IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i3p837-d203856.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Segmenting the Generation Z Cohort University Students Based on Sustainable Food Consumption Behavior: A Preliminary Study

Author

Listed:
  • Irene C. Kamenidou

    (Eastern Macedonia Thrace Institute of Technology (EMaTTech), 65404 Agios Loukas Kavala, Greece)

  • Spyridon A. Mamalis

    (Eastern Macedonia Thrace Institute of Technology (EMaTTech), 65404 Agios Loukas Kavala, Greece)

  • Stavros Pavlidis

    (Eastern Macedonia Thrace Institute of Technology (EMaTTech), 65404 Agios Loukas Kavala, Greece)

  • Evangelia-Zoi G. Bara

    (Eastern Macedonia Thrace Institute of Technology (EMaTTech), 65404 Agios Loukas Kavala, Greece)

Abstract

In-depth knowledge of sustainable food consumption behavior regarding university students, and especially the younger ones, reveals tendencies of the worlds’ sustainable future. This study aims to explore the sustainable food consumption behavior of the Generation Z cohort (18–23 years of age) that is studying at Greek universities and living away from home, and to segment them according to their behavior. Quantitative research was implemented with an online questionnaire, which resulted in a collection of 252 valid samples. The results revealed that the focus of sustainable food consumption behavior is limited to eating seasonal fruits and vegetables and purchasing regional food. Additionally, it identified two student segments based on sustainable food consumption behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Irene C. Kamenidou & Spyridon A. Mamalis & Stavros Pavlidis & Evangelia-Zoi G. Bara, 2019. "Segmenting the Generation Z Cohort University Students Based on Sustainable Food Consumption Behavior: A Preliminary Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-22, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:3:p:837-:d:203856
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/3/837/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/3/837/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Giannis Karagiannis & Kostas Velentzas, 1997. "Explaining Food Consumption Patterns In Greece," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1‐3), pages 83-92, January.
    2. Jan Fiala & Ivica Toufarová & Stanislav Mokrý & Martin Souček, 2016. "Perception of Local Food Labelling by Generation Z: Eye-Tracking Experiment," European Journal of Business Science and Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Business and Economics, vol. 2(2), pages 152-159.
    3. John C. Foltz & John G. Lee & Marshall A. Martin & Paul V. Preckel, 1995. "Multiattribute Assessment of Alternative Cropping Systems," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 77(2), pages 408-420.
    4. Nick Clarke & Clive Barnett & Paul Cloke & Alice Malpass, 2007. "The Political Rationalities of Fair-Trade Consumption in the United Kingdom," Politics & Society, , vol. 35(4), pages 583-607, December.
    5. Luthra, Sunil & Mangla, Sachin Kumar & Xu, Lei & Diabat, Ali, 2016. "Using AHP to evaluate barriers in adopting sustainable consumption and production initiatives in a supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 181(PB), pages 342-349.
    6. Ibrahim Halil Seyrek & Meryem Gul, 2017. "Factors Affecting Green Purchasing Behavior: A Study of Turkish Consumers," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 7(1), pages 306-319, January.
    7. Roberts, James A., 1996. "Green Consumers in the 1990s: Profile and Implications for Advertising," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 217-231, July.
    8. Onozaka, Yuko & Nurse, Gretchen & Thilmany, Dawn D., 2010. "Local Food Consumers: How Motivations and Perceptions Translate to Buying Behavior," Choices: The Magazine of Food, Farm, and Resource Issues, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 25(1), pages 1-6.
    9. Luthra, Sunil & Garg, Dixit & Haleem, Abid, 2015. "An analysis of interactions among critical success factors to implement green supply chain management towards sustainability: An Indian perspective," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(P1), pages 37-50.
    10. Cecilia Conti & Annamaria Costa & Claudia Maria Balzaretti & Vincenzo Russo & Doriana Eurosia Angela Tedesco, 2018. "Survey on Food Preferences of University Students: from Tradition to New Food Customs?," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-12, October.
    11. Henry Kaiser, 1958. "The varimax criterion for analytic rotation in factor analysis," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 23(3), pages 187-200, September.
    12. Rana, Jyoti & Paul, Justin, 2017. "Consumer behavior and purchase intention for organic food: A review and research agenda," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 157-165.
    13. Mari Niva & Johanna Mäkelä & Nina Kahma & Unni Kjærnes, 2014. "Eating Sustainably? Practices and Background Factors of Ecological Food Consumption in Four Nordic Countries," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 37(4), pages 465-484, December.
    14. van Dooren, C. & Marinussen, Mari & Blonk, Hans & Aiking, Harry & Vellinga, Pier, 2014. "Exploring dietary guidelines based on ecological and nutritional values: A comparison of six dietary patterns," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 36-46.
    15. Benjamin De Groeve & Brent Bleys, 2017. "Less Meat Initiatives at Ghent University: Assessing the Support among Students and How to Increase It," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-13, August.
    16. Coley, David & Howard, Mark & Winter, Michael, 2009. "Local food, food miles and carbon emissions: A comparison of farm shop and mass distribution approaches," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 150-155, April.
    17. Vermeir, Iris & Verbeke, Wim, 2008. "Sustainable food consumption among young adults in Belgium: Theory of planned behaviour and the role of confidence and values," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 542-553, January.
    18. Ruiz de Maya, Salvador & López-López, Inés & Munuera, José Luis, 2011. "Organic food consumption in Europe: International segmentation based on value system differences," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(10), pages 1767-1775, August.
