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You Are What You Eat: The Relationship between Values and Organic Food Consumption

Author

Listed:
  • Manuela Vega-Zamora

    (Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain)

  • Manuel Parras-Rosa

    (Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain)

  • Francisco José Torres-Ruiz

    (Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain)

Abstract

In current times, the man-made problems affecting our planet (climate change, loss of biodiversity, etc.) are making an urgent case for shifting towards a more sustainable kind of consumption. One of the ways these problems can be addressed is to promote organic agriculture, which means boosting levels of organic food consumption. This study examines the relationship between the number of organic foods consumed and the specific values that consumers look for in foods, in order to deepen the current knowledge regarding the behaviour of the organic food consumer. To this end, data was analysed from a face-to-face survey of 776 people in Spain through bivariate analysis techniques. Results show that organic food consumers have a different pattern of values from non-consumers and a greater level of involvement with food in general. Moreover, within the group of organic consumers, the effect of values on the quantity or variety of foods consumed is not as marked, although there are differences in favour of those that consume more frequently. Lastly, the main implication of the results obtained is that, in order to increase consumption, selfish values should be connected with altruistic ones. For this reason, instilling a specific value based on the term or concept “life” is proposed.

Suggested Citation

  • Manuela Vega-Zamora & Manuel Parras-Rosa & Francisco José Torres-Ruiz, 2020. "You Are What You Eat: The Relationship between Values and Organic Food Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-13, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:9:p:3900-:d:356245
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. Sonia Chien-I Chen & Chenglian Liu & Zhenyuan Wang & Farid Arya, 2022. "Innovative Strategies to Fuel Organic Food Business Growth: A Qualitative Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-22, March.
    5. Greta Castellini & Mariarosaria Savarese & Cinzia Castiglioni & Guendalina Graffigna, 2020. "Organic Food Consumption in Italy: The Role of Subjective Relevance of Food as Mediator between Organic Food Choice Motivation and Frequency of Organic Food Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-15, July.
    6. Gianni Cicia & Marilena Furno & Teresa Giudice, 2021. "Do consumers’ values and attitudes affect food retailer choice? Evidence from a national survey on farmers’ market in Germany," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 9(1), pages 1-21, December.
    7. Anca Monica Brata & Aurelia Ioana Chereji & Vlad Dumitru Brata & Anamaria Aurelia Morna & Olivia Paula Tirpe & Anca Popa & Felix H. Arion & Loredana Ioana Banszki & Ioan Chereji & Dorin Popa & Iulia C, 2022. "Consumers’ Perception towards Organic Products before and after the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study in Bihor County, Romania," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-14, October.

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