The impact of the sensory experience on scale and preference heterogeneity: The GMNL model approach to pig castration and meat quality

The EU is considering a future ban on surgical pig castration by 2018 which may affect markets and consumers preferences. This study analysed consumers’ expected preference toward a masking strategy obtained from a mixture of spices and smoking of high level boar taint frankfurter sausages. In addition, we analysed the impact of the sensory experience on the nonobserved heterogeneity both at the scale and mean preferences. We carried out two Non-Hypothetical Discrete Choice Experiments (DCE) by creating a real shopping scenario before and after the hedonic sensory test for a sample of 150 consumers from the Metropolitan area of Madrid, Spain. Data used in this analysis were obtained from questionnaires completed in a controlled environment and estimated the recently developed Generalised Multinomial Logit Model (GMNL). Results showed the appropriateness of the proposed masking strategy of boar meat as a raw material for the processed meat industry in Spain. Consumers also declared their willingness to pay a premium for this flavours. The sensory experience have had impact on both the scale and preference heterogeneity. The degree of randomness and uncertainty of consumers decreased significantly in their final election and the source of unobserved heterogeneity obtained from the scale become more independent.