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Sustainability for Food Consumers: Which Perception?

Author

Listed:
  • Cristiana Peano

    (Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali e Alimentari, Univerity of Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy)

  • Valentina Maria Merlino

    (Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali e Alimentari, Univerity of Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy)

  • Francesco Sottile

    (Dipartimento di Architettura, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 14, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Danielle Borra

    (Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali e Alimentari, Univerity of Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy)

  • Stefano Massaglia

    (Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali e Alimentari, Univerity of Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy)

Abstract

A sustainable future for the community is one of the objectives established by the European Union Agenda 2030. Furthermore, sustainable consumption has been identified as one of the possible trajectories for sustainable development. It is for this reason that food production, distribution and consumption ways cannot be overlooked for sustainability achievement, as well as the consumer’s related perception. In this research the Best–Worst scaling methodology was adopted to explore the priorities declared by a sample of 801 consumers among 12 different sustainability definitions selected from the scientific literature. The choice experiment was carried out through face-to-face interviews during two food and wine events closely related to the sustainability theme in the food sector. The respondents considered as sustainability priority definition the “preservation of natural resources”, followed by “decent working conditions” and “accessibility for everyone to healthy and safe food”. Moreover, 5 consumer’s clusters were identified according to the priorities assigned to the different sustainability definitions, as well as to individuals socio-demographic characteristics. The description of the priorities assigned by the clusters to the different sustainability definitions have also been described as guidelines for consumer attitudes towards the different sustainability dimensions (environmental, social, economic and governance).

Suggested Citation

  • Cristiana Peano & Valentina Maria Merlino & Francesco Sottile & Danielle Borra & Stefano Massaglia, 2019. "Sustainability for Food Consumers: Which Perception?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:21:p:5955-:d:280386
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    1. Francesco Sottile & Stefano Massaglia & Cristiana Peano, 2020. "Ecological and Economic Indicators for the Evaluation of Almond ( Prunus dulcis L.) Orchard Renewal in Sicily," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-14, July.
    2. Eva M. Murgado-Armenteros & María Gutierrez-Salcedo & Francisco José Torres-Ruiz, 2020. "The Concern about Biodiversity as a Criterion for the Classification of the Sustainable Consumer: A Cross-Cultural Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-14, April.
    3. Latino, Maria Elena & Menegoli, Marta & Lazoi, Mariangela & Corallo, Angelo, 2022. "Voluntary traceability in food supply chain: a framework leading its implementation in Agriculture 4.0," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    4. Caixia Ivy Gan & Ruth Soukoutou & Denise Maria Conroy, 2022. "Sustainability Framing of Controlled Environment Agriculture and Consumer Perceptions: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.
    5. Catalin M. Stancu & Alice Grønhøj & Liisa Lähteenmäki, 2020. "Meanings and Motives for Consumers’ Sustainable Actions in the Food and Clothing Domains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-25, December.
    6. Francesco Bimbo & Rosaria Viscecchia & Biagia De Devitiis & Antonio Seccia & Rocco Roma & Annalisa De Boni, 2022. "How Do Italian Consumers Value Sustainable Certifications on Fish?—An Explorative Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-14, March.
    7. Hsin-Wei Hsu & Chia-Ying Chen & Chia-Wen Wu, 2021. "Cross-Cultural Comparison of Sustainable Agro-Food Consumption from Consumers’ Perspectives: Cases from Taiwan and France," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-19, August.
    8. Emanuela Tria & Francesco Di Cosola & Francesco Bozzo & Arturo Casieri & Ervin Zeka & Alessandro Petrontino, 2025. "Sustainability and Quality in Wine Pricing: Insights from the Primitivo E-Commerce Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-21, September.
    9. Michał Gazdecki & Elżbieta Goryńska-Goldmann & Marietta Kiss & Zoltán Szakály, 2021. "Segmentation of Food Consumers Based on Their Sustainable Attitude," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-28, May.
    10. Vo Hong Tu & Steven W. Kopp & Nguyen Thuy Trang & Andreas Kontoleon & Mitsuyasu Yabe, 2021. "UK Consumers’ Preferences for Ethical Attributes of Floating Rice: Implications for Environmentally Friendly Agriculture in Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-27, July.
    11. Joyeeta Singh Chakraborty & Bikash Ranjan Parida & Nilendu Singh, 2021. "Future Food Sustainability Can Be Traced Back into Local People’s Socio-Cultural Roots in Uttarakhand Himalaya, India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-18, June.
    12. Valentina Maria Merlino & Alessandro Sciullo & Giacomo Pettenati & Francesco Sottile & Cristiana Peano & Stefano Massaglia, 2022. "“Local Production”: What Do Consumers Think?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-15, March.

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