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Does the Sustainability of Food Products Influence Consumer Choices? The Case of Italy

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  • Banterle, Alessandro
  • Ricci, Elena Claire

Abstract

In this paper we analyse if there is a diffused interest among consumers about the environmental impacts of their food choices, and try to capture the different types of attitudes of Italian consumers with respect to environmental sustainability of food products. The analysis builds on a survey based on vis-a-vis interviews with 240 consumers in Milan, and on a cluster analysis. The results highlight a high level of stated concern about environmental issues and about possible impacts of personal food consumption choices on the environment. Nevertheless, when investigating their actions during everyday shopping we have identified four groups of consumers: (1) those who take into consideration the environmental information on labels and do not require additional information; (2) those for which environmental information on labels does not have a great effect on purchase, but would like to receive more information; (3) those for which the presence of environmental information directs product selection and would also like to receive more; (4) those that do not take into account environmental issues when purchasing and are not interested in receiving more information about the impacts of the products.

Suggested Citation

  • Banterle, Alessandro & Ricci, Elena Claire, 2013. "Does the Sustainability of Food Products Influence Consumer Choices? The Case of Italy," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 4(2), pages 1-10, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:ijofsd:164791
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.164791
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    Cited by:

    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. Ricci, Elena Claire & Banterle, Alessandro, 2015. "Who buys environmentally sustainable food products? Evidence from a consumer survey in Italy," 143rd Joint EAAE/AAEA Seminar, March 25-27, 2015, Naples, Italy 206317, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    3. Zanasi, Cesare & Rabboni, Camilla & Rota, Cosimo & Bungenstab, Davi José & Valdemir Antônio, Laura, 2020. "The Carne Carbono Neutro Accordance to Brazilian Consumers’ Attitude towards Beef," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 11(04), December.
    4. Alessia Cavaliere & Elena Claire Ricci & Matteo Solesin & Alessandro Banterle, 2014. "Can Health and Environmental Concerns Meet in Food Choices?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(12), pages 1-16, December.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • Q13 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Markets and Marketing; Cooperatives; Agribusiness
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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