    19. Faye Duchin, 2005. "Sustainable Consumption of Food: A Framework for Analyzing Scenarios about Changes in Diets," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 9(1‐2), pages 99-114, January.
    20. Maria Zavali & Helen Theodoropoulou, 2018. "Investigating determinants of green consumption: evidence from Greece," Social Responsibility Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 14(4), pages 719-736, October.
    21. Grunert, Suzanne C. & Juhl, Hans Jorn, 1995. "Values, environmental attitudes, and buying of organic foods," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 39-62, March.
    22. Diamantopoulos, Adamantios & Schlegelmilch, Bodo B. & Sinkovics, Rudolf R. & Bohlen, Greg M., 2003. "Can socio-demographics still play a role in profiling green consumers? A review of the evidence and an empirical investigation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 56(6), pages 465-480, June.
    23. Panagiotis Lazaridis, 2003. "Household meat demand in Greece: A demand systems approach using microdata," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(1), pages 43-59.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Irene (Eirini) Kamenidou & Aikaterini Stavrianea & Evangelia-Zoi Bara, 2020. "Generational Differences toward Organic Food Behavior: Insights from Five Generational Cohorts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-25, March.
    2. Ilaria Mancuso & Angelo Natalicchio & Umberto Panniello & Paolo Roma, 2021. "Understanding the Purchasing Behavior of Consumers in Response to Sustainable Marketing Practices: An Empirical Analysis in the Food Domain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-22, May.
    3. Guang-Wen Zheng & Abu Bakkar Siddik & Mohammad Masukujjaman & Syed Shah Alam & Alvina Akter, 2020. "Perceived Environmental Responsibilities and Green Buying Behavior: The Mediating Effect of Attitude," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-27, December.
    4. Joshi, Yatish & Rahman, Zillur, 2019. "Consumers' Sustainable Purchase Behaviour: Modeling the Impact of Psychological Factors," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 235-243.
    5. Feyza Tekinbaş Özkaya & Mustafa Gürol Durak & Onur Doğan & Zeki Atıl Bulut & Rainer Haas, 2021. "Sustainable Consumption of Food: Framing the Concept through Turkish Expert Opinions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-25, April.
    6. Manuela Vega-Zamora & Manuel Parras-Rosa & Francisco José Torres-Ruiz, 2020. "You Are What You Eat: The Relationship between Values and Organic Food Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-13, May.
    7. Kumar, Bipul, 2012. "Theory of Planned Behaviour Approach to Understand the Purchasing Behaviour for Environmentally Sustainable Products," IIMA Working Papers WP2012-12-08, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
    8. Nathalie Lazaric & Fabrice Guel & Jean Belin & Vanessa Oltra & Sébastien Lavaud & Ali Douai, 2020. "Determinants of sustainable consumption in France: the importance of social influence and environmental values," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 30(5), pages 1337-1366, November.
    9. Van de Velde, Liesbeth & Verbeke, Wim & Popp, Michael & Buysse, Jeroen & Van Huylenbroeck, Guido, 2009. "Perceived importance of fuel characteristics and its match with consumer beliefs about biofuels in Belgium," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(8), pages 3183-3193, August.
    10. Grebitus, Carola & Lusk, Jayson L. & Nayga, Rodolfo M., 2013. "Effect of distance of transportation on willingness to pay for food," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 67-75.
    11. Syed Shah Alam & Maisarah Ahmad & Yi-Hui Ho & Nor Asiah Omar & Chieh-Yu Lin, 2020. "Applying an Extended Theory of Planned Behavior to Sustainable Food Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-14, October.
    12. Erifili Papista & Athanasios Krystallis, 2013. "Investigating the Types of Value and Cost of Green Brands: Proposition of a Conceptual Framework," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 115(1), pages 75-92, June.
    13. Vermeir, Iris & Verbeke, Wim, 2008. "Sustainable food consumption among young adults in Belgium: Theory of planned behaviour and the role of confidence and values," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 542-553, January.
    14. Leonidou, Leonidas C. & Eteokleous, Pantelitsa P. & Christofi, Anna-Maria & Korfiatis, Nikolaos, 2022. "Drivers, outcomes, and moderators of consumer intention to buy organic goods: Meta-analysis, implications, and future agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 339-354.
    15. Robert Mai & Stefan Hoffmann & Ingo Balderjahn, 2021. "When drivers become inhibitors of organic consumption: the need for a multistage view," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 49(6), pages 1151-1174, November.
    16. Julius Wenzig & Tim Gruchmann, 2018. "Consumer Preferences for Local Food: Testing an Extended Norm Taxonomy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-23, April.
    17. Jui-Che Tu & Xiu-Yue Zhang & Sin-Yi Huang, 2018. "Key Factors of Sustainability for Smartphones Based on Taiwanese Consumers’ Perceived Values," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-22, November.
    18. Radu Ciobanu & Claudia-Elena Țuclea & Luciana-Floriana Holostencu & Diana-Maria Vrânceanu, 2022. "Decision-Making Factors in the Purchase of Ecologic Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-26, August.
    19. Andreas Niedermeier & Agnes Emberger‐Klein & Klaus Menrad, 2021. "Which factors distinguish the different consumer segments of green fast‐moving consumer goods in Germany?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 1823-1838, May.
    20. Sudbury-Riley, Lynn & Kohlbacher, Florian, 2016. "Ethically minded consumer behavior: Scale review, development, and validation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(8), pages 2697-2710.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:3:p:837-:d:203856. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.