Measuring the Demand of Ethical Consumerism - Research Paper Example

The paper "Measuring the Demand of Ethical Consumerism" is a perfect example of a marketing research paper. The egg debate has become the most discussed in many nations including the United Kingdom. Many people around the world use eggs for breakfast as a source of proteins. In 2015, the production of eggs in the United Kingdom was estimated at 100 billion. Although some consumers avoid eggs due to cholesterol-related health complications, a report produced by the Dietary Guidelines Committee indicated that cholesterol is not a nutrient that people should be worried about when they think about overconsumption (Spangenberg, 2013, p. 44). Therefore, the number of egg consumers is expected to increase in future. Nonetheless, the production of eggs has raised many questions on the sustainability and profitability of this business. Many consumers are keen to know the way eggs are produced and the environmental impact of consuming eggs. Farmers use two systems to rear hens that produce eggs and include the free-range and caged chicken (Ballabeni, Wlodarczyk & Rahier, 2011, p. 319).

The demand for cage-free eggs has increased dramatically as consumers ask for sustainable chicken housing systems. Farmers prefer using the caged system to produce a lot of eggs hence increase their profits. Caged hens occupy less space compared to the free-range chicken. On average, these caged animals occupy only 67 SQ. Inches of space which is the same as an A4 size piece of paper, hence, they are unable to spread their wings or move around (Kjærnes, 2012, p. 162). These animals are also denied their natural characteristics such as perching, nesting, and dust bathing. On the other hand, the free-range chicken is not confined to a small space, and it is able to move from one position to another and engage in natural hen behaviour. These chickens live indoors in flocks, but they are not allowed to go outside. The demand and the supply of the eggs are influenced by various factors. These factors include the prices of the eggs as well as the prices of the complementary and supplementary foods like fish and meat, the changing preferences and knowledge of consumers, the diverse demographics, and the government policies among other factors.