IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v9y2017i8p1437-d108388.html

What Leads to Lunch—How Social Practices Impact (Non-)Sustainable Food Consumption/Eating Habits

Author

Listed:
  • Cynthia Pfeiffer

    (Department Food Nutrition Facilities, University of Applied Science Muenster, 48149 Münster, Germany)

  • Melanie Speck

    (Department Food Nutrition Facilities, University of Applied Science Muenster, 48149 Münster, Germany
    Research Group Sustainable Production and Consumption, Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment, Energy, 42103 Wuppertal, Germany)

  • Carola Strassner

    (Department Food Nutrition Facilities, University of Applied Science Muenster, 48149 Münster, Germany)

Abstract

The field of nutrition will face numerous challenges in coming decades; these arise from global consumption patterns and lead to a high use of resources. Actors in the catering sector face difficulties in promoting their solutions for a more sustainable situation in their field, one of them being the lack of acceptance from consumers. We must ask the question of how to influence consumer behavior and bring forth a transition towards more sustainable food consumption. This paper presents results of a qualitative assessment of eating practices. A group of ten consumers participated in problem-centered interviews and provided data on their eating-out behavior over the course of two weeks. Using the theoretical approach of practice theory, the data gathered in this study were used to form an understanding of the practice of eating out with a focus on the daily routines that influence consumer choices. The results indicate that the practice of eating out is highly dependent on external factors. Busy lifestyles, mobility routines and a perceived lack of time prompt the decision to eat out. Consumers consciously do so to save time and effort and to streamline their schedules. Mobility seems to be an important driver for eating out. Participants try to limit the ways they undertake eating out yet often stop for a meal in-between appointments spontaneously. Findings suggest that nutrition knowledge and sustainable mindsets have little influence on the eating decisions away from home: Participants show a high level of distrust towards quality claims and put their health concerns aside eating out. We can conclude that the act of eating out is strongly influenced by daily routines and those practices that precede or succeed it. Changes in work and mobility patterns are very likely to have an impact on the way consumers eat away from home.

