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Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences
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Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Food".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2020) | Viewed by 121571

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Djin Gie Liem

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Exercise & Nut. Sci., Faculty of Health, Melbourne Burwood Campus, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
Interests: food choice; consumer preference; sensory marketing; children; nutrition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Ms. Davina Mann

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
Interests: Sustainable food choice; consumer preference; healthy and sustainable eating patterns

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Consumers play a vital role in the success of sustainable food products and the health and sustainability of the food system. Although the availability of sustainable foods has increased over the past decade, it remains mostly unclear how to steer consumer towards making sustainable food choices and establish eating patterns consistent with a sustainable way of living. Food choice is determined by a wide variety of factors such as, availability, accessibility, beliefs, perceived barriers, perceived benefits and taste preferences. Understanding of these determinants in relation to sustainable foods and eating patterns is instrumental for marketers, product developers and those working in public health to increase the uptake of sustainable foods and sustainable eating patterns by a significant part of consumers.

The studies of this Special Issue are expected to address:

  • Identification of key belief structures which guide consumers’ sustainable food choice and behaviours
  • Sensory aspects of sustainable foods
  • Consumer segmentation
  • Consumer interventions aimed to increased consumers preference and buying behaviour towards sustainable food products

Dr. Djin Gie Liem
Ms. Davina Mann
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • consumers
  • marketing
  • sensory
  • behaviour
  • sustainability
  • eating patterns

Published Papers (18 papers)

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13 pages, 1029 KiB  
Article
Food Labels (Quality, Origin, and Sustainability): The Experience of Czech Producers
by Martina Chalupová, Stanislav Rojík, Hana Kotoučková and Lenka Kauerová
Sustainability 2021, 13(1), 318; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13010318 - 31 Dec 2020
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3535
Abstract
Food labels allow producers to promote the unique selling points of their products and help consumers buy products with value-adding qualities. The aim of the present article is hence to explore Czech food producers’ expectations and experience with selected food labels. The selection [...] Read more.
Food labels allow producers to promote the unique selling points of their products and help consumers buy products with value-adding qualities. The aim of the present article is hence to explore Czech food producers’ expectations and experience with selected food labels. The selection was narrowed down to enterprises that had succeeded in the certification processes within the food labeling systems of European quality and origin labels (protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI), and traditional specialty guaranteed (TSG)), as well as schemes that fall under the remit of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic, such as Klasa (Česká potravina/Czech food, Regionální potravina/regional food, and BIO). The research was made using an online questionnaire in January–February 2018, and was focused on determining possible discrepancies in expectations that the companies had before applying for quality/origin labels and their actual experience with the labelling systems, the benefits they had gained, and their overall experience with the labels. To compare the respondents’ expectations and their actual experience, both the non-parametric Wilcoxon test and t-test were used. The results show that the respondents positively evaluated the effects of marketing communication, but their expectations had been higher than what they experienced. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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16 pages, 1093 KiB  
Article
Is There a Promising Market for the A2 Milk? Analysis of Italian Consumer Preferences
by Deborah Bentivoglio, Adele Finco, Giorgia Bucci and Giacomo Staffolani
Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 6763; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12176763 - 20 Aug 2020
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 5959
Abstract
Milk consumption has been on the decline for decades. Part of the cause for this is due to changes in consumer behavior and interest in healthy eating. The aim of this study was to estimate the premium price that consumers are willing to [...] Read more.
Milk consumption has been on the decline for decades. Part of the cause for this is due to changes in consumer behavior and interest in healthy eating. The aim of this study was to estimate the premium price that consumers are willing to pay for A2 milk. A2 milk is a newcomer type of product containing only A2 beta-casein that is spreading in many countries of the world as a functional food. In addition, it is produced by traditional breeds of cattle that are adapted to the marginal areas and could be a virtuous model of the sustainable management system to which the consumer lately seems to turn in an increasingly conscious way. To accomplish this aim, contingent valuation has been used, which permits using a survey and a direct estimation of the premium price that consumers are willing to pay (WTP). The question format used is a dichotomous choice valuation based on a double-bound model. Statistical analysis was carried out using descriptive statistical analysis. The empirical results reveal that consumers are willing to pay a premium for A2 milk. In addition, individuals interested in product quality and already buying functional products are attracted to this type of product. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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28 pages, 541 KiB  
Article
Fruit Sector Strategic Management: An Exploration of Agro-food Chain Actors’ Perception of Market Sustainability of Apple Innovation
by Moritz Zanetti, Antonella Samoggia and Jennifer Young
Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6542; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166542 - 13 Aug 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 6306
Abstract
The fresh fruit industry is a highly dynamic sector in the food market. Fresh fruit chain actors have to adapt to the changing market environment in order to face upcoming challenges. The objective of this study is to analyze the market sustainability of [...] Read more.
