Food Ethics Research Articles

Ethical food consumption in the digital age: Consumer attitudes towards digitally monitored animal welfare in pork products.

Climate change is an emerging global reality with widespread effects on ecosystems and human communities. However, its significant impact on livestock animals often goes underdiscussed as more focus is given to impact of livestock production on climate change. Implementing high-welfare systems, such as digital monitoring of animals, can help mitigate climate-related challenges by reducing temperature fluctuations and controlling disease spread. Despite the potential benefits, consumer acceptance of this digital innovation remains uncertain. This study examines consumer attitudes toward digitally monitored animal welfare practices, aiming to understand their acceptance and the values they associate with these practices. It investigates the role of digital technology in enhancing consumer decision-making by addressing animal welfare concerns. Using means-end chain theory and Schwartz's value typology, the research explores the motivational layers and product attributes tied to consumer values. Semi-structured interviews with twenty pork consumers revealed hierarchical relationships between product attributes, benefits, and values. Analysis through NVivo 14 and LadderUX software generated themes and a hierarchical value map. The findings indicate that consumers prioritise attributes such as animal diets, stress-free environments, humane processing practices, and health conditions, linking these to both ethical and hedonic values. Intrinsic attributes like product appearance and freshness are crucial for at-home consumption decisions, while sustainable packaging also plays a role. The study also found differences in consumer behaviour based on the consumption context, with ethical decision-making often shifting to restaurateurs when dining out. The research underscores the importance of transparency, ethical practices, and product quality in influencing consumer decisions, providing actionable insights for marketing strategies that promote ethical consumption and improve animal welfare standards.

Developing Ethical Frameworks for Sustainable Food Pricing Through Supply Chain Transparency

Developing ethical frameworks for sustainable food pricing is crucial in addressing the interconnected challenges of profitability, ethical food access, and supply chain transparency. This study presents a decision analysis model designed to evaluate the sustainability and ethics of food pricing strategies, with a strong emphasis on future stakeholder analysis. The model incorporates a systematic approach to balancing profitability with ethical considerations, focusing on transparent supply chain practices as a foundation for sustainable pricing decisions. By evaluating factors such as production costs, environmental impact, and fair labor practices, the model aims to create a comprehensive pricing strategy that promotes both ethical food access and corporate responsibility. To account for diverse stakeholder interests, this decision analysis model integrates key metrics from suppliers, producers, distributors, consumers, and regulatory bodies, facilitating a balanced approach that aligns with sustainable development goals (SDGs). Stakeholder analysis is central to this framework, enabling companies to predict potential reactions and adapt pricing strategies that support long-term economic, social, and environmental objectives. By analyzing data from multiple stages of the supply chain, the model fosters transparency and allows stakeholders to track how pricing decisions impact resource allocation, waste reduction, and fair trade practices. This approach addresses rising consumer demand for ethical consumption choices while offering companies insights into profitability impacts associated with sustainable practices. Furthermore, it provides an actionable pathway for food industry leaders to reconcile competing priorities, such as affordable pricing for consumers and adequate returns for producers. Implementing this framework can help foster a culture of accountability and sustainability across the food industry, enhancing brand reputation and encouraging ethical consumer behavior. In conclusion, this study’s decision analysis model for sustainable food pricing offers a viable tool to evaluate ethical and transparent pricing practices, highlighting how strategic stakeholder analysis can align profitability with responsible corporate behavior. This framework supports sustainable food pricing as a core element of ethical business practices in the global food industry.

