A Study of Consumer Handling Behaviors during Transport from Retail to Residence Utilizing an Electronic Questionnaire

A critical problem in the field of meat science is the lack of understanding of consumer handling practices during transport from retail to residence. The objective of this study was to investigate consumer behaviors regarding fresh beef product handling, specifically during the period of transport from retail to residence, utilizing an electronic questionnaire. A 13-item questionnaire utilizing the Qualtrics survey platform was distributed across the United States through web-based platforms. A 43 d response period generated 1,554 responses with 1,484 completed questionnaires yielding a 95.5% completion rate. The survey revealed 46.9% of respondents shop between 17:00 h and 20:59 h. Exactly 42.5% of respondents checkout between 11 and 20 min after fresh beef product selection and placement in cart. Upon check-out, 79.6% of respondents return home from the grocery store in 20 min or less. Fresh beef products are most commonly placed in either the rear seat/floor of the vehicle or the trunk/cargo space for transport. Of the 25.8% of respondents who ran errands with a fresh beef product left in the vehicle, 60.6% admitted to leaving the fresh beef product in the vehicle between 6 and 20 min. Approximately, 55.7% do not use an insulted container to transport fresh beef products. For respondents who did use an insulated container, a bag is most commonly used for temperature abuse protection during vehicular transport. The questionnaire revealed age, gender, ethnicity, and level of attained education influenced handling behavior in retail and during transport to residence (P < 0.05). Results indicate the need for continued dissemination of proper handling behaviors as well as scientific data to support the suggestions.