The fresh fruit industry is a highly dynamic sector in the food market. Fresh fruit chain actors have to adapt to the changing market environment in order to face upcoming challenges. The objective of this study is to analyze the market sustainability of red-fleshed apples (RFA) by exploring consumers’ and fresh fruit industry experts’ and stakeholders’ opinions in Italy and New Zealand. The study was carried out in Italy and New Zealand from December 2018 to June 2019 including 778 consumers and 29 expert and stakeholder interviews. Results show a promising market potential of RFA. Innovative attributes and nutritional value of RFA are the most important factors that push consumers’ interest and willingness to buy RFA. New Zealand consumers and women show a higher appreciation of RFA. The nutritional value of the fruit can be a strategic marketing management attribute especially for health-conscious consumers. However, experts think the market for RFA will develop slowly, and will remain a niche product. Some stakeholders are skeptical about consumer RFA appreciation, and fear that RFA are too radical a novelty on the market. The RFA may be perceived as not natural. There is the need to coordinate food chain stakeholders’ management practices on RFA. This allows to mitigate risks, set food standards acceptable for all chain stakeholders, and make sustainable economic investment on innovation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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18 pages, 277 KiB  
Article
Segmenting Olive Oil Consumers Based on Consumption and Preferences toward Extrinsic, Intrinsic and Sensorial Attributes of Olive Oil
by Anita Silvana Ilak Peršurić
Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6379; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166379 - 07 Aug 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3297
Abstract
The aim of this paper was to identify and describe segments of a study population that consumes olive oil. Therefore, a survey was conducted in 2019 on a sample of 705 German and 175 UK consumers. In both samples, three consumer segments were [...] Read more.
The aim of this paper was to identify and describe segments of a study population that consumes olive oil. Therefore, a survey was conducted in 2019 on a sample of 705 German and 175 UK consumers. In both samples, three consumer segments were identified. These three segments differed significantly with regard to purchase and consumption patterns, as well as attitudes toward the extrinsic, intrinsic, sensorial, and health attributes of olive oil. Their main preferences related to health properties of olive oil, followed by hedonic attributes; therefore, these aspects should be marketed in German markets. For UK consumers, validation of extrinsic attributes, such as region, micro-location, and protected designation of geographical origin (PDO), should be used in marketing campaigns in light of economic sustainability on local family farms and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Since UK consumers rely heavily on vendors’ recommendations, more effort should be made in the UK market to establish habits of consumption and an olive oil culture that would be sustainable in long-term time frames. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
15 pages, 375 KiB  
Article
Preferences and Consumption of Pigeon Peas among Rural Households as Determinants for Developing Diversified Products for Sustainable Health
by Zahra Saidi Majili, Cornelio Nyaruhucha, Kissa Kulwa, Khamaldin Mutabazi, Constance Rybak and Stefan Sieber
Sustainability 2020, 12(15), 6130; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12156130 - 30 Jul 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3000
Abstract
Pigeon peas are legumes with a high nutritional value. Existing studies of pigeon peas in Tanzania mainly examine production and marketing, but little has been documented with respect to consumer preferences and the consumption of pigeon peas. This study assesses the preferences surrounding [...] Read more.