Value‐Belief and Value‐Identity Norms in Ethical Food Consumption: Investigating the Influence of Worker‐Friendly Labels in Italy

ABSTRACTThis study aims to explore the main behavioral drivers influencing the consumption of ethical food products in Italy, with a specific focus on customer purchase intentions and choices for foods that adhere to workers' rights. The issue of workers' exploitation in Italian agriculture is a pressing concern, frequently highlighted in media investigations. To address this aim, the study compares three theoretical models to identify the most effective in providing the most comprehensive explanation of the phenomenon under investigation. The theories of value‐belief‐personal norms (VBN) and value‐identity‐personal norms (VIP), along with a hybrid of these models, were examined using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. The findings reveal that factors such as self‐identity, awareness of consequences, and ascription of responsibility are significant predictors of the purchasing behavior regarding food products that respect workers' rights. Notably, the integrated VBN and VIP model (VBN‐VIP) demonstrates the highest level of predictive accuracy. This research contributes to the literature on ethical consumption by offering robust empirical evidence supporting these theoretical frameworks. Similarly, food companies will benefit from gaining a deeper understanding of consumer behavior in relation to ethical practices, particularly those concerning workers' rights. By emphasizing their commitment to ethical standards, food companies can potentially influence consumer attitudes and intentions more effectively.

The Ethics of Unhealthy Food and Beverage Advertising to Children: A Bibliometric Analysis and Future Research Agenda

The widely advertised category of unhealthy food and beverages (F&B) is calorie-dense, nutrient-poor, and associated with long-term harm, particularly for children. Business literature has been largely silent regarding the ethicality of its advertising targeting children and lacks clarity on questions future research needs to address. Based on a bibliometric analysis of 1,851 articles published between 1973 and 2021 containing 70,379 citations, we uncovered five intellectual clusters underlying research on the ethics of unhealthy F&B advertising to children (ATC). Importantly, we propose a concrete roadmap featuring actionable and pertinent unanswered questions to stimulate research in this crucial domain.

An educational needs analysis of sustainable dietary education for nutrition teachers: an application of the IPA, Borich needs assessment and The locus for focus model

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the importance and performance levels of sustainable dietary education across the health, environment, and society domains as perceived by nutrition teachers and evaluate the needs and priorities for sustainable dietary education.Methods: An online survey was conducted for 151 nutrition teachers in Jeollanam-do. The survey included 20 questions across the health, environment, and society domains. The data were analyzed using a paired-sample t-test, the importance-performance analysis (IPA), the Borich needs assessment model, and the locus for focus model. Results: Overall, the average importance levels of the 20 items of sustainable dietary education were significantly higher than their average performance levels (4.44 vs. 3.68). The examination of each educational domain revealed that although the importance of education in the health domain was recognized and actively practiced by the nutrition teachers, the performance was comparatively lower in the environment and society domains. The Borich needs assessment and the locus for focus model identified education on biodiversity conservation, plant-based protein, and the use of local food as the top-priority group in the environment domain along with fair and ethical food, food security, regional food culture, food policy and trade, and family dining culture as the second-priority group in the society domain.Conclusions: The results of this study underscore the need to support the nutrition teachers’ perception and practice of sustainable dietary education in the environment and society domains. We believe that the educational needs and priorities proposed in this study will be considered in the future development and modification of sustainable dietary education programs.

The effect of hedonic and eudaimonic happiness in driving altruistic food choices

AbstractThis study investigates whether individual happiness affects prosocial behavior in food choices. We considered two distinct dimensions of happiness: hedonic and eudaimonic. The hedonic component is focused on pleasure, joy, and immediate gratification, while the eudaimonic aspect is related to a sense of purpose in life, personal growth, and the fulfillment of individual aspirations. We conducted a discrete choice experiment to assess if happy people are more prone to altruistic choices when buying food. The results indicate that individual happiness exerts distinct effects according to its two dimensions, eudaimonia and hedonism. We found that happiness influences the demand for ethical foods, whereas it exerts a detrimental effect on preferences for food with environmental labels.

Conference on 'nutrition and wellbeing in Oceania'.

