Open AccessArticle
Consumer Perceptions of Precision Livestock Farming—A Qualitative Study in Three European Countries
by
1,*, 2, 3
and 1
1
Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Group, Department of Social Science, Wageningen University and Research, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN Wageningen, The Netherlands
2
Research Park Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Av. De Can Domènech, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
3
Bioeconomy and Environment, Natural Resource Institute Finland (Luke), Kampusranta 9, 60320 Seinäjoki, Finland
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Maria Caria
Received: 4 March 2021
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Revised: 12 April 2021
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Accepted: 22 April 2021
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Published: 23 April 2021
Simple Summary
Precision livestock farming (PLF) will have a profound influence on animal husbandry, farm animal welfare and animal-based production chains. Even though consumers ultimately pay the costs of innovations, their perceptions of PLF technologies have been under-investigated. To explore consumer perceptions of PLF technologies within the pork and dairy value chains, altogether six focus group discussions were conducted in Finland, the Netherlands and Spain. The results indicate that consumers expect that PLF technologies will enhance the health and welfare of farm animals, while generating environmental improvements and increasing transparency in livestock farming. They, however, also expressed the fear that PLF technologies will lead to more industrialisation in livestock farming; that PLF technologies and data are vulnerable to misuse and cyber-crime; and that PLF information may be inadequately communicated to consumers. The findings are used to formulate directions for strengthening the acceptance of PLF technologies among European consumers.