Pigeon peas are legumes with a high nutritional value. Existing studies of pigeon peas in Tanzania mainly examine production and marketing, but little has been documented with respect to consumer preferences and the consumption of pigeon peas. This study assesses the preferences surrounding pigeon peas and their consumption as bases for the development of diversified and shelf-stable products for nutrition and income improvement. This study comprised 303 randomly selected farming households. Furthermore, 60 farmers participated in six focus group discussions in the Lindi region. A structured questionnaire and a checklist with guided questions were provided for data collection. The analysis uses SPSS (V.21), with differences between groups established using Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests. The associations were tested using Spearman’s ρ at p < 0.05. The mean pigeon peas consumption during the harvesting and lean seasons was 80 g/person/day and 18 g/person/day, respectively. The frequency of consumption was higher during the harvesting season (92%) than the lean (29%) season. The majority of farmers (91%) preferred to consume the local variety, with 84% of them consuming pigeon peas as stew. Five pigeon pea recipes exist in the area. The farmers identified availability, taste, source of income, and familiarity as the factors determining pigeon pea consumption and preferences. With limited recipes and other barriers limiting consumption, the creation of innovative ideas for the development of diversified and shelf-stable products fitting their consumption preferences is needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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16 pages, 952 KiB  
Article
Factors Affecting Consumers’ Alternative Meats Buying Intentions: Plant-Based Meat Alternative and Cultured Meat
by Jihee Hwang, Jihye You, Junghoon Moon and Jaeseok Jeong
Sustainability 2020, 12(14), 5662; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145662 - 14 Jul 2020
Cited by 83 | Viewed by 23648
Abstract
Consumers have started to become aware of the negative aspects of conventional meat, including concerns about environmental issues, animal welfare, and consumer health. Alternative meats (i.e., cultured meat and plant-based meat alternatives) have been introduced recently to address these problems, and the rapid [...] Read more.
Consumers have started to become aware of the negative aspects of conventional meat, including concerns about environmental issues, animal welfare, and consumer health. Alternative meats (i.e., cultured meat and plant-based meat alternatives) have been introduced recently to address these problems, and the rapid growth of the alternative meat market could pose a threat to the conventional meat market. It is necessary to identify the features of alternative meat that affect consumers’ purchasing intentions. Thus, we aimed to: (1) explore the positive and negative feelings toward alternative meat and (2) compare the differences in factors influencing alternative meat buying intentions. This study conducted an online survey with Korean participants in two separate sections (cultured meat: n = 513; plant-based meat alternatives: n = 504), and relationships between the variables and willingness to buy were analyzed using the partial least squares method. The results showed that sustainability and food neophobia are two of the different factors, and food curiosity, unnaturalness, and distrust of biotechnology are the common factors affecting consumers’ purchasing choice. The results of this study provide useful guidelines for effective promotional messages about cultured meat, plant-based meat alternatives, and conventional meat marketers focusing on the positive and negative aspects of significant factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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18 pages, 579 KiB  
Article
Toward Achieving Sustainable Food Consumption: Insights from the Life Course Paradigm
by George P. Moschis, Anil Mathur and Randall Shannon
Sustainability 2020, 12(13), 5359; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12135359 - 02 Jul 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2843
Abstract
Trends in world population growth have created an agri-food demand that is unsustainable under the present resource-intensive agricultural systems and expected growth in income levels in many developing countries. As such, research and policy making related to sustainable development have focused on consumption. [...] Read more.
Trends in world population growth have created an agri-food demand that is unsustainable under the present resource-intensive agricultural systems and expected growth in income levels in many developing countries. As such, research and policy making related to sustainable development have focused on consumption. One major approach to sustainable consumption lies in shaping food demand that would require changes in people’s present food consumption habits that are excessive and unhealthy, leading to overweight and obesity. In order to change food consumption habits, one must understand the factors that lead to their onset and change. This article offers the life course paradigm, which is increasingly used by social and behavioral scientists to study the development and change of various forms of behavior, as a research framework for studying the onset and change in food consumption habits. It shows how the life course approach could help guide future research not only on sustainable consumption, but also on environmental and social sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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11 pages, 1015 KiB  
Article
Consumer Behavior towards Regional Eco-Labels in Slovakia
by Jana Jaďuďová, Miroslav Badida, Anna Badidová, Iveta Marková, Miriam Ťahúňová and Emília Hroncová
Sustainability 2020, 12(12), 5146; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12125146 - 24 Jun 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3463
Abstract
Slovakia, as part of the European Union, participates in all forms of regional development and sustainability. A transparent form of regional development and sustainability is regional labeling, which has a 10-year tradition. Our regions represent excellent potential for the development of domestic products. [...] Read more.