Oceania is currently facing a substantial challenge: to provide sustainable and ethical food systems that support nutrition and health across land and water. The Nutrition Society of Australia and the Nutrition Society of New Zealand held a joint 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting on 'Nutrition and Wellbeing in Oceania' attended by 408 delegates. This was a timely conference focussing on nutrition challenges across the Pacific, emphasising the importance of nutrition across land and water, education settings, women's health and gut health. Cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary and collaborative research was presented in a 4-day programme of keynote presentations, workshops, oral and poster sessions, breakfast and lunch symposiums and early career researcher sessions. The conference highlighted the importance of collaboration between nations to address the challenge facing nutrition and wellbeing across Oceania. A systems approach of collaboration among scientists, industry and government is vital for finding solutions to this challenge.

Cage‐Free, Free‐Range, or Pasture‐Raised? Consumer Preferences for Happy Hens

ABSTRACTUS consumers' increasing concern for farm animal welfare signals a noticeable shift toward more ethical considerations in food choices. This study examines consumer preferences for egg production methods, specifically “cage‐free,” “free‐range,” and “pasture‐raised,” utilizing a choice experiment. Our results found that respondents struggled to differentiate various different animal welfare (AW) labels. it also reveals that the interaction of these labels with specific demographic characteristics may influence consumer perception. This study provides timely insights into consumer understanding of AW labels in egg production, aiding producers, marketers, and policymakers in navigating the evolving landscape of ethical food production.

Nourishing Connections: Fostering Collaboration on Food Ethics Through Art

This paper explores collaborative workshops conducted at the International Socially Engaged Art Symposium (ISEAS), concentrating on the convergence of art and science in the realm of food values and ethics. With 20 artists and scientists participating, ISEAS employed arts-based methods to investigate food-related themes within diverse communities. One team, comprising three artists and a food ethics researcher, collaborated with 17 secondary school students in Seinäjoki (Finland). Their three-day event utilised various arts-based methods to address food ethics issues, such as availability, equity, sustainability, norms, and food justice. Integrating scientific and artistic knowledge, the study showcases the effectiveness of conversational art-making, revealing the role of art and science in fostering awareness of ethical dimensions in food production and consumption. The study highlights the potential of conversational art as a potent tool in community projects, as it facilitates dialogue on challenging topics beyond verbal communication. The paper underscores how art and science can collectively engage communities by encouraging transformative thinking and action.

양 무제의 육식 금지령에 나타난 윤리적 쟁점 - 『단주육문(斷酒肉文)』을 중심으로

In East Asian Buddhism, the consumption of meat by monks has not been permitted since the sixth century. During this period, Emperor Wu of Liang, drawing from the teachings of Mahayana sutras including the Mahāparinirvāṇa sūtra, issued the 'Prohibition of Alcohol and Meat' (斷酒肉令). At the heart of Emperor Wu's prohibition of meat consumption is the ethical judgment that “meat-eating is inherently killing.” Emperor Wu maintained a strict stance that monks should not eat meat under any circumstances, including naturally deceased meat (自死) or for health reasons. This view contrasted with early Buddhist food ethics, differentiating between meat-eating and killing and allowing for the Three Pure Meats (三種淨肉). He also believed that monastic vegetarianism was essential for realizing the ideals of Mahayana Buddhism and establishing a harmonious society. Emperor Wu asserted that meat-eating inherently distanced one from all practices leading to nirvana, making enlightenment unattainable. While he did not directly challenge the autonomy of the monastic community in the Duan jiu rou wen (斷酒肉文 Abstinence from Alcohol and Meat), he argued that meat-eating monks had effectively forfeited their monastic status and could be punished according to secular laws. This paper examines the differing perspectives of Emperor Wu and the Vinaya masters on the ethical issues surrounding meat-eating and vegetarianism as presented in the Duan jiu rou wen. This decree, officially issued by the Emperor to standardize Buddhist vegetarianism, is significant as the historical starting point of East Asian Buddhism—not just as a theory but also as a practice. It also serves as a point of comparison for the contemporary approach to this ethical issue, which is still relevant today.

Assessment of Health Values, Beliefs, Norms, and Behavior towards Consumption Intention of 3D-Bioprinted Meat.

