Consumer Perception of Sustainability Attributes in Organic and Local Food.

Q1 Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Azzurra Annunziata, Angela Mariani
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引用次数: 35

Abstract

Background: Although sustainable food consumption is gaining growing importance on the international agenda, research on this subject is still quite fragmented and most studies analyse single aspects of sustainable food consumption with particular reference to environmental sustainability. In addition, the literature highlights the need to take account of the strong heterogeneity of consumers in studying sustainable behaviour. Identifying consumer segments with common profiles, needs and values is essential for developing effective communication strategies to promote sustainability in food consumption.

Methods: Consumer segmentation based on the perception of the sustainability attributes of organic and local products was realized using descriptive data collected through a consumer online survey in southern Italy (Campania). K-means cluster analysis was performed to identify different consumer segments based on consumer perception of sustainable attributes in organic and local food.

Results: Results confirm the support of consumers for organic and local food as sustainable alternative in food choices even if occasional buying behaviour of these products still predominates. In addition, our results show that an egoistic approach prevails among consumers, who seem to attach more value to attributes related to quality and health than to environmental, social and economic sustainability. Segmentation proves the existence of three consumer segments that differ significantly in terms of perception of sustainability attributes: a large segment of individuals who seem more egocentric oriented, an environmental sustainability oriented segment and a small segment that includes sustainability oriented consumers.

Conclusion: The existence of different levels of sensitivity to sustainability attributes in organic and local food among the identified segments could be duly considered by policy makers and other institutions in promoting sustainable consumption patterns. Consumers in the first cluster could be educated about the social and environmental benefits of organic and local consumption, beyond health and quality aspects, by promoting communication strategies aimed at creating a sense of belonging and self-identity in the change process towards sustainability. Consumers in the second cluster could be more informed about the additional social and economic benefits of organic and local consumption that goes beyond the still perceived environmental benefits. The strategic focus should be on attracting interest on the sense of belonging to the local community, in order to further promoting the short supply chain as models based on community building relationships and processes that hold people to place and share responsibility. Finally, it is worth mentioning that the increasing demand for more sustainable food products needs to be coupled with the development and adoption of innovations. In this regards, several patents have been registered for biopesticides/ insecticides and bioactive agricultural products. However, more scientific evidence of higher yields and other benefits and enabling measures that support farmers are required to broaden adoption of innovation for sustainable agro-food production.

消费者对有机食品和本地食品可持续性属性的认知。
背景:虽然可持续食品消费在国际议程上越来越重要,但关于这一主题的研究仍然相当分散,大多数研究分析可持续食品消费的单一方面,特别是环境可持续性。此外,文献强调在研究可持续行为时需要考虑到消费者的强烈异质性。确定具有共同概况、需求和价值观的消费者群体对于制定有效的宣传战略以促进食品消费的可持续性至关重要。方法:在意大利南部(坎帕尼亚)通过消费者在线调查收集描述性数据,基于对有机产品和本地产品可持续性属性的感知,实现消费者细分。基于消费者对有机食品和本地食品可持续属性的认知,采用k均值聚类分析来识别不同的消费者群体。结果:结果证实,即使偶尔购买这些产品的行为仍然占主导地位,消费者对有机和本地食品作为可持续食品选择的支持。此外,我们的研究结果表明,利己主义的做法在消费者中盛行,他们似乎更重视与质量和健康相关的属性,而不是环境、社会和经济的可持续性。细分证明了存在三个消费者群体,它们在可持续性属性的感知方面存在显著差异:一个大的个体群体似乎更以自我为中心,一个环境可持续性导向的群体和一个小的群体,包括可持续性导向的消费者。结论:在确定的细分市场中,有机食品和本地食品对可持续性属性存在不同程度的敏感性,政策制定者和其他机构在促进可持续消费模式时应适当考虑。第一组消费者可以接受教育,了解有机消费和当地消费在健康和质量方面以外的社会和环境惠益,方法是促进旨在在朝向可持续发展的变革进程中创造归属感和自我认同的宣传战略。第二组消费者可以更多地了解有机消费和本地消费的额外社会和经济效益,这些效益超出了人们仍然认为的环境效益。战略重点应放在吸引人们对当地社区归属感的兴趣上,以便进一步促进以社区建设关系和流程为基础的短供应链模式,使人们保持位置并分担责任。最后,值得一提的是,对更可持续的食品日益增长的需求需要与创新的开发和采用相结合。在这方面,生物农药/杀虫剂和生物活性农产品已经注册了几项专利。然而,需要更多的科学证据来证明更高的产量和其他效益,以及支持农民的扶持措施,以扩大采用可持续农业粮食生产的创新。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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来源期刊
Recent patents on food, nutrition & agriculture
Recent patents on food, nutrition & agriculture Agricultural and Biological Sciences-Agronomy and Crop Science
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