Sustainable food consumption in times of crisis

Understanding sustainable consumption in times of crisis is a crucial but underexplored area of research. While social science offers valuable theoretical frameworks for sustainable consumption, the dominant discourses are siloed, creating a fragmented picture. We address this by systematically contrasting two key theories: individualistic behavioural theories, which capture individual-level cognitive and motivational drivers of consumption and practice theory approaches, which focus on the disruption of social routines. This dual lens enables a holistic, multi-level framework for understanding crisis-driven consumption shifts. Against this theoretical backdrop, we review empirical evidence on how sustainable food consumption was impacted by three distinct crises: the 2007 financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the climate crisis. We show that crises operate through multiple pathways: belief-driven behavioural responses, resource-based constraints, and alterations in established routines. The effects are heterogeneous, shaped by socio-economic inequality and household composition, and can produce both more and less sustainable outcomes. By mapping these intersecting mechanisms, our work highlights two complementary lessons: inequality shapes who can act, as revealed by individualistic theories, and durable transformation requires changing the structures that enable and constrain everyday practices, as illuminated by practice theory.