Mapping the sustainability labels jungle in the food context: an analysis of multi-dimensional multi-level labels

Purpose This study investigates how gamification embedded in branded apps influences the development of green food consumption values. By examining the mediating roles of perceived Playfulness and perceived Usefulness, the research aims to uncover how digital engagement mechanisms can foster enduring pro-environmental values among consumers in the food sector. Design/methodology/approach A structured questionnaire was administered to 680 participants with prior experience using gamified branded apps and purchasing green food. Measurement constructs included Gameful Experience (GAMEX), Branded App Engagement, Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Playfulness and Green Food Consumption Values. Data were analysed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modelling (CB-SEM) to test both the measurement and structural models. Findings Results demonstrate that gameful experience significantly impacts perceived Playfulness and perceived Usefulness, which in turn enhance branded app engagement. This engagement strongly predicts the internalisation of values related to green food consumption. The model explains 80.6% of the variance in Green Food Consumption Values, highlighting the central role of branded app engagement as a mediator. These findings confirm the multidimensional influence of gamification on cognitive, affective and behavioural outcomes related to sustainability. Originality/value This research highlights the role of gamified branded apps in shaping lasting green consumption values, extending prior studies focused mainly on short-term behavioural outcomes. It provides empirical evidence for the cognitive-affective pathways through which gamification enhances value-based engagement in the context of sustainable food consumption.

The future of environmental sustainability labelling on food products

Sustainable performance of cold-set gelation in the confectionery manufacturing and its effects on perception of sensory quality of jelly candies

Purpose Based on studies combining sustainable development competencies and green consumption values, this paper aims to explore the relationship between Generation Z's sustainable development competencies and green consumption values and to determine how sources of sustainable knowledge acquisition moderate this relationship. Design/methodology/approach The data collected from 1,570 students were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings Our research confirms that sustainable development competencies positively and significantly impact Generation Z’s attitudes toward green consumption values. Furthermore, sources of sustainability knowledge acquisition moderate the relationship between sustainability literacy and Generation Z attitudes toward green consumption values. The findings suggest that the acquisition of sustainability knowledge from multiple sources is critical in shaping Generation Z attitudes toward green consumption values. Practical implications The key to increasing attitudes toward green consumption values among Generation Z is to provide access to sources of sustainable development knowledge acquisition. Adequate information support generated by sources of sustainable development knowledge acquisition can help shape attitudes toward green consumption values that translate into appropriate purchasing decisions. Social implications The survey indicates the significance of diversifying sources of sustainable development knowledge. Although the study received results suggest that Generation Z’s sustainable development competencies influence attitudes toward green consumption values, they allow us to note that much greater effects are generated when a variety of sources of sustainable development knowledge acquisition are used. Thus, it is desirable not only to communicate about sustainable development but also to tailor the sources of sustainable development knowledge acquisition to the audience’s expectations are desirable. Originality/value This study analyzes the relationships between sustainable development competencies and green consumption attitudes, thus filling the gap in sustainable development competencies research and broadening its scope. The results indicate the need to change attitudes through the development of competencies that should enable active and responsible participation in sustainability. At the same time, the research shows some links between green consumption and purchasing behavior, suggesting the influence of green consumption values and orientations on sustainable and environmentally friendly consumption.

Green consumption values have been shown to motivate consumers to engage in green consumption practices. However, surprisingly little research has examined how green consumption values develop in young people. In the current study, we employed ecological socialization theory as a framework to investigate the process by which parents’ green consumption values shape similar values in their young adolescents. In Study 1, data from 722 Chinese families that included an early adolescent (ages 10 to 15) showed that both mothers’ and fathers’ green consumption values were positively associated with early adolescents’ green consumption values, and this association was mediated by each parent’s environmentally responsible consumption behavior. Study 2 replicated the results of Study 1 using two waves of matched parent-adolescent data collected a month apart from another group of 477 Chinese families. Furthermore, Study 2 showed that the mediation process identified in Study 1 was evident only when there was a close parent–child relationship. These findings have implications for cultivating the green consumption values of today’s youth. The results also have heuristic value for future research on the ecological socialization and inter-generational transmission of pro-environmental values.

