scholarly journals The added value of sustainability motivations in understanding sustainable food choices

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 67-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muriel C. D. Verain ◽  
Marleen C. Onwezen ◽  
Siet J. Sijtsema ◽  
Hans Dagevos
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Product Category ◽  
Addition Product ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Product Categories ◽  
Sustainable Products ◽  
On Line

Understanding consumer food choices is crucial to stimulate sustainable food consumption. Food choice motives are shown to be relevant in understanding consumer food choices. However, there is a focus on product motives, such as price and taste, whereas process motives (i.e. environmental welfare) are understudied. The current study aims to add to the existing literature by investigating the added value of sustainable process motives (environmental welfare, animal welfare and social justice) above product motives. Two on-line surveys of representative Dutch samples tested whether process motives increase the explained variance of sustainable consumption. The results indicate that sustainable process motives are of added value above product motives in the understanding of consumer food choices. In addition, product categories differ in the sustainable process motives that are most useful in explaining sustainable purchases in that category (Study 1), and different types of sustainable products (organic versus fair trade) differ in the sustainable process motives that are most useful in explaining these purchases (Study 2). In conclusion, this paper shows that understanding of sustainable consumption can be improved by considering sustainable process motives above product motives. Thereby, it is important to take the sustainability dimension (e.g., social justice versus environmental welfare) and the product category (e.g., meat versus fruit) into account.

scholarly journals Do Europeans consider sustainability when making food choices? A survey of Polish city-dwellers

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krystyna Rejman ◽  
Joanna Kaczorowska ◽  
Ewa Halicka ◽  
Wacław Laskowski
Keyword(s):  
Food Choice ◽  
Food Policy ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Random Group ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Sustainable Diet ◽  
Quota Sampling

AbstractObjectiveTo obtain a better insight into the conceptualization of sustainable consumption among consumers with special focus on food choice determinants. Previous studies show that people present positive attitude towards sustainable diet while their everyday food choices do not follow sustainable diet rules.DesignA structured questionnaire was designed and data were collected via computer-assisted telephone interview among a random group (n 600) of city-dwellers. Quota sampling was used in proportion to the city population. Cluster analysis (k-means method) was applied to identify consumer segments according to the determinants of food choices. Consumer segments were identified using one-way ANOVA with post hoc Duncan comparison of mean scores and cross-tabulation with χ 2. The Friedman test was applied to identify enablers and barriers of sustainable food choices.SettingCities in Mazovia, the best developed, central region of Poland.ParticipantsAdults (21–70 years old).ResultsConsumers are not familiar with the concept of sustainability and are not able to define it adequately. Only 6 % of the studied population indicated that sustainable consumption is connected with nutrition which has possibly less impact on the environment. Three segments of consumers were distinguished regarding their attitude to food choice determinants adequate to sustainable diet: Non-Adopters (17 %), Emergents (32 %), Adopters (51 %). Desire to improve health by decreasing body weight was the main driver for sustainable food choices, while prices were the main limitation.ConclusionsKnowledge dissemination on sustainability issues is needed to empower consumers to make more sustainable food choices and to make public health and food policy measures more effective.

scholarly journals Can Online Customer Reviews Help Design More Sustainable Products? A Preliminary Study on Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly Products

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Saidani ◽  
Harrison Kim ◽  
Nawres Ayadhi ◽  
Bernard Yannou
Keyword(s):  
Language Processing ◽  
Sustainable Design ◽  
Product Category ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Product Reviews ◽  
Learning Tools ◽  
Product Categories ◽  
Sustainable Products ◽  
Online Product Reviews ◽  
Do So

Abstract Online product reviews are a valuable resource for product developers to improve the design of their products. Yet, the potential value of customer feedback to improve the sustainability performance of products is still to be exploited. The present paper investigates and analyzes Amazon product reviews to bring new light on the following question: “What sustainable design insights can be identified or interpreted from online product reviews?”. To do so, the top 100 reviews, evenly distributed by star ratings, for three product categories (laptop, printer, cable) are collected, manually annotated, analyzed and interpreted. For each product category, the reviews of two similar products (one with environmental certification and one standard version) are compared and combined to come up with sustainable design solutions. In all, for the six products considered, between 12% and 20% of the reviews mentioned directly or indirectly aspects or attributes that could be exploited to improve the design of these products from a sustainability perspective. Concrete examples of sustainable design leads that could be elicited from product reviews are given and discussed. As such, this contribution provides a baseline for future work willing to automate this process to gain further insights from online product reviews. Notably, the deployment of machine learning tools and the use of natural language processing techniques to do so are discussed as promising lines for future research.

scholarly journals Explaining Consumer Heterogeneity in Structural State-Dependence

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyuan Wang ◽  
Yan Liu
Keyword(s):  
Structural State ◽  
Consumer Behaviour ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Product Category ◽  
State Dependence ◽  
Sustainable Products ◽  
Packaged Goods ◽  
Heterogeneous Effects ◽  
Consumer Packaged Goods ◽  
Behaviour Data

