Forest to fork strategy: Examining consumer preferences for wild boar meat

Wild boar population is expanding rapidly across Europe, bringing challenges to wildlife management, agriculture and disease control. Meanwhile, there is an increasing need for wild game meat as it can be a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals. Some European countries, like Italy, still lack of legal and structured supply chains for hunted game meat. This study investigates the acceptability of developing a wild boar meat market in Italy by examining consumer preferences for key product attributes. Data were collected from 1719 Italian consumers through a discrete choice experiment. This study also investigates how wildlife value orientations (WVOs) and food values shape consumer choices. Results highlight that most respondents were reluctant to purchase wild boar meat. However, willingness to pay increased substantially for products with food-health certifications and Italian/regional origin. Three consumer segments were identified through latent class analysis, and their preference heterogeneities were driven by WVOs, ethical concerns, meat quality, sustainability, convenience and economic value. Findings suggest that developing a wild game meat supply chain could be a win-win strategy for consumers, producers, and policymakers as it offers an effective approach to managing wild boar populations, creating new market opportunities, and supporting rural development.