Continuous innovation in product development further enhances consumer appeal and contributes to a more sustainable and ethical food system. This study used the health belief model (HBM) and value-belief-norm (VBN) theory to investigate the customer perceptions of and intentions towards 3D-bioprinted meat. Specifically, this study examined consumer behavior factors using higher-order partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Data were collected from 738 meat consumers through online survey questions, distributed among social groups and face-to-face distribution-limiting only to respondents who are familiar with 3D-bioprinted meats. Using a filtering question, only those who are familiar with and have knowledge of the topic were considered valid respondents. Based on the results, all variables under the integrated theories were deemed significant. Consumers' perceptions of 3D-bioprinted meat are also shaped by altruism, egoism, biospheric concern, and willingness to change. The findings revealed that buyers rationally choose benefits over social or personal values. The study emphasized educating consumers, being transparent about production, and constantly innovating for higher acceptance of 3D-bioprinted meat. In order to foster consumer confidence, it is essential to prioritize transparency in the production process, encompassing information regarding sourcing and manufacturing methods. Certifications that validate safety and quality standards serve to reinforce this notion. In addition, the implementation of competitive pricing strategies has the potential to enhance the accessibility of 3D-bioprinted meat, whereas industry partnerships can aid in distribution operations and improve market visibility-all of which extend the practical implications developed for this study. Moreover, the foundation of the integrated framework promotes its extension and application outside technology-based meat production. This could also be considered and utilized among other studies on developed food and food consumption.

Costly, confusing, polarizing, and suspect: public perceptions of plant- based eating from a thematic analysis of social media comments

IntroductionA key approach to fostering more sustainable food systems involves shifting dietary patterns towards increased plant-based eating. However, plant-based eating remains low among Canadians. The objective of this research was therefore to explore public perceptions of plant-based eating in a Canadian context.MethodsA qualitative design was used to analyze social media comments posted on Canadian news source Facebook articles between January 16th, 2019 – July 16th, 2020. Investigating perceptions of plant-based eating on social media may capture a broader sample of the population than can be captured using other qualitative methods. Template analysis, a type of codebook thematic analysis, was used to generate themes and subthemes using NVivo software.ResultsNine articles were selected for inclusion and a total of n = 4,918 comments were collected. Five themes and 19 subthemes related to plant-based eating were generated and presented with quotations. Themes included: (1) The ethics of food; (2) The affordability and accessibility of food; (3) Distrust of food system stakeholders; (4) Beliefs related to dietary behavior, health, and the environment; and (5) Sensory aspects of plant-based proteins.DiscussionFindings suggest that addressing food affordability and accessibility, increasing public food literacy, using non-judgmental approaches, and increasing food system transparency and communication may be strategies to foster plant-based eating. Results of this study provide insight for the development of more effective public health messaging about plant-based eating and help inform future research and interventions to address barriers related to plant-based eating and promote consumption.

Plant-based fascia tissues: Exploring materials and techniques for realistic simulation

The growing demand for sustainable and ethical food options has led to significant advancements in plant-based meat substitutes (PBMS). PBMS have made considerable progress in simulating the taste, texture, and sensory properties of animal meat. Connective tissue is a fundamental component of animal meat that significantly influences tenderness, texture, and sensory properties. However, the imitation of realistic connective tissues has received relatively less attention in the PBMS industry. The current work focuses on exploring materials and techniques for the replication of plant-based connective tissues (PBCT). By understanding the structural and functional characteristics of animal connective tissues (ACT), it is possible to replicate these characteristics in PBCT. Hydrogels, with their ability to simulate certain properties of ACT, present a viable material for the creation of PBCT. To achieve the desired simulation, their mechanical and structural properties need to be enhanced by using several materials and several physical techniques.

From Origins to Trends: A Bibliometric Examination of Ethical Food Consumption.