Slovakia, as part of the European Union, participates in all forms of regional development and sustainability. A transparent form of regional development and sustainability is regional labeling, which has a 10-year tradition. Our regions represent excellent potential for the development of domestic products. Acceptance of essential requirements for regional products (domestic raw materials, manual work share, respect for the environment) opens up opportunities for the labor market, promotes tourism, and increases citizens’ purchase ability, none of which are clearly demonstrable in Slovak regions. Residents of individual regions have specific approaches in relation to regional brands depending on the region studied. For the purpose of the survey, four regions of southern Slovakia (with common environmental morphology and different industrial development) were selected. Indicators of age, gender, education, monthly income, and location relative to regional product preferences were studied. The results obtained were processed by cluster analysis (as a way of segmenting consumers). An average conscious purchaser of regional products is a local productive middle-aged person with a secondary or tertiary education, either male or female, and from a more economically advanced region. The results show regional branding as a mobilizing function for connecting inhabitants and the subsequent joint presentation of regional activities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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17 pages, 329 KiB  
Article
Local Fresh Food Products and Plant-Based Diets: An Analysis of the Relation Between Them
by Jorge Arenas-Gaitán, Begoña Peral-Peral and Jesús Reina-Arroyo
Sustainability 2020, 12(12), 5082; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12125082 - 22 Jun 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2964
Abstract
Goal number 12 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals proposes attaining sustainable production and consumption. Public administrations, firms, and organizations must be involved in this achievement, as well as citizens as consumers. In our case, we focus on consumers and on two [...] Read more.
Goal number 12 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals proposes attaining sustainable production and consumption. Public administrations, firms, and organizations must be involved in this achievement, as well as citizens as consumers. In our case, we focus on consumers and on two food-related decisions: the buying and consumption of local products, specifically vegetables and fruits, and the decision to follow a plant-based diet, concretely vegans and vegetarians. The aim is to check if there exists a relation between the two questions. We carried out empirical research in a South European city, and we found that a significant relation between these behaviors does not exist. It is necessary to increase consumer perception about the advantages of consuming local products, reducing the limitations that they come across, and transmitting clear information from administrations and industries. Greater involvement from consumers in sustainable food practices will contribute to sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
20 pages, 5167 KiB  
Article
Is India Ready for Alt-Meat? Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Meat Alternatives
by Rashmit S. Arora, Daniel A. Brent and Edward C. Jaenicke
Sustainability 2020, 12(11), 4377; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12114377 - 27 May 2020
Cited by 37 | Viewed by 10705
Abstract
Little is known about the consumer preferences of next-generation plant-based and cell-based meat alternatives, two food technologies that offer a demand-side solution to the environmental, nutritional, and other societal concerns associated with animal-intensive agriculture. To address this gap, this paper estimates consumers’ willingness [...] Read more.
Little is known about the consumer preferences of next-generation plant-based and cell-based meat alternatives, two food technologies that offer a demand-side solution to the environmental, nutritional, and other societal concerns associated with animal-intensive agriculture. To address this gap, this paper estimates consumers’ willingness to pay for four sources of protein (conventional meat, plant-based meat, cell-based meat, and chickpeas) in a developing country with rising demand for meat—India. A latent class model of a discrete choice experiment conducted in Mumbai identifies four heterogeneous segments in the Indian market. Aggregating across all four segments, respondents are willing to pay a premium for plant-based meat and a smaller premium for cell-based meat over the price of conventional meat. However, our main findings show that these premiums strongly differ across the four consumer-class segments. The results offer important insights into future price points and policy options that might make these meat alternatives commercially successful, and therefore, a viable option in addressing societal concerns. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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15 pages, 436 KiB  
Article
The Effectiveness of Promotional Cues for Organic Products in the German Retail Market
by Andreas Aigner, Robert Wilken and Sylvie Geisendorf
Sustainability 2019, 11(24), 6986; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11246986 - 07 Dec 2019
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4234
Abstract
The market for organic products is constantly growing, but successfully promoting them remains a controversial issue. Marketing research shows that organic products such as fruits and vegetables cannot be advertised effectively via monetary promotions (e.g., discounts); however, how promotional effectiveness is affected by [...] Read more.