• This study helps us understand how the consumption values that lead to using a second-hand peer-to-peer platform affect green consumption practices and sustainable resale behavior. • Economic and practical values negatively affect green consumption values and subsequently weaken the consumers’ preparedness to engage in sustainable resale behavior. • Recreational, generative, societal benefit, and protestor values positively influence green consumption values and increase the consumers’ willingness to engage in pro-environmental behavior. • Gender moderates the relationship between green consumption values and the consumption values of using a peer-to-peer platform. Past research has extensively studied the antecedents and consequences of consumers’ green consumption values, as well as the psychological mechanisms that underlie an ethical consumer. Yet a frustrating paradox remains, indicated by the consumers’ intention–behavior gap for their sustainable behavior. To address this gap, the present study focuses on the consumption values that lead to using a sharing economy platform. Our study draws on the theory of consumption values and altruistic–egoistic values, as well as spillover effect psychology, to examine associations between context-specific values, green consumption values, and sustainable resale behavior. By collaborating with a Nordic second-hand peer-to-peer platform brand, our findings—obtained from large-scale field data ( n = 3256)—challenge the conventional wisdom by demonstrating that economic and practical values for using the second-hand peer-to-peer platform negatively affect green consumption values and subsequently weaken the consumers’ preparedness to engage in sustainable resale behavior. In contrast, recreational, generative, societal benefit, and protestor values positively influence green consumption values and increase the consumers’ willingness to engage in pro-environmental behavior. Further, such relationships are moderated by gender: stronger effects were identified among female consumers. These findings have important implications for theory and practice.

Front-of-pack (FOP) environmental labels have long been used to encourage more sustainable food choices. The wide range of sustainability dimensions relevant to food production and consequently food consumption, has led to an increasing number of FOP labels aiming to provide consumers with sufficient sustainability-related information. Consequently, there is currently a discussion about whether subdimensions should be included as part of an overall sustainability label, or if only an overall score should be shown, as it is the case with the Nutri-Score. This study aims to close this research gap. Focussing on water usage in food production this study investigates consumer preferences for water footprint information as a subdimension of an environmental label compared to an environmental label with no subdimensions. A choice experiment was conducted in autumn 2024 with n=998 German consumers, representative of the German population in terms of gender, age and education. The results of the random parameter logit model show that consumers’ marginal utility is highest for an environmental label that includes a low water footprint subdimension. A sole environmental label as well as the environmental label showing a high water footprint have a negative effect on consumers’ purchasing decisions. The study contributes to the scientific discourse on label design and information provision to facilitate sustainable choices. Additionally, practical recommendations can be derived regarding the importance of water footprint information in consumers’ food purchasing process.

How national culture and ethics matter in consumers’ green consumption values

Globalization, industrialization, the increase in world population, and the rapid consumption of natural resources are of increasing concern for people all over the world. Consumers have started to show an interest in purchasing products that create less waste, can be reused, and are produced by environmentally friendly methods. Since the concepts of sustainability and green consumption are gaining importance as environmental problems grow, consumer behavior is significant in both fostering change and in limiting it. This article examines the relationship between green consumption values, social appreciation, and green purchasing behavior. To inform these relationships, 1,024 people in Turkey were surveyed and structural equation analysis was carried out on the data collected. Findings indicate that individuals' green consumption values have a very strong positive correlation with green purchasing behavior. The data also show that green consumption values have a weak correlation with social appreciation, and social appreciation has a very weak positive correlation with green purchasing behavior. This study also includes an extensive literature review focused on the three key concepts of the investigation: green consumption values, social appreciation, and purchasing behavior.

This study investigates the determinants of eco-buying behavior by drawing from the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and considering green consumption values and prosocial attitudes. Using a cross-sectional survey of 436 adults in the UK and employing a two-step analysis with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA), this research examines both sufficient and necessary conditions for sustainable purchasing behavior. The findings reveal that green consumption values and social influence are positively associated with green buying behavior, with green consumption values exerting the strongest influence. Conversely, prosocial attitudes and perceived behavioral control show no significant direct effects, yet age moderates the relationship between prosocial attitudes and green buying behavior. Moreover, NCA identifies green consumption values and perceived behavioral control as necessary conditions at specific thresholds, underscoring their importance in fostering high levels of green buying behavior. Additionally, a logarithmic relationship is observed between green consumption values and green buying behavior, suggesting diminishing returns at higher levels of green consumption values. Notably, the influence of green consumption values on green buying behavior is stronger among older individuals (35+), highlighting age-based differences in sustainable consumption. By integrating both sufficient and necessary conditions, this research addresses the attitude-behavior gap in sustainable consumption, offering novel insights into the roles of intrinsic values and social influences. These findings challenge established constructs like perceived behavioral control and highlight the relevance of advanced analytical methods in sustainable consumer research. The study contributes theoretical insights and practical implications for sustainable marketing strategies targeting value-driven consumers.