Ethical food consumption has gained significant attention in the past years, reflecting a societal shift towards ethical behavior. Our study examines the evolution of ethical food consumption research over the past three decades, aiming to map its transformation. We identified key trends, influential contributors, and major thematic clusters through a bibliometric analysis, employing VOSviewer (v.1.6.18) for bibliometric visualization, focusing on citation networks and keyword o-occurrences to reveal the field's structure and dynamics. We made extensive use of the Web of Science database, where we selected 1096 relevant articles and review papers. Our analysis shows a notable rise in publications starting in 2005, with a peak in 2022, indicating increased scholarly interest in the topic. The findings underscore the importance of integrating empathy and human values into ethical food consumption, highlighting the critical roles of animal welfare, sustainability, and social justice. Despite a strong pro-ethical attitude among consumers, a significant "attitude-behavior gap" persists, emphasizing the need for strategies that bridge this divide. Our results emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary efforts to align ethical practices with broader societal goals, offering valuable insights for future research and policy-making to promote sustainable and ethical food consumption worldwide.

Configuring ethical food consumers: understanding the failures of digital food platforms

ABSTRACT Digital food platforms are being launched, offering consumers convenient access to ‘ethical’ food. Ensuring the viability of these platforms hinges on attracting and retaining loyal customers. However, recent studies show that despite considerable efforts from market actors, stable platform-consumer relationships are rare in these digitalized food markets. The aim of this paper is to explore and explain why digital food platforms fail to produce stable ethical consumers. The paper draws on an ethnographically inspired study of the meal box market to explore the socio-material configuring of consumers and the resulting consumer arrangements. The analysis shows that while the market devices of meal box providers worked to produce loyal and ethical food consumers, the consumers in this study were not loyal to any one meal box provider. This instability, the paper argues, was the result of both a restless market and restless households. The multiple, often conflicting, and, in some cases, unspecific consumer configurations intensified the households’ dynamic tendencies, leading to changes in diets and sustainability focus, the breaking of routines, and the continuous chasing of offers. Because of this, the consumer arrangements formed tended to unravel over time, making the production of stable ethical food consumers difficult.

A Holistic Approach for Ethics and Sustainability in the Food Chain: The Gateway to Oral and Systemic Health.

Food production is a complex matter, affecting people's lives, organizations' profits, and the well-being of the whole planet, and has multifaceted ethical considerations surrounding its production, distribution, and consumption. This paper addresses the pressing need to confront ethical challenges within the food system, encompassing issues such as environmental sustainability, food security, and individual food choices for better oral and systemic health of all individuals around the globe. From agricultural practices to global trade and food waste, ethical implications are addressed across various domains, highlighting the interconnectedness of ethical decision-making in the food industry. Central themes explored include the ethical dimensions of food production methods, the impact of global trade on food ethics, and the role of individuals in making ethically informed food choices. Additionally, this paper considers the spiritual and physical significance of food, particularly through the lens of oral health as a gateway to holistic well-being. Recognizing the complexity of the food and mouth ecosystem, this paper calls for serious interventions in legislation and economics to promote ethical protocols and techniques for sustainability reasons. It emphasizes the importance of ethical considerations in food safety management systems, regulatory frameworks, and quality standards. Moreover, this paper underlines the need for a comprehensive approach to address ethical dilemmas and moral values inherent in the food industry and oral health policies, adopting the precautionary principle and ethical decision-making frameworks. This article finally aims to serve as a call to action for stakeholders across the food industry and the healthcare sector, to prioritize ethical practices, promote transparency, rearrange economic parameters, and work towards a more sustainable and equitable food system for inner and outer oral and systemic health and human sustainability for all.

