Abstract
This study explores the interaction between environmental consciousness and sustainable food attributes as predictors in the market segmentation process for sustainable foods with respect to United States (U.S.) Generation Z (Gen Z) consumers. This study was executed using a cross-national, web-based survey to analyze and categorize Gen Z female (n = 435) and male (n = 377) consumers between 18 and 23 years of age living in the continental United States. The objectives of this study were to classify U.S. Gen Z consumers into unique segments based on their environmental consciousness and to assess the functional relationships among the following: (a) their degree of ecological awareness; (b) the importance of the perception of sustainable food attributes; (c) their food choices associated with healthy eating habits; and (d) sociodemographics. Survey data were analyzed using cluster analysis of consumer groups based on environmental consciousness. Environmental consciousness was measured using a composite score of the environmental involvement scale and the environmental values scale. Gen Z consumers with high environmental consciousness (sustainable activists) and moderate ecological awareness (sustainable believers) considered more eco-friendly and healthy product attributes when purchasing sustainable food, whereas Gen Z consumers with low environmental consciousness (sustainable moderates) considered more extrinsic product attributes (e.g., price and convenience). Furthermore, the results indicate that food choices associated with healthy eating habits could be used to develop a profile for different eco-conscious Gen Z consumer groups. The contributions of this study are twofold. First, for academic researchers, this paper extends marketing segmentation research concerning environmentally sensitive young consumers. Second, for industry professionals, this study provides food retailers or food service operators with sustainable consumer values that will aid in the development of effective, green marketing strategies to better attract and meet the sustainability expectations of Gen Z—the consumer segment with the most spending power of any generation.
Highlights
As environmental concerns become increasingly crucial for companies to consider with respect to all consumer sectors, global consciousness about the balance between economic development and environmental conservation has moved consumers to embrace sustainable lifestyles, as well as to accept sustainable consumption patterns [1,2]
Consumer movements that embrace environmentally friendly consumption issues (e.g., green restaurants and locavore food initiatives (Based on the conceptual background and literature review, the following definition was used to standardize the frame of locavore food for this study: farmers/producers selling food/food products directly to consumers at regional farmers’ markets, schools, and retail/food service (United States Department of Agriculture, 2010).) that balance healthy, sustainable dining practices have emerged as a result of a growing environmental consciousness [4,5,6,7]
A Global Health and Wellness Survey of 30,000 people in 60 countries conducted by Nielsen (2015) [18] reported that 41% of Generation Z (Gen Z) were willing to pay a premium for foods they perceive to be healthier, compared with 32% of Millennials and about 21% of Baby Boomers
Summary
As environmental concerns become increasingly crucial for companies to consider with respect to all consumer sectors, global consciousness about the balance between economic development and environmental conservation has moved consumers to embrace sustainable lifestyles, as well as to accept sustainable consumption patterns [1,2]. They currently constitute nearly 74 million people [14] in the United States (U.S.) Due to their early introduction to healthy lifestyle choices, research shows that Gen Z’s are much more knowledgeable on sustainable living than previous generations [15]. Those within the Gen Z cohort tend to be eco-friendlier (i.e., concerned about the environment [16]), prioritize health when making food choices [17], and desire a higher quality of life in comparison to other generational cohorts. Those statistics make a compelling case for a deeper study of the market segmentation factors that influence Gen Z’s purchasing decisions in the sustainable food market
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