Consumers are heterogeneous in their inertial responses to previous consumptions. Information on consumers’ structural state-dependence is valuable for evaluating consumers’ habit-forming strength and thus can be used for encouraging more sustainable consumption. Conventional methods of estimating such effects are complex and require repeated purchase data, which is difficult to obtain when consumers are inexperienced in buying sustainable products. In this paper, we utilize consumers’ previous switch behaviour data and investigate whether it can explain heterogeneous state-dependence effects. We demonstrate this in consumer-packaged goods markets using scanner datasets. Consumers’ normalized brand switches in a different product category several years ago are used to measure inter-temporal preference variations that are stable and are independent of products and markets. Accounting for household characteristics, we find that some variation in switch behaviour is highly stable: it explains a significant portion of consumers’ structural state-dependence in the market under investigation. Therefore, consumers’ switch tendencies can be structural to their preference. The finding suggests that incorporating consumers’ switch behaviour from other choice domains can be a simple and effective method of understanding the heterogeneous effects behind habit formation. Our constructed measure has broad implications in shifting consumer behaviour to be more sustainable.

scholarly journals Youngsters' Sustainable Food Choices in the Supermarket

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 130-140
Author(s):  
Charles Haverbeke ◽  
Joëlle Housmans ◽  
Isabel Marchand ◽  
Marina Mérola Teixeira ◽  
Anne-Mieke Vandamme ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Grocery Shopping ◽  
Paradigm Shifts ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Attitude Behavior ◽  
The Impact

As climate change is gaining recognition and its impacts manifest, the role of the individual is increasingly being investigated. More specifically, the impact consumption has on both the environment and actors throughout the food chain is crucial in this role. Considering the small share sustainable consumption currently has in overall shopping, bridging the gap between unsustainable and sustainable choices will be paramount in addressing the increasing threat climate change and unjust development pose to our society. The attitude–behavior gap is a phenomenon further complicating the issue. It points out that although a person may have an understanding and desire to act upon knowledge that certain products are more sustainable than others, he does not actually act upon that knowledge when shopping. The limited research regarding the attitude–behavior gap, especially for young people, hinders retailers from creating a shopping environment that encourages sustainable shopping. To address this problem, the authors aimed at understanding consumption behavior in a supermarket environment, with special focus on food choices by students. More specifically, we addressed the following question: "How can we overcome the attitude–behavior gap for pro-sustainable attitudes in supermarkets?" Our survey-based research amongst 248 students could provide insights for effective interventions – such as education, social programming or in-store modifications – to ensure more sustainable mindsets while grocery shopping. We found that students are not consistently making sustainable choices, despite most having a general understanding of sustainability. Women tend to choose sustainable food more often than men, even though price and quality also had a substantial influ ence, together with health. We also found that students may consider or even believe in the importance of sustainability and being eco-conscious consumers without actually taking the necessary steps, showing an attitude–behavior gap. Enacting widespread sustainable development will require many small-scale paradigm shifts, such as a local supermarket incorporating more local and seasonal products or fighting food waste. However, climate change mitigation and environmental justice can only be realized by a widespread cooperation of these initiatives.

scholarly journals Sustainable food purchases in the Netherlands: the influence of consumer characteristics

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marijn H.C. Meijers ◽  
Ynte Van Dam
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Ethical Orientation ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Connectedness To Nature ◽  
Food Purchases ◽  
Sustainable Products ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Orientation Scale

In this paper socio-demographic characteristics of sustainable food consumers are studied by using actual purchasing data of 4,412 households in a wide range of food products over a twenty week period in the months November 2008 till March 2009. Our results indicate that purchasing sustainable food products is still the exception rather than the rule. Socio-demographic characteristics are (weakly) related to the purchasing sustainable food items. Specifically, people with a higher education and those living in a more urban area are more likely to purchase sustainable products. Psychographic data on a subsample (n=1,112) show a weak relation between sustainability concerns and sustainable behaviour. Scales measuring people's sustainability concerns specific to purchasing products (e.g. Ethical orientation scale) are better predictors of people's sustainable consumption than scales measuring people's general sustainability concerns (e.g. Connectedness to Nature scale). Since consumer characteristics seem to be of little predictive value of sustainable consumption it may be wise to shift the focus from investigating who the sustainable consumer is to how to make sustainable products successful. In the discussion we offer some initial guiding principles.

scholarly journals Nudging to get our food choices on a sustainable track

2019 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Vandenbroele ◽  
I. Vermeir ◽  
M. Geuens ◽  
H. Slabbinck ◽  
A. Van Kerckhove
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Careful Examination ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Product Size ◽  
Behavioural Effects ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Food Decisions

