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Encouraging Organic Food Consumption through Visualization of Personal Shopping Data

Author

Listed:
  • Cecilia Katzeff

    (Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Rebecka Milestad

    (Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Jorge Luis Zapico

    (Department of Computer Science and Media Technology, Linnaeus University, SE-351 95 Växjö, Sweden)

  • Ulrica Bohné

    (School of Engineering Science, University of Skövde, SE-541 28 Skövde, Sweden)

Abstract

Although food retailers have embraced organic certified food products as a way to reduce their environmental loading, organic sales only make up a small proportion of total sales worldwide. Most consumers have positive attitudes towards organic food, but attitudes are not reflected in behaviour. This article addresses consumers’ attitude–behaviour gap regarding their purchase of organic food and reports on how visualization of personal shopping data may encourage them to buy more organic food. Through the design of the visualization tool, the EcoPanel, and through an empirical study of its use, we provide evidence on the potential of the tool to promote sustainable food shopping practices. Of 65 users that tested the EcoPanel for five months, in-depth interviews were made with nine of these. The test users increased their purchase of organic food by 23%. The informants used the EcoPanel to reflect on their shopping behaviour and to increase their organic shopping. We conclude that the visualization of food purchases stimulates critical reflection and the formation of new food shopping practices. This implies that food retailers may increase sales of organic food through using a visualization tool available for their customers. In this way, these retailers may decrease their environmental impact.

Suggested Citation

  • Cecilia Katzeff & Rebecka Milestad & Jorge Luis Zapico & Ulrica Bohné, 2020. "Encouraging Organic Food Consumption through Visualization of Personal Shopping Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-15, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:9:p:3599-:d:351884
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rodolfo Bernabéu & Margarita Brugarolas & Laura Martínez-Carrasco & Roberto Nieto-Villegas & Adrián Rabadán, 2023. "The Price of Organic Foods as a Limiting Factor of the European Green Deal: The Case of Tomatoes in Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-15, February.
    2. Víctor-Manuel Muñoz-Sánchez & Antonio-Manuel Pérez-Flores, 2021. "The Connections between Ecological Values and Organic Food: Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Review at the Start of the 21st Century," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-24, March.
    3. Dennis Lawo & Margarita Esau & Philip Engelbutzeder & Gunnar Stevens, 2020. "Going Vegan: The Role(s) of ICT in Vegan Practice Transformation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-22, June.
    4. Hansen, Torben, 2022. "Consumer food sustainability before and during the Covid-19 Crisis: A quantitative content analysis and food policy implications," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).

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