The market for organic products is constantly growing, but successfully promoting them remains a controversial issue. Marketing research shows that organic products such as fruits and vegetables cannot be advertised effectively via monetary promotions (e.g., discounts); however, how promotional effectiveness is affected by other promotional actions (e.g., offering premiums instead of discounts) or the product type promoted (e.g., promoting hedonic products such as organic ice cream instead of utilitarian products) has not been empirically investigated to date. Through a study conducted with 487 German participants, we demonstrate that monetary promotion is less effective for organic than for conventional products. In contrast, non-monetary promotion (via offering increased content) enhances promotional effectiveness more for organic than for conventional products. Increased heuristic processing can explain these findings, as consumers focus more on the heuristic cues offered by non-monetary promotion when confronted with organic, and in particular hedonic organic, products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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25 pages, 2405 KiB  
Article
Consumer Habits of Local Food: Perspectives from Northern Sweden
by Agata Nicolosi, Valentina Rosa Laganà, Daniel Laven, Claudio Marcianò and Wilhelm Skoglund
Sustainability 2019, 11(23), 6715; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236715 - 27 Nov 2019
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 5284
Abstract
International studies are dealing with the promotion of sustainable food systems more frequently. Additionally, places of purchase and sharing in the choice of food to be consumed have become a network system for families. The aim of this work is to analyse the [...] Read more.
International studies are dealing with the promotion of sustainable food systems more frequently. Additionally, places of purchase and sharing in the choice of food to be consumed have become a network system for families. The aim of this work is to analyse the preferences of Swedish consumers for local/artisanal cheeses and the purchase motivations that guide their choices. We also studied the role played by consumers’ favourite shopping locations (retail store, hypermarket, city market, supply chain). On the one hand, we examined the attractiveness and the power exercised by the various stores and on the other hand, we viewed the consumer in relation to the frequency of purchase, and the confidence with the sales points. We interviewed 200 people in the city of Östersund, highlighting habits, consumption preferences and reasons for purchasing. A multiple correspondence analysis explores the reasons behind the purchase preferences of the local ‘Källarlagrad getost’ artisan cheese from the Slow Food brand. The representations of social network analysis are used to show the complex articulations that influence the choices of consumers in terms of type of cheese purchased/consumed and places of purchase/consumption. The results showed that Swedish consumers, in the purchase of cheeses, have a loyalty point at the point of sale, follow the advice of the seller and are attentive to the reputation of the product. Those who buy Källarlagrad getost are sensitive to safety, appreciate artisan cheeses and choose them for their versatility, have a strong connection with the territory and wish to contribute to supporting the local economy. Knowing these characteristics and preferences of Swedish consumers living in a city in the north of the country is important for marketing activities and for promoting tourism and sustainable gastronomy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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26 pages, 780 KiB  
Article
Research on Food Behavior in Romania from the Perspective of Supporting Healthy Eating Habits
by Lelia Voinea, Diana Maria Vrânceanu, Alina Filip, Dorin Vicențiu Popescu, Teodor Mihai Negrea and Răzvan Dina
Sustainability 2019, 11(19), 5255; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195255 - 25 Sep 2019
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 8913
Abstract
Today’s human society provides to food consumers many options that involve difficult decisions. Disoriented and stressed by contradictory messages of mass media and by the warnings of being as slim as possible, a modern consumer gets confused and shows a tendency towards losing [...] Read more.