Suggested Citation

  • Cynthia Pfeiffer & Melanie Speck & Carola Strassner, 2017. "What Leads to Lunch—How Social Practices Impact (Non-)Sustainable Food Consumption/Eating Habits," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-17, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:8:p:1437-:d:108388
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/8/1437/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/8/1437/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Watson, Matt, 2012. "How theories of practice can inform transition to a decarbonised transport system," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 488-496.
    2. Martin Hand & Elizabeth Shove & Dale Southerton, 2005. "Explaining Showering: A Discussion of the Material, Conventional, and Temporal Dimensions of Practice," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 10(2), pages 101-113, July.
    3. Rombach, Meike & Bitsch, Vera, . "Food Movements in Germany: Slow Food, Food Sharing, and Dumpster Diving," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 18(3), pages 1-24.
    4. Stefan Wahlen & Eva Heiskanen & Kristiina Aalto, 2012. "Endorsing Sustainable Food Consumption: Prospects from Public Catering," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 35(1), pages 7-21, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Melanie Speck & Katrin Bienge & Lynn Wagner & Tobias Engelmann & Sebastian Schuster & Petra Teitscheid & Nina Langen, 2020. "Creating Sustainable Meals Supported by the NAHGAST Online Tool—Approach and Effects on GHG Emissions and Use of Natural Resources," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-13, February.
    2. Nikolett Nemeth & Ildiko Rudnak & Prespa Ymeri & Csaba Fogarassy, 2019. "The Role of Cultural Factors in Sustainable Food Consumption—An Investigation of the Consumption Habits among International Students in Hungary," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-27, May.
    3. Zanete Garanti & Aysen Berberoglu, 2018. "Cultural Perspective of Traditional Cheese Consumption Practices and Its Sustainability among Post-Millennial Consumers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-15, September.
    4. Leonie Fink & Angelika Ploeger & Carola Strassner, 2018. "Participative Processes as a Chance for Developing Ideas to Bridge the Intention-Behavior Gap Concerning Sustainable Diets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-21, November.
    5. Sebastian Kretschmer & Sheena Dehm, 2021. "Sustainability Transitions in University Food Service—A Living Lab Approach of Locavore Meal Planning and Procurement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-31, June.
    6. Wenjuan Mu & Gert Spaargaren & Alfons Oude Lansink, 2019. "Mobile Apps for Green Food Practices and the Role for Consumers: A Case Study on Dining Out Practices with Chinese and Dutch Young Consumers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-19, February.
    7. Andreas Exner & Anke Strüver, 2020. "Addressing the Sustainability Paradox: The Analysis of “Good Food” in Everyday Life," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-20, October.
    8. Thi Xuan Dieu Phan & Alec Zuo, 2026. "Towards Sustainable Food Consumption: A Household‐Level Analysis of Home Cooking Behaviours in Urban Vietnam," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(S2), pages 996-1014, March.
    9. Manuel Alonso-Dos-Santos & René Quilodrán Ulloa & Álvaro Salgado Quintana & Diego Vigueras Quijada & Pablo Farías Nazel, 2019. "Nutrition Labeling Schemes and the Time and Effort of Consumer Processing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-10, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jessica K. Breadsell & Christine Eon & Gregory M. Morrison, 2019. "Understanding Resource Consumption in the Home, Community and Society through Behaviour and Social Practice Theories," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-18, November.
    2. Troy Malatesta & Gregory M. Morrison & Jessica K. Breadsell & Christine Eon, 2023. "A Systematic Literature Review of the Interplay between Renewable Energy Systems and Occupant Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-27, June.
    3. Jessica K. Breadsell & Joshua J. Byrne & Gregory M. Morrison, 2019. "Household Energy and Water Practices Change Post-Occupancy in an Australian Low-Carbon Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-20, October.
    4. Troy Malatesta & Jessica K. Breadsell, 2022. "Identifying Home System of Practices for Energy Use with K-Means Clustering Techniques," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-21, July.
    5. Monia Niero & Charlotte L. Jensen & Chiara Farné Fratini & Jens Dorland & Michael S. Jørgensen & Susse Georg, 2021. "Is life cycle assessment enough to address unintended side effects from Circular Economy initiatives?," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(5), pages 1111-1120, October.
    6. Ruhrort, Lisa, 2020. "Reassessing the Role of Shared Mobility Services in a Transport Transition: Can They Contribute the Rise of an Alternative Socio-Technical Regime of Mobility?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 12(19), pages 1-1.
    7. Imen Kouas, 2025. "Advancing Sustainable Food Consumption: A Bibliometric Analysis of Practice Theory in Food Studies," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(9), pages 1865-1876, September.
    8. Marek Zborowski & Anna Mikulec, 2022. "Dietary Catering: The Perfect Solution for Rational Food Management in Households," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-10, July.
    9. Trimmel, Katharina E. & Obersteiner, Peter & Kriechbaum, Michael & Fleiß, Eva & Brudermann, Thomas, 2026. "Between conviction and convenience: Shared social perspectives and shifting intentions among car commuters," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    10. Kevin Maréchal, 2018. "Recasting the understanding of habits for behaviour-oriented policies in transportation," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/270475, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    11. Ruhrort, Lisa & Allert, Viktoria, 2021. "Conceptualizing the Role of Individual Agency in Mobility Transitions: Avenues for the Integration of Sociological and Psychological Perspectives," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 12, pages 1-1.
    12. Cherunya, Pauline C. & Ahlborg, Helene & Truffer, Bernhard, 2020. "Anchoring innovations in oscillating domestic spaces: Why sanitation service offerings fail in informal settlements," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).
    13. Austgulen, Marthe H. & Skuland, Silje & Schjøll, Alexander & Alfnes, Frode, 2015. "Consumer readiness to reduce meat consumptions and eat more climate friendly," 143rd Joint EAAE/AAEA Seminar, March 25-27, 2015, Naples, Italy 202757, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    14. Fuentes, Christian, 2015. "How green marketing works: Practices, materialities, and images," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 192-205.
    15. Joeri Naus & Hilje M van der Horst, 2017. "Accomplishing information and change in a smart grid pilot: Linking domestic practices with policy interventions," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 35(3), pages 379-396, May.
    16. Julien Vastenaekels, 2023. "Degrowth and Capital: Assembling a Power-Centred Theory of Change," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/362596, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    17. Jonas Larsen, 2017. "The making of a pro-cycling city: Social practices and bicycle mobilities," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 49(4), pages 876-892, April.
    18. Tao Wang & Xin Tong & Jinling Li & Xuejun Wang, 2024. "Analyzing network flows of used EEE and e‐waste with platform data: Adding reuse into the EPR system for WEEE recycling in China," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 28(5), pages 1302-1320, October.
    19. Attila Havas & Doris Schartinger & K. Matthias Weber, 2022. "Innovation Studies, Social Innovation, and Sustainability Transitions Research: From mutual ignorance towards an integrative perspective?," KRTK-KTI WORKING PAPERS 2227, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    20. Sunio, Varsolo & Gaspay, Sandy & Guillen, Marie Danielle & Mariano, Patricia & Mora, Regina, 2019. "Analysis of the public transport modernization via system reconfiguration: The ongoing case in the Philippines," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 1-19.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:8:p:1437-:d:108388. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask MDPI Indexing Manager to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.