Food-Related Consumer Behavior Endorsing European Food Chain Sustainability—A Marketing Study on the Romanian Consumer

Abstract

The efforts of regulators and food industry actors to achieve ambitious European sustainability objectives should not only be based on, but also supported by, consumers’ behavior, since customers’ demand has the ability to determine changes in the whole food system. This paper’s systemic approach to customers’ sustainable food-related habits and opinions during purchase, consumption and waste management offers a comprehensive view of their decision criteria, their motivations and their preferred incentives. Researching the Romanian consumer’s sustainable habits yields some results which confirm findings of previous studies, including customers’ distrust of sustainable labels and ecological products being considered too expensive. Meanwhile, other results offer novel insights on the matter, such as distrust in the European Union food policy and the high importance of proximity both for retailers and for recycling facilities. Four customer profiles with different interests and behaviors were identified: the Principled, adopting many sustainable behaviors out of principle, despite their low level of food expenditures; the Wannabes, adopting some fashionable sustainable habits; and the Privileged and the Sceptics, adopting very few sustainable habits, the first to ensure their social and economic status and the second to save some money.

Consumer decision-making and segmentation of dates market in Saudi Arabia

“…For instance, Kodali et al (2013) found a positive impact of label elements (label design, nutritional information, health claims, accessibility, and quality). However, in Romania, consumers' distrust for sustainable labels and ecological products, and the European Union's food policy had a negative effect on consumption (Strambu-Dima, 2022). Unlike these results, labels appeared as neutral in case of Portuguese consumers.…”

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“…In addition, in Romania, citizens generally might have doubts regarding sustainable products. For example, Romanian consumers have considered ecological products too expensive, and they have a lack of trust towards sustainable labels (Strambu-Dima, 2022). Furthermore, according to Orzan et al.…”

“…In addition, in Romania, citizens generally might have doubts regarding sustainable products. For example, Romanian consumers have considered ecological products too expensive, and they have a lack of trust towards sustainable labels (Strambu-Dima, 2022). Furthermore, according to Orzan et al (2018), a low consumer budget and deficiencies in the availability of information were considered the main barriers when adopting sustainable behaviour and buying products with sustainable packaging among Romanian consumers.…”

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“…Not without significance for building the resilience of supply chains are also dietary habits. Examining individuals' sustainable practices and perspectives throughout the stages of purchasing, consumption, and waste management provides a thorough understanding of their decision-making criteria, motivations, and preferred incentives (Strambu-Dima, 2022).…”