Today’s human society provides to food consumers many options that involve difficult decisions. Disoriented and stressed by contradictory messages of mass media and by the warnings of being as slim as possible, a modern consumer gets confused and shows a tendency towards losing his traditional habits. Still, most experts suggest that the adoption of a healthy food behavior, based on minimally processed natural products, may contribute to the development of a sustainable food system. The study aims to design the food profile of Romanian consumers by presenting the underlying factors of a balanced diet. The conducted marketing study was of quantitative nature, in which, a face-to-face survey was used. The questionnaire was applied to individuals aged over 18 years old, and the tool used for collecting data was the structured questionnaire applied to a sample of 1185 Romanian respondents. In this study, the following methods of analysis were used: factor analysis, cluster analysis, and structural equation modeling. The research results present the main aspects underlying the food products classification, the clustering of Romanian consumers by their interest in healthy diet, and the relationships between specific variables influencing the healthy food habits. These results have shown the need for supporting educational campaigns targeted at Romanian consumers aimed to develop healthy food habits that could create conditions needed to reshape food supply, and implicitly, to contribute to the development of environmental sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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17 pages, 409 KiB  
Article
A Survey to Discover Current Food Choice Behaviors
by Angelo Corallo, Maria Elena Latino, Marta Menegoli and Alessandra Spennato
Sustainability 2019, 11(18), 5041; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11185041 - 15 Sep 2019
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 7937
Abstract
Food choices are complex functions of several elements that could change over time. Nowadays consumers appear careful about sustainable food consumption: the behavior of “food citizenship”, as the practice to support a sustainable food system during the consumption actions, arises. This study aims [...] Read more.
Food choices are complex functions of several elements that could change over time. Nowadays consumers appear careful about sustainable food consumption: the behavior of “food citizenship”, as the practice to support a sustainable food system during the consumption actions, arises. This study aims to recognize the existence of food choice behaviors in the contemporary scenario and to investigate the relation between the food choice factors and the behaviors recognized. Following a quantitative research method, a sample of 380 participants, recruited from a traditional Italian food and wine event, completed a questionnaire in order to detect their attitude about food. Four current food choice behaviors were recognized: The Individualist, The Foodie, The Environmentalist and The Health enthusiast. The relation between food choice factors and food choice behaviors was explained. Several stakeholders could benefit from the study results, in order to better understand how to adapt products and marketing strategies to satisfy the emerging customer’s needs and awareness. Even if a person can identify themselves within a single food choice behavior, they become aware of other choice models expanding their personal point of view. Finally, new research scenarios arose for the researchers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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21 pages, 1473 KiB  
Article
Identifying Drivers of Genetically Modified Seafood Demand: Evidence from a Choice Experiment
by Michael J. Weir and Thomas W. Sproul
Sustainability 2019, 11(14), 3934; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143934 - 19 Jul 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3697
Abstract
The aquaculture industry has expanded to fill the gap between plateauing wild seafood supply and growing consumer seafood demand. The use of genetic modification (GM) technology has been proposed to address sustainability concerns associated with current aquaculture practices, but GM seafood has proved [...] Read more.
The aquaculture industry has expanded to fill the gap between plateauing wild seafood supply and growing consumer seafood demand. The use of genetic modification (GM) technology has been proposed to address sustainability concerns associated with current aquaculture practices, but GM seafood has proved controversial among both industry stakeholders and producers, especially with forthcoming GM disclosure requirements for food products in the United States. We conduct a choice experiment eliciting willingness-to-pay for salmon fillets with varying characteristics, including GM technology and GM feed. We then develop a predictive model of consumer choice using LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator)-regularization applied to a mixed logit, incorporating risk perception, ambiguity preference, and other behavioral measures as potential predictors. Our findings show that health and environmental risk perceptions, confidence and concern about potential health and environmental risks, subjective knowledge, and ambiguity aversion in the domain of GM foods are all significant predictors of salmon fillet choice. These results have important implications for marketing of foods utilizing novel food technologies. In particular, people familiar with GM technology are more likely to be open to consuming GM seafood or GM-fed seafood, and effective information interventions for consumers will include details about health and environmental risks associated with GM seafood. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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20 pages, 1139 KiB  
Article
Disgusting or Innovative-Consumer Willingness to Pay for Insect Based Burger Patties in Germany
by Lukas Kornher, Martin Schellhorn and Saskia Vetter
Sustainability 2019, 11(7), 1878; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11071878 - 28 Mar 2019
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 7031
Abstract
Insects represent an excellent source of food due to their density in unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, while their production is associated with lower emissions of greenhouse gases and resource use as compared to other conventional protein sources. In most Western countries, [...] Read more.
