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Are consumers' attitudes regarding sustainability reflected on food choices? Evidence from a Discrete Choice Experiment in 10 European countries

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  • Solano-Hermosilla, Gloria
  • Barreiro-Hurle, Jesus

Abstract

[EN] We assess whether consumers' attitudes towards sustainability are reflected in their food choices. Using an online survey, we elicit from 20,000 consumers in ten European countries the main motives when purchasing food, front-of-pack elements that signal differences in sustainability and purchase decisions. At the aggregated level, our results show that self-declared purchase motives translate into consumer choices, albeit in a divergent manner for the health and environmental components of sustainability. The findings can help policymakers and businesses to learn about the gap between attitudes and purchase behaviour and help them develop appropriate policies and strategies to promote sustainable food purchases. [ES] Evaluamos si los consumidores reflejan sus actitudes hacia la sostenibilidad en sus decisiones de compra. Para ello realizamos una encuesta en línea a 20.000 consumidores en 10 países europeos sobre motivos de compra, elementos del envase que comunican diferencias en sostenibilidad y decisiones de compra. Demostramos que los motivos de compra se trasladan a las decisiones de compra, aunque de manera divergente para los componentes de salud y medio ambiente de la sostenibilidad. Los resultados pueden ser utilizados para entender la divergencia entre actitudes y decisiones de compra y desarrollar estrategias y políticas para promover un consumo más sostenible.

Suggested Citation

  • Solano-Hermosilla, Gloria & Barreiro-Hurle, Jesus, 2025. "Are consumers' attitudes regarding sustainability reflected on food choices? Evidence from a Discrete Choice Experiment in 10 European countries," Economia Agraria y Recursos Naturales, Spanish Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 25(02), December.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:earnsa:393846
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.393846
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kjersti Nes & Federico Antonioli & Pavel Ciaian, 2024. "Trends in sustainability claims and labels for newly introduced food products across selected European countries," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 40(2), pages 371-390, April.
    2. Hoyos, David, 2010. "The state of the art of environmental valuation with discrete choice experiments," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(8), pages 1595-1603, June.
    3. Pedro Bordalo & Nicola Gennaioli & Andrei Shleifer, 2013. "Salience and Consumer Choice," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 121(5), pages 803-843.
    4. Bai, Yan & Alemu, Robel & Block, Steven A. & Headey, Derek & Masters, William A., 2021. "Cost and affordability of nutritious diets at retail prices: Evidence from 177 countries," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
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