Factors Affecting the Purchase of Chilled and Fresh Pork Among Selected Households in Calamba, Laguna, Philippines, 2025

Date

6-2025

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Julieta A. Delos Reyes

Committee Member

Geny F. Lapiña, Maria Angeles O. Catelo

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For non-UP researchers, requests for access to this material may be directed to the CEM Library at cemlibrary.uplb@up.edu.ph or to the UKDR administrator at uscs-mainlib.uplb@up.edu.ph

Abstract

Despite rising food safety concerns, fresh pork remains the dominant choice in the Philippines, while chilled pork, which is generally considered safer, remains underutilized. This study examined factors influencing household purchases of fresh and chilled pork in Calamba, Laguna, a city with high pork consumption and broad pork product availability. Specifically, it aimed to describe household socio- demographics and food decision-makers; assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward chilled pork; evaluate marketing conditions; and identify purchasing drivers for both pork types.

Using systematic random sampling, 186 household food decision-makers from an urban (Poblacion) and a rural (Masili) barangay were interviewed via a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Descriptive results showed that most of the respondents demonstrated poor knowledge on pork chilling (82%), held negative attitudes toward chilled pork (98%), never searched for properly chilled pork (62%), and preferred for fresh pork (98%). While accessibility was seen as equal by the majority (51%), fresh pork was more available (70%). Additionally, although chilled pork was cheaper by an average of PhP58.83 per kilogram, fresh pork purchases still exceeded chilled pork by 6.17 kilograms per month.

To compare pork types and barangays, multiple statistical tests were conducted, namely the independent t-tests, Mann-Whitney U, Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Findings indicate that urban barangay stochastically had larger household sizes, higher incomes, better meat safety knowledge, closer pork stores, and higher fresh pork prices. Overall, in terms of pork types, fresh pork was generally priced higher, more accessible, and more largely purchased than chilled pork.

Lastly, Tobit, linear, and ordinal logistic regression results revealed that chilled pork purchases increased with men decision-makers and favorable attitudes, but decreased with older age, longer education, preference for fresh pork, and proximity to fresh pork outlets. In contrast, fresh pork purchases rose with household size and declined with chilled pork accessibility and meat safety knowledge. Notably, both pork types were complementary normal goods, as demand rose with income and fell with higher fresh pork prices. Furthermore, older decision-makers were less likely to search for chilled pork, while positive attitudes encouraged search behavior.

In conclusion, the findings underscore the complex interplay of individual, household, and market factors in pork consumption, highlighting the need for coordinated interventions at all three levels to encourage chilled pork purchases over fresh, unchilled alternatives.

Accordingly, the following recommendations were proposed: for chilled pork sellers, (a) run awareness drives, (b) offer taste trials, (c) highlight price savings, (d) improve store access, and (e) tailor age-based promotions; for government agencies, (f) educate on pork safety, (g) build consumer trust, (h) expand market access, (i) factor in household size in campaigns, and (j) apply price- and income-targeted strategies; for researchers, (k) explore more consumer factors and (l) study seller-side issues.

Language

English

LC Subject

Pork industry and trade, Purchasing, Consumers' preferences

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993.5 2025 A14 P37

Notes

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Document Type

Thesis

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