Perception and willingness to consume horse meat in Algerian society.

This research aims to assess the perception of horse meat as well as the influence of the factors related to socio-demographic and economic context on its consumption willingness. Data was collected using a self-managed questionnaire via in-person interviews with 102 consumers of horse meat. According to the results, horse meat ranked fifth among consumers’ top choices for red meat, behind sheep (85.3 %), beef (7.8 %), goat (2.9 %) and camel (2.9 %). A significant percentage of participants (65.7 %) expressed a favorable opinion towards horse meat and perceived it to be of good overall quality. The horse meat was primarily consumed for its perceived health and nutritional advantages (46.1 %). Horse meat was consumed occasionally only in particular scenarios, especially for some disease remedies like anemia. Except for the price, the analysis of influencing factors revealed that there were no significant effects (p>0.05) on the intake willingness of horse meat based on gender, age, level of education, residence area, or income. This study offers a thorough understanding of the consumer opinions regarding horse meat and may be employed in developing strategies for boosting the acceptance of this meat among the consumers.