Insects represent an excellent source of food due to their density in unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, while their production is associated with lower emissions of greenhouse gases and resource use as compared to other conventional protein sources. In most Western countries, the human consumption of insects is very low and often perceived as culturally inappropriate. In this study, we analyzed the preferences of German consumers for insect-based products to intensify the knowledge about specific consumer segments that are willing to adopt insects into their diet. For this purpose, an online based choice experiment was conducted in 2016, in which respondents chose between an ordinary burger and a burger with a beef burger patty fortified with insect flour. We detect three homogeneous consumer segments in our sample. The largest group of respondents is willing to consume insect-fortified burgers with only a small price discount, while the other respondents had a prohibitively low willingness-to-pay. The readiness of consumers to adopt insects into their diet is strongly related to attitudinal variables, such as preferences for an environmental friendly production method and health aspects. On the other hand, disgust and the aversion towards insects seem to be the main reasons to abstain from eating insects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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22 pages, 1046 KiB  
Article
What Determines the Purchase Intention of Liquid Milk during a Food Security Crisis? The Role of Perceived Trust, Knowledge, and Risk
by Mohammed Ziaul Hoque and Md. Nurul Alam
Sustainability 2018, 10(10), 3722; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10103722 - 16 Oct 2018
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 6955
Abstract
Until today, inadequate food supply, malnutrition, food adulteration, etc., are still the key concern in developing economies. In order to address these issues of food security crisis, and to stimulate a sustainable supply of liquid milk (LM), a consumer behavior model was created, [...] Read more.
Until today, inadequate food supply, malnutrition, food adulteration, etc., are still the key concern in developing economies. In order to address these issues of food security crisis, and to stimulate a sustainable supply of liquid milk (LM), a consumer behavior model was created, in which consumers’ perceived knowledge, trust and risk were the major catalysts. To shed light on this context, the study examined the effect of consumers’ perceived knowledge (PK) on their perceived risk (PR) and trust (in information sources and in the product). Further, the influence of consumers’ perceived knowledge, risk, and trust on their attitude and purchase intention (PI) were investigated via an exclusive survey design. The survey was conducted in the urban area of Dhaka and Chittagong, Bangladesh. The sample of 712 households was selected randomly and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed employing descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling. The results show that during a food security crisis, consumers’ perceived knowledge amplifies their perceived risk and their trust in information sources (ISs). During such a period, their perceived knowledge does not induce purchase intention but trust in ISs does. Again, consumers’ perceived risk leads to reduced trust in products, and hence in LM, but not reduced trust in ISs. Moreover, a paradoxical influence was found, where consumers’ perceived risks had no significant effect on the PI, meaning that they underestimate the risk of purchasing LM. The results also show that when explaining the purchase intention of LM, the effect of ‘trust in ISs’ was higher than that of their perceived ‘trust in the product (LM)’ and perceived knowledge. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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Review

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19 pages, 904 KiB  
Review
Consumer Moral Dilemma in the Choice of Animal-Friendly Meat Products
by Li Lin-Schilstra and Arnout R. H. Fischer
Sustainability 2020, 12(12), 4844; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12124844 - 13 Jun 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5986
Abstract
More and more consumers, at least in Western developed countries, are attentive to the sustainability aspects of their food, one of which concerns animal welfare. The conflict of harming an animal for the joy of eating meat causes a moral dilemma, affecting consumers’ [...] Read more.
More and more consumers, at least in Western developed countries, are attentive to the sustainability aspects of their food, one of which concerns animal welfare. The conflict of harming an animal for the joy of eating meat causes a moral dilemma, affecting consumers’ reactions to, and choices of, animal-friendly products. This systematic review identified 86 studies from Scopus and Web of Science. The review outlines: (1) What are the personal antecedents among consumers regarding moral conflicts?; (2) In what situation do moral conflicts occur in consumer food choice?; (3) How do consumers emotionally experience the moral dilemma?; (4) How do consumers resolve moral conflicts over animal products? Researchers have studied personal factors and situational factors that arouse consumers’ moral dilemma and how the dilemma is solved, during which emotions and dissonance come into play. When synthesizing these findings into a comprehensive model, we notice that the current research is lacking on how personal factors change and interact with situations, which limits the understanding of the real-life context of consumers’ moral dilemma as well as their choices of animal-friendly products. More in-depth studies are needed to find situational factors that contribute to this complex psychological process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Food Choice and Consumer Preferences)
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