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Sustainable Consumer Behaviour and Food Choice
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Sustainable Consumer Behaviour and Food Choice

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 17730

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marina Tomić Maksan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Marketing in Agriculture, University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: market research; food consumer behaviour; food marketing; sustainable food consumption
Dr. Francesca Gerini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), University of Florence, P.le delle Cascine 18, 50144 Firenze, Italy
Interests: agricultural economics; consumer preferences; food marketing; market research; rural development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The world’s population has grown by two billion in the last 25 years and is projected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030 and 9.8 billion by 2050. Consequently, demand for food will increase, requiring a significant increase in global food production. A critical question to consider is how to meet this increasing demand for food without undermining the Earth’s resources. Food choice can play an important role in addressing current environmental challenges. The opportunities for policymakers and food producers to develop more environmentally sustainable foods depend on consumer preferences and their willingness to pay for sustainable foods. Sustainable food behaviours include the production and consumption of organic foods, local foods, foods that involve less waste in production, seasonal foods, and novel foods, such as insects, algae, etc. The recent literature indicates that consumer preferences for sustainable food are heterogeneous. Therefore, it is important to understand consumers’ behaviours and motivations and barriers to sustainable food choices.

The aim of this Special Issue is to explore consumers’ behaviours in sustainable food choice, as well as determine barriers and motives to sustainable consumer food choice. This topic is closely related to the journal’s scope (i.e., studies related to sustainability and sustainable development).

This Special Issue aims to address global challenges related to encouraging more environmentally sustainable food choice by addressing the following topics:

  • Consumer preferences regarding sustainable food consumption;
  • Consumer attitudes toward sustainable food consumption;
  • Drivers of and barriers to sustainable food consumption;
  • Impact of eco-labels and certifications on consumer choice;
  • Minimization of food waste through changes in consumer behaviour;
  • Roles played by information and education in shaping sustainable food choices;
  • Consumer segmentation;
  • Novel food and sustainability;
  • Local foods;
  • Organically produced food.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Marina Tomić Maksan
Dr. Francesca Gerini
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

  • sustainable food consumption
  • food preferences
  • food choice
  • consumers
  • attitudes and behaviour
  • novel food
  • food marketing
  • behavioural models

