The Brazilian consumer as a barrier to implementing technological innovations in fresh beef packaging

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze how the Brazilian consumer can influence the implementation of new technologies in innovations in fresh-beef packaging. The research method used consisted of interviews of experts working in research and industry, preferably those working with packaging and, whenever possible, with beef. It was observed that the Brazilian consumer can influence and even be a barrier to the implementation of new technologies in fresh beef packaging, due as much to their culture of resistance to change as to their persisting practice of basing purchasing decisions solely on the price. Hence, the industry manages its packaging-related activities based on cost, making difficult the introduction of new technologies in packaging. Other factors that contribute to this are the lack of relevant knowledge and the neglect of information sharing in the chain.