Effects of housing systems on behaviour and welfare of autochthonous laying hens and a commercial hybrid

The welfare of laying hens is crucial for a sustainable and ethical food industry. Free-range systems offer a more natural and stimulating environment, while dual-purpose autochthonous breeds and crossbreeding could address ethical concerns and improve productivity. In this study, behaviour, plumage status, and leg health of five genotypes (two local breeds, two crossbreeds with a medium growth hybrid, and one commercial hybrid) in two different housing systems (enriched cage/free-range) were evaluated. The animals were filmed with professional cameras for three consecutive days at 30 and 64 weeks of age. Each day the recording session lasted 20 minutes, resulting in a total of 120 minutes per pen (20 min X 6 days recorded). A total of 16 behaviours divided into six categories (feeding, movement, social, resting, comfort, stretching) were scored. In addition, the tonic immobility test was performed, and the plumage status and footpad dermatitis of the birds were assessed. The results revealed a significant influence of the housing system on the behaviour, plumage status, and foot health of laying hens. While the housing system affected all behaviours, mainly feeding and comfort behaviours were influenced by the genotype of the hens and the interaction between the housing system and genotype. All genotypes displayed a similar behavioural pattern within the two housing systems, except for the commercial hybrid, which differed in its behaviour from the others adapting better to the enriched cage environment. In particular, the free-range system provided hens with more opportunities to engage in movement and comfort behaviour, and social interactions. Furthermore, hens in the free-range system exhibited better plumage conditions and lower rates of footpad dermatitis, indicating a positive impact on their overall welfare.

The ‘Good Kiwi’ and the ‘Good Environmental Citizen’?: Dairy, national identity and complex consumption-related values in Aotearoa New Zealand

Alongside concerns for animal welfare, concerns for land, water, and climate are undermining established food identities in many parts of the world. In Aotearoa New Zealand, agrifood relations are bound tightly into national identities and the materialities of export dependence on dairying and agriculture more widely. Dairy/ing identities have been central to national development projects and the politics that underpin them for much of New Zealand’s history. They are central to an intransigent agrifood political ontology. For the last decade, however, they have been challenged by the identity politics of ethical food consumption. This paper explores the ensuing contests and asks how they are reshaping agrifood identities. We draw on interviews with 15 participants in Aotearoa New Zealand who have made dietary transitions that reduce or exclude dairy products. Our aim is not to identify a new post-dairying identity or claim a reconfigured national identity, but to examine the collision of production-consumption values in the context of a dominant place-based food identity. We ask how participants navigate contradictory commitments to becoming ‘good environmental citizens’ whilst remaining ‘good national citizens’. The paper offers insights for examining similar struggles elsewhere and the potential to shift agrifood relations and undermine entrenched political ontologies through ethical food consumption values.

Navigating precarious foodscapes: discourses and everyday practices of eating chicken meat in Japan

ABSTRACT As consumers grow distanced from food production, prominent discourses increasingly emphasize the importance of ethical food. These dynamics are indicative of precarious foodscapes, a concept that I delve into through a case study of discourses and everyday practices of eating chicken in Japan. For discourses, I contrast the media’s treatment of two incidents: a 2016 domestic food incident in which scores were poisoned scores that received scant media coverage and a 2014 foreign incident in which meat was mishandled in a Chinese factory that received extensive media coverage as a food scandal. For everyday practices, I analyze 22 focus groups in which participants discussed the strategies and motivations that they draw on to navigate Japanese foodscapes. Participants strongly preferred domestic chicken over imported chicken. Raw chicken emerged as an alluring delicacy for some and a dangerous hazard for others. Prominent discourses informed participant’s embodied sense of trust and shaped the factors they perceived to be (un)important when buying food. I argue that discourses of ethical food and consumer strategies for navigating precarious foodscapes vary based on context. Close attention to context is necessary to navigate the barriers introduced by precarious foodscapes and continue to build transformative linkages across food systems.

Contemporary Applied Ethics

In essence, ethics is the study of right and wrong. Itis the philosophical study ofmoralphenomena.Itrepresents the moral code that guides a person’s choices and behaviors throughout their life.Ethical issues, particularly concerning emerging technologies such as Internet of things, cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, and robotics, are now major concerns for businesses, organizations, and governments. This paperis onapplied ethics in contemporary areasand it includes cybersecurityethics, computer ethics, food ethics, business ethics, big data ethics, and research ethics.