Manuscript type: Research paper Research aims: The purpose of the study is to investigate the relationship between green consumption values (GCV) and consumer purchase intentions on peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms using age as moderating variable, as well as to fill the gaps in research using the theory of consumption values to support sustainable resale behaviour (SRB). Design/Methodology/Approach: To solve the research questions, the researchers used a convenience sampling technique to gather 491 responses from a cross-sectional survey. The researchers adopted structural equation modelling (SEM) to test the suggested framework. Research findings: The result show that entertainment, procreative, communal benefit, and activist values significantly and positively impact consumers’ GCV. However, economic and applied values have a negative effect on GCV. GCV intercedes the link between specific consumption values and SRB, and age moderates the link between context-specific consumption values and consumers’ GCV. Theoretical contribution/Originality: The researchers introduce sustainable consumer behaviour that has not seen a lot of attention in prior research, and GCV, which encourages pro-environmental consumption. The researchers also introduce the age factor to P2P platforms. Practitioner/Policy implications: The study identifies other values apart from purchase value and resale value, and offers the opportunity to segment both buyers and resellers. Research limitation/Implication: The research only focuses on a single dimension of consumer ethical values, which are GCV related to SRB.

Sustainability labelling on food products can help consumers make informed purchasing decisions and support the urgent transition to sustainable food systems. While there is a relatively robust body of evidence on health and nutrition labelling, less is known about the effectiveness of sustainability labelling in facilitating sustainable food choices. This paper investigates the impact of sustainability labelling on consumer understanding, attitudes, and behaviour to support a more nuanced, detailed, and holistic understanding of the evidence. Using a narrative literature review methodology, the paper assesses studies covering environmental, social, and/or animal welfare aspects of sustainability labelling on food products. We found that consumer understanding of sustainability information is often limited, which could hinder behaviour change. While sustainability labelling can influence consumer attitudes and purchasing behaviours, evidence from real consumer settings tends to show small effect sizes. Consumers are generally willing to pay more for sustainability-labelled products, and organic labelling often leads to the highest reported willingness to pay. The review emphasises the importance of trust, suggesting a preference for labelling backed by governments or public authorities. Sustainability labelling that uses intuitively understandable cues has an increased impact, with visual aids such as traffic light colours showing promise. We conclude that further research is needed in real-world settings, using representative populations and exploring the influence of demographic factors, values, and attitudes.

A comprehensive understanding of water for food production and consumption is an essential part of achieving sustainable water use. Water footprint is an effective tool to analyze the problems of water and food security. The study analyzed the food production and consumption water footprint of 12 major products from the points of spatial, temporal and structure, including plant-based food and animal food. From 2001 to 2019, the production and consumption water footprint presented an upward trend and almost a three-fold difference between the two. In terms of spatial pattern, the high values were mainly concentrated in eastern China. The water stress level and water footprint of food production basically coincided. However, there seemed to be no significant correlation with water footprint of food consumption. Referring to the great variation in water structure, green water was the dominant not only in food production, but also in consumption. For food structure, grain production and consumption contributed the most to the overall water footprint. Finally, the study put forward suggestions for sustainable food production and consumption. The research is helpful to realize green and efficient water management in the food production process and rational consumption, ensuring food and water security. HIGHLIGHTS The water footprint of food production and consumption of 12 major foods is explored from three aspects: spatial-temporal differences, water resources structure and food structure. There was a three-fold difference between the water footprint of food production and consumption. Green water accounted for the highest proportion of food production and consumption. Food and vegetable production and food and meat consumption had a high water footprint.

This study investigated the psychological mechanism underlying the relationship between green consumption values and green purchasing behaviour amongst undergraduates. Using a two-wave prospective research design, this study surveyed 1198 students from a large university in China. The results showed that students' green consumption values positively related to their green purchasing behaviour, with gratitude serving as a partial mediator. Green product availability moderated both the relationship between gratitude and green purchasing behaviour and the indirect effect of green consumption values on green purchasing behaviour. Notably, when green products were easily accessible, the positive impact of gratitude on purchasing behaviour became weak. Similarly, the indirect effect of gratitude connecting consumption values and purchasing behaviour weakened with increasedgreen product availability. These results offer insights into how and when green consumption values promote undergraduates' green purchasing behaviour, providing important implications for promoting sustainable consumption amongst young people.

Seeing the world through GREEN-tinted glasses: Green consumption values and responses to environmentally friendly products