Food production is one of the major contributors to environmental damage. Adaptations in our food choices are needed to preserve resources for the needs of future generations. More sustainable consumption patterns have been encouraged by economic incentives, laws, education and communication campaigns. Nonetheless, consumers still find difficulties in trying to change their current food habits. This review takes a behavioural approach in encouraging sustainable food choices among consumers. From a nudging perspective, many behavioural changes can be encouraged in a non-obtrusive way by adapting the complex food environment in which consumers are operating. These interventions do not restrict consumers' choices but rather adapt the choice architecture wherein food decisions are made. Drawing on the literature from diverse theoretical perspectives, we provide an overview of the application of nudging for more sustainable food choices and highlight where more research is needed. More specifically, we discuss research that used nudging to engender cognitive impact (i.e. the use of labels or visibility enhancements), affective responses (i.e. sensorial and social influence cues) and behavioural effects (i.e. adjustments in convenience and product size). We conclude that this review only shows the tip of the iceberg of the research on nudging and sustainable consumption that is likely forthcoming in the next few years, following the successes of nudging applications in other domains. Nonetheless, each individual nudging intervention requires careful examination. Personal predispositions towards the environment should be considered when designing interventions, demonstrating the complementarity of nudging with education on sustainable consumption.

Factors Associated With Healthy, Organic, Local, and Sustainable Food Choices

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara J. Lacaille ◽  
Rick Lacaille ◽  
Jennifer Schultz ◽  
Kim Dauner ◽  
Stephanie A. Hooker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Choices ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Factors Associated

scholarly journals Under the Umbrella: Goal-Derived Category Construction and Product Category Nesting

2021 ◽  
pp. 000183922110123
Author(s):  
Johnny Boghossian ◽  
Robert J. David
Keyword(s):  
Process Model ◽  
Product Category ◽  
Derived Category ◽  
The State ◽  
Product Attributes ◽  
Product Categories ◽  
Role Of The State ◽  
Market Intermediaries ◽  
Category Construction

Categories are organized vertically, with product categories nested under larger umbrella categories. Meaning flows from umbrella categories to the categories beneath them, such that the construction of a new umbrella category can significantly reshape the categorical landscape. This paper explores the construction of a new umbrella category and the nesting beneath it of a product category. Specifically, we study the construction of the Quebec terroir products umbrella category and the nesting of the Quebec artisanal cheese product category under this umbrella. Our analysis shows that the construction of umbrella categories can unfold entirely separately from that of product categories and can follow a distinct categorization process. Whereas the construction of product categories may be led by entrepreneurs who make salient distinctive product attributes, the construction of umbrella categories may be led by “macro actors” removed from the market. We found that these macro actors followed a goal-derived categorization process: they first defined abstract goals and ideals for the umbrella category and only subsequently sought to populate it with product categories. Among the macro actors involved, the state played a central role in defining the meaning of the Quebec terroir category and mobilizing other macro actors into the collective project, a finding that suggests an expanded role of the state in category construction. We also found that market intermediaries are important in the nesting of product categories beneath new umbrella categories, notably by projecting identities onto producers consistent with the goals of the umbrella category. We draw on these findings to develop a process model of umbrella category construction and product category nesting.

scholarly journals Exploring Sustainable Food Choices Factors and Purchasing Behavior in the Sustainable Development Goals Era in Spain

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7397
Author(s):  
Isabel Blanco-Penedo ◽  
Javier García-Gudiño ◽  
Elena Angón ◽  
José Manuel Perea ◽  
Alfredo J. Escribano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Final Analysis ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Purchase Behavior ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Region Of Residence ◽  
And Gender

The aim of the present study was (1) to investigate what consumers include within the concept of food sustainability and its link with sustainable consumption, by identifying meaningful consumer typologies from the concept of food sustainability and food choice factors framed by SDG 12, and (2) to know how different farm systems attributes affecting purchase behavior are associated with such typologies. Consumers from two Spanish regions (n = 403) answered a paper questionnaire to know their degree of knowledge of sustainability, and beliefs, behavior, attitudes and preferences towards food sustainability, and the importance given to product characteristics and shopping practices. A principal component analysis was conducted to identify groups with similar answers, to average some of the questions before the final analysis of variance, which includes demographic classes as fixed effects. A cluster analysis using the most representative questions identified two clusters. cluster 1 (68.4%) responded to more sustainability-related attributes, and cluster 2 (31.5%) presented a less-expanded concept of sustainability. The origin of the product and quality certification (local, organic) was important for food purchase practices. The place of residence and gender differences of the consumers were the most influential factors. In the conjoint study, regarding the purchase of Iberian pork, cluster 1 remained unwilling to sacrifice outdoor systems and local breed at the expense of the price, in the case of the Iberian pig production. The most important demographic differentiator was the region of residence of the consumer. In conclusion, consumers are not aware of the wider aspects included in the sustainability concept. Moreover, the concept of sustainability elicits different meanings to the segments of the consumers identified.

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