Special Issue "Sustainability and Health as Trends in Consumer Behaviour"

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Health and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Giovanni Sogari
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 47/A, 43124, Parma, Italy
Interests: consumer choice behavior; healthy and sustainable diet; nutrition labeling; plant-based products; sensory science
Dr. Irina Dolgopolova
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Chair of Marketing and Consumer Research, TUM School of Management, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
Interests: consumer perception and willingness to pay for healthy foods; behavioral perspectives on consumer choice

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recently, in the food sector, consumer behavior has been increasingly influenced by two prominent trends: health and sustainability. Both trends are multidimensional and encompass different aspects of what consumers perceive as “healthy” or “sustainable”. Moreover, both trends have the power to impact consumer attitudes, product choices, acceptance, and the willingness to pay for healthy and sustainable foods. Although modern consumers can make informed decisions about the quality and quantity of food that are best when it comes to healthy behaviors, an increase in diet-related health problems has been recorded in recent years. As a result of these concerns, a better understanding of consumer decision-making when dealing with food and health issues is crucial. On the other hand, an interest in sustainable development—which integrates environmental, social, and economic perspectives—has been ever on the increase. Consumers are increasingly paying attention to such aspects of food consumption as the environmental impact of food production, carbon footprints, food miles, alternative sources of proteins for food and feed, animal welfare, regionality, and the traditional nature of what we produce and consume.

Therefore, food producers, retailers, food services, and other stakeholders need to innovate and develop new strategies to meet these new consumer needs.

Consumer researchers, including social and psychological scientists, behavioral economists, and sensory and food scientists, can contribute by investigating consumer decision-making with regard to healthy and sustainable diets.

This Special Issue invites the submission of manuscripts (both original and review articles) on the following topics:

  • Consumer behavior with regard to new products for a sustainable and healthy diet, including novel and functional foods, alternative protein sources such as plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy food, insects, and lab meat.
  • Interventions and policies to improve dietary intake and promote healthy eating behaviors, including communication about such nutrition- and health-related claims, Nutri-score, and traffic-light labeling.
  • Interventions and policies to promote a sustainable diet, including environmental and ethical labels such as organic and sustainable certification, fair trade, and animal welfare.

Dr. Giovanni Sogari
Dr. Irina Dolgopolova
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Consumer food choice and segmentation
  • Consumer decision-making
  • Consumer information and nudging
  • Consumer perception and acceptance
  • Food marketing
  • Food product labeling
  • Healthy and sustainable diet
  • Purchase intention
  • Sensory evaluation and affective testing
  • Willingness to pay
  • Food policy
  • Cross-cultural studies

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

Article
Analysing Clusters of Consumers Who Use Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Products
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8648; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158648 - 03 Aug 2021
Viewed by 368
Abstract
The trend towards health and environmental protection has led to an increase in the consumption of medicinal and aromatic plant (MAP) products. The market for MAP products is influenced by consumer behaviour and therefore the aim of this study was to identify consumer [...] Read more.
The trend towards health and environmental protection has led to an increase in the consumption of medicinal and aromatic plant (MAP) products. The market for MAP products is influenced by consumer behaviour and therefore the aim of this study was to identify consumer segments that use MAP products for phytotherapeutic, cosmetic and personal care purposes according to their perceptions, attitudes and consumption habits and possible correlations between consumption of MAP products and interest in a healthy lifestyle and sustainable behaviour. Data collection was performed by administering a questionnaire to Cluj-Napoca residents. The final sample consisted of two groups of MAP consumers: the first with 231 respondents who use these products for phytotherapeutic purposes, the second group—with 297 respondents who use them as cosmetic and personal care products. The collected data were statistically analysed using the k-means clustering model, resulting in two distinct clusters in both consumer groups: cluster 1, the “Curious”, and Cluster 2, the “Knowledgeable”. For the consumers of the second cluster, consumption was positively correlated with healthcare and environmental protection, while they exhibited a growing interest in environmentally certified MAP products. The results obtained contribute to a better understanding of the MAP products consumption behaviour while tackling the practical implications for stakeholders in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry through the development and innovation of products tailored to consumer needs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Health as Trends in Consumer Behaviour)
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Article
Longitudinal Effects of Dietary Advice on Wheelchair Basketball Athletes: Nutritional and Environmental Aspects
Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 5244; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095244 - 07 May 2021
Viewed by 541
Abstract
Background: Diet impacts both human and environmental health and must be designed to optimize the training and performance of athletes. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of dietary advice (DA) on the food intake of wheelchair basketball athletes (WBA) [...] Read more.
Background: Diet impacts both human and environmental health and must be designed to optimize the training and performance of athletes. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of dietary advice (DA) on the food intake of wheelchair basketball athletes (WBA) and the environmental impact longitudinally. Methods: DA were provided to WBA of the Italian national team (DAM-T1). Nutritional assessment and evaluation of the environmental impact of diet were performed two months (DAM-T2) and one year later (DAM-T3), when a post-COVID-19 survey was performed also in WBA who did not receive counselling (men: NDAM-T3, women: NDAW-T3). Results: After DA, WBA showed a reduced percentage of energy derived from sugars and fats. Athletes adjusted their protein intake according to the personalized recommendations. The intake of some micronutrients improved after DA and was higher compared to NDAM-T3 and NDAW-T3. Despite the lower impact of diet in NDAW-T3, they presented more nutritional deficiency than men. The mean intake of vegetables was in the range of the EAT-Lancet Commission suggestion only two months after DA. After DA, fiber intake increased and adapted to the tolerated level. Conclusions: WBA improved their diet after DA but did not comply with the EAT-Lancet suggestion for red meat and legumes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Health as Trends in Consumer Behaviour)
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