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 972 KiB  
Article
Factors Determining Buying Behavior on the Organic Food Market in the Visegrad Group Countries—Using Canonical Correlation Analysis
by Julia Wojciechowska-Solis, Magdalena Śmiglak-Krajewska, Joanna Smoluk-Sikorska, Mariusz Malinowski, Paulína Krnáčová, Malgorzata Agnieszka Jarossová and Gyöngyi Györéné Kis
Sustainability 2025, 17(2), 672; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17020672 - 16 Jan 2025
Viewed by 528
Abstract
Consumers are increasingly seeking ecological, organic, minimally processed food from certified organic farms. Consumer purchasing decisions in the organic food market are determined by various factors. The main objective of the article is to identify the range and direction of multidimensional relationships between [...] Read more.
Consumers are increasingly seeking ecological, organic, minimally processed food from certified organic farms. Consumer purchasing decisions in the organic food market are determined by various factors. The main objective of the article is to identify the range and direction of multidimensional relationships between the frequency of purchasing organic food and the factors that determine purchasing decisions. For this purpose, a canonical analysis was performed. Statistical data were obtained from survey research conducted in Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary (600 questionnaires filled in each country) from December 2023 to March 2024. Research shows that the key factor that influences purchasing decisions with respect to organic food is its high quality. In countries such as Poland, Czechia, and Slovakia, this feature received the highest percentage of indications as very important, 53%, 44%, and 54%, respectively. In the second place, respondents indicated production without agricultural chemicals and food additives (in Hungary, this factor was considered the most important, with a percentage of indications at the level of 77%). In all the countries of the Visegrad Group, the influence of famous people, celebrities, and bloggers seems to be the least important—40.7% of respondents in Slovakia considered them completely unimportant, and as many as 73% in Hungary. Fashion was similarly rated low. In the case of this factor, the percentage of indications as unimportant ranged from 31% (Slovakia) to 76% (Hungary). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Consumer Behaviour and Food Choice)
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18 pages, 492 KiB  
Article
Behavioral Intention to Purchase Sustainable Food: Generation Z’s Perspective
by Dominika Jakubowska, Aneta Zofia Dąbrowska, Bogdan Pachołek and Sylwia Sady
Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7284; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177284 - 24 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 9782
Abstract
Sustainable food consumption is critical for addressing global environmental challenges and promoting health and ethical practices. Understanding what drives sustainable food choices among younger generations, particularly Generation Z, is essential for developing effective strategies to encourage sustainable consumption patterns. Using the Theory of [...] Read more.
Sustainable food consumption is critical for addressing global environmental challenges and promoting health and ethical practices. Understanding what drives sustainable food choices among younger generations, particularly Generation Z, is essential for developing effective strategies to encourage sustainable consumption patterns. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior as the theoretical framework, this study aims to explore how the variables of the theory (personal attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control), along with consumer knowledge, trust, and health concerns, affect Generation Z’s intentions to buy sustainable food. The research was carried out in Poland via the online interview method (CAWI), with 438 users ranging between the ages 18 and 27. The results show that attitudes and knowledge are significant predictors of sustainable food consumption among Generation Z, while subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, health consciousness, and trust do not significantly affect purchase intentions. This research underscores the importance of educational campaigns and marketing strategies that enhance consumer knowledge and shape positive attitudes towards sustainable food. These insights offer valuable implications for policymakers, marketers, and educators aiming to encourage sustainable practices. Understanding the drivers of Generation Z’s sustainable food consumption behaviors can provide valuable insights for developing effective strategies to promote sustainable consumption patterns. This study adds to the body of knowledge on sustainable food consumption by highlighting the specific factors that drive Generation Z’s purchasing intentions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Consumer Behaviour and Food Choice)
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15 pages, 260 KiB  
Article
Factors Influencing Consumption of Animal-Based Dairy and Plant-Based Milk Alternatives in Australia
by Grace Tulysewski, Gilly A. Hendrie, Danielle L. Baird, Wendy Umberger and Lenka Malek
Sustainability 2024, 16(16), 7168; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16167168 - 21 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1618
Abstract
In the transition to more environmentally sustainable food systems, the production and consumption of resource-intensive animal-based dairy foods (ABD) remains a talking point. Given the power of consumer choice in transforming food systems, understanding consumer priorities surrounding ABD consumption and their plant-based counterparts [...] Read more.
In the transition to more environmentally sustainable food systems, the production and consumption of resource-intensive animal-based dairy foods (ABD) remains a talking point. Given the power of consumer choice in transforming food systems, understanding consumer priorities surrounding ABD consumption and their plant-based counterparts is fundamental. Using data from 3271 unique survey respondents, the objectives of this study were to examine the consumption frequencies of ABD and plant-based milk (PBM) in Australia over time (2019–2022) and determine the psychosocial and sociodemographic factors associated with distinct consumer segments. Multivariate analysis identified sociodemographic and food choice factors associated with three consumer segments: ‘exclusive PBM consumers’, ‘exclusive ABD consumers’, and ‘mixed consumers’ (consumers of both product types). Despite the growing availability of plant-based milk alternatives, exclusive PBM consumption remains relatively uncommon compared to mixed plant and animal dairy consumption. ‘Exclusive ABD consumers’ had a higher probability of being older and less likely to prioritise health and nutrition than ‘mixed consumers’. ‘Exclusive PBM consumers’ were more likely to prioritise food tolerance and restrictions and less likely to prioritise product taste than ‘exclusive ABD consumers’. We report sociodemographic and motivational factors influencing animal-based dairy and plant-based milk choices. The outcomes are of interest to sustainable food systems development stakeholders, with potential applications in the public health and commercial food promotion sectors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Consumer Behaviour and Food Choice)
13 pages, 430 KiB  
Article
Determining Sustainable Food Choice Motives: Validity and Reliability of the Sustainable Food Choice Questionnaire (SUS-FCQ) in Turkish Adults
by Burcu Aksoy Canyolu, Daniela Martini and Nilüfer Şen
Sustainability 2024, 16(9), 3519; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093519 - 23 Apr 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3708
Abstract
Understanding sustainable food choices is key to shifting consumer behavior toward sustainable food consumption. This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Sustainable Food Choice Questionnaire (SUS-FCQ) in 602 Turkish adults. The linguistic equivalence of the SUS-FCQ was provided using [...] Read more.
Understanding sustainable food choices is key to shifting consumer behavior toward sustainable food consumption. This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Sustainable Food Choice Questionnaire (SUS-FCQ) in 602 Turkish adults. The linguistic equivalence of the SUS-FCQ was provided using the standard translation–back translation method, content validity, and pilot testing. Then, the convergent, discriminant, and construct (exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA)) validity and reliability (test–retest and internal consistency) were evaluated. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was found to be excellent (0.961) and the intraclass correlation coefficient was found to be moderate (0.689) using the test–retest method. As a result of the EFA, two-factor structures were found, and the factor loadings of the items were 0.651 and 0.878. These factors explained 79.17% of the total variance, and discriminant and convergent validity was provided for both factors. The results of this study suggest that the adapted SUS-FCQ is valid and reliable for determining sustainable food choice motives in the Turkish population. Therefore, the SUS-FCQ can be a useful instrument to encourage people to shift toward and adhere to sustainable food consumption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Consumer Behaviour and Food Choice)
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Review

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28 pages, 1391 KiB  
Review
Carbon and Environmental Labelling of Food Products: Insights into the Data on Display
by Anika Trebbin and Katrin Geburt
Sustainability 2024, 16(24), 10876; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162410876 - 12 Dec 2024
Viewed by 930
Abstract
The food system has been in focus as one of the major drivers behind the environmental and climate crisis. In this context, there is a growing need for more transparent and reliable information on the environmental impacts of food production and consumption as [...] Read more.
The food system has been in focus as one of the major drivers behind the environmental and climate crisis. In this context, there is a growing need for more transparent and reliable information on the environmental impacts of food production and consumption as part of the transition process towards more sustainable food systems. Stakeholders along the food supply chain are confronted with multiple requirements and systems as the demand for environmental reporting at the product, company, and country level increases all at the same time. Simultaneously, consumers are often more interested in the sustainability of the food products they consume. While there is currently a lack of coherent supranational or even national legislation regulating methodological procedures, private initiatives for the environmental and carbon labelling of food products have developed rapidly. This article finds that most labels are characterised by a lack of transparency, clarity, and comprehensibility. Examining 14 labels, mainly from the German food retail market, we found a puzzling variety of data sources and methodologies used to calculate the values and claims displayed. We highlight this variety in data sources and footprint values by looking at milk and beef as case studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Consumer Behaviour and Food Choice)
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