoting any product since they are the end users and make purchasing decisions based on their perceptions. The study's objective was to investigate the perceptions of the University of Fort Hare students towards using rabbit meat as an alternative animal protein source. Structured questionnaires from 400 respondents were used to gather information on consumer perceptions of rabbit meat as an alternate animal protein source. Information regarding socio-demographic and meat characteristics that affect consumer purchasing behaviour was also gathered. The data obtained were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software. Most respondents (75%) had never consumed rabbit meat. The main reason was the unfamiliarity (46%) with rabbit meat. A total of 45% of the respondents were likely to buy and consume rabbit meat at restaurants, whereas 44% and 62% were likely to buy rabbit meat from grocery stores or consume it when offered by friends and relatives, respectively. Approximately 19% of the respondents perceived rabbit meat as similar to chicken. The quality of meat is positively correlated with the health aspect of the meat (P = 0.02). Presentation and meat quality are also positively correlated (P = 0.01). This study discovered that most respondents were unfamiliar with rabbit meat and, therefore, had limited knowledge of the meat quality attributes of the product.