Flemish consumer attitudes towards more sustainable food choices.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanhonacker, Filiep; Van Loo, Ellen J; Gellynck, Xavier; Verbeke, Wim

2013-03-01

Intensive agricultural practices and current western consumption patterns are associated with increased ecological pressure. One way to reduce the ecological impact could be a shift to more sustainable food choices. This study investigates consumer opinions towards a series of food choices with a lower ecological impact. The investigated food choices range from well-known meat substitutes to alternatives which are more radical or innovative and that require an adaptation of food habits and cultural patterns. Results are obtained through a survey among 221 Flemish respondents in Spring 2011. Many consumers underestimate the ecological impact of animal production. Well-known alternatives such as organic meat, moderation of meat consumption and sustainable fish are accepted, although willingness to pay is clearly lower than willingness to consume. Consumers are more reluctant to alternatives that (partly) ban or replace meat in the meal. Opportunities of introducing insects currently appear to be non-existent. Five consumer segments were identified based on self-evaluated ecological footprint and personal relevance of the ecological footprint. The segments were termed Conscious, Active, Unwilling, Ignorant and Uncertain. A profile in terms of demographics, attitudinal and behavioral characteristics is developed for each segments, and conclusions with respect to opportunities for sustainable food choices are discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sustainable Product Strategy in Apparel Industry with Consumer Behavior Consideration

OpenAIRE

Liu Yang; Shaozeng Dong

2017-01-01

The article attempts to analyze sustainable product strategy in apparel industry specifically addressing a firm that is considering launching a sustainable product partly made from recycled materials. There are two types of consumers under consideration, environmentally conscious and regular consumers, as they have different perceived values for the sustainable products. The article provides an analytical model aimed to identify conditions under which a firm could benefit from adopting sustai...

Translating latent trends in food consumer behavior into new products

OpenAIRE

Gellynck, Xavier; Kühne, Bianka; Van Wezemael, Lynn; Verbeke, Wim

2010-01-01

For successful product development it is important to explore the latent changes in consumer behavior prior to the product development process. The identification of a latent trend before the manifestation moment can be achieved by trend analysis. Trend analysis delivers insights that explore the future in order to identify prospective consumers and new product ideas, but also includes a feeling for the currents in market and technology. Hence, the aim is to identify emerging weak signals in ...

Sustainability of Italian wines: Knowledge, understanding, and interest of consumers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Borra Danielle

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The continuous consumption of resources and the progressive climatic changes have contributed to develop a new range of products with a “greener” vocation. After the shift to organic and biodynamic production, companies have started to promote products' sustainability. The wine sector has undergone a transformation connected with the emergence of several projects related to the concept of sustainability. But what the consumer knows and thinks of all this? In this regard, it was carried out a study about the perception of the consumer on issues related to sustainability. The goals are multiple: to define the concept of sustainability perceived by consumers, to evaluate the spread of eco-friendly products, to measure the interest and willingness in spending on these products and finally to assess the knowledge of the main brands that identify some sustainable projects. Thanks to this first part that fits into a larger study still in progress, it was possible to obtain an initial assessment of the motivations that influence the purchase of wine, learn more about the consumer on these issues and assess the prevalence of brands associated with each of these major projects on the Italian scene.

The Company : Consumer Trends and Business Ethics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriano Fábio Cordeiro da Silva

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes the society, the market trends, and the business ethics applied to consumption. The methodology used in this study is the literature search, covering the different media, giving priority to the doctrine inherent in the concerned themes, the websites, the specialized magazines, and other sources for theoretical basis. This study discusses the difference among consumption, consumerism, and hyperconsumerism; conceptualizes the fads, trends, and megatrends in the market and raises questions about the future consumer profile; verifies that credit facilitates the phenomenon of hyper-consumption and over-indebtedness. It works the relation of marketing as propellant brands, advertisements, and advertising; addresses the Ethics applied to consumption as a science that relates to the economy and the consumer market.

The Impact of Sustainability Information on Consumer Decision Making

OpenAIRE

O'Rourke, D; Ringer, A

2016-01-01

© 2015 by Yale University This article presents an empirical analysis of the impact of sustainability information on consumer purchase intentions and how this influence varies by issue (health, environment, and social responsibility), product category, type of consumer, and type of information. We assess over 40,000 online purchase interactions on the website GoodGuide.com and find a significant impact of certain types of sustainability information on purchase intentions, varying across diffe...

Consumer perception and trends about health and sustainability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aschemann-Witzel, Jessica

2015-01-01

Modern affluent societies encounter the challenge of the so-called obesity pandemic in terms of health, and the environmental strain of resource intensive production and consumption in terms of sustainability. Consumer’s role and the consumption side of the supply chain have been identified...

Effect of sustainability information on consumers' liking of freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii).

Science.gov (United States)

Simoes, Julia Siqueira; Mársico, Eliane Teixeira; da Cruz, Adriano Gomes; de Freitas, Mônica Queiroz; Doro, Laís Higino; Conte-Junior, Carlos Adam

2015-12-01

This research aimed to investigate whether consumer acceptance is affected by information on sustainable practices on the product label. Hedonic evaluations of freshwater prawns were performed by 80 consumers under three aspects: the blind condition - consumers taste samples without information; expected - without tasting samples, consumers evaluated the message 'Freshwater prawns were grown using sustainable practices, reducing environmental impacts caused by traditional breeding'; informed - in which prawns were tasted and the card evaluated. For the entire consumer group, it was observed that the message about sustainability on packaging increased freshwater prawn acceptability (8.25, expected condition (E) versus 6.75, blind condition (B)). High scores were observed under all three test conditions, ranging from 6 (like slightly) to 9 (like extremely), on a 9-point scale. It can be concluded that the use of sustainable information can influence consumers' perception and increase their preference toward freshwater prawns, and even increase the sensory attributes of the product. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Recent trends in air transport sustainibility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benito, A.; Alonso, G.

2016-07-01

The target of this paper is to analyse the main elements of Air Transport sustainability, studying their evolution during the last years and establishing the future prevalent trends, which might be modified by the application of the adequate policies. Air Transport sustainability is considered as integrated by five basic characteristics: physical accessibility, economic affordability, safety, security and environmental impact. Each one of them has its own influence on the development of this transportation mode and all of them are required in order to achieve a sustainable development. After defining the structural elements of the five characteristics and the corresponding quantitative indicators, the paper studies the recent evolution of such indicators and extrapolates the most likely future trends, having taken into account the most relevant limitations presently existent or potentially appearing in the near future. The most important policies being presently studied (future aircraft designs, infrastructure developments, potential safety and security new rules and tentative environmental action programs) are evaluated, considering the potential repercussions on sustainability progress. Some combinations of them are suggested as the most efficient alternatives for preserving the sustainable development of XXI century air transport. (Author)

Trends in Fashion Marketing and their influence to consumer buying decision

OpenAIRE

Votočková, Pavlína

2017-01-01

This master's thesis deals with Trends in Fashion Marketing and their influence to consumer buying decision. The aim of the thesis is to analyse consumer's attitude to fashion marketing and it's current trends: Fast Fashion, online shopping, co-branding and influence of social sites. The thesis is devided into a theoretical and a practical part. The theoretical part deals with consumer behavior, specification of current situation on the fashion market, locating of production and supply chain ...

Sustainable Consumer Behaviour: A Collection of Empirical Studies

OpenAIRE

Gerrit Antonides

2017-01-01

We summarise the contributions in this special issue on sustainable consumer behaviour and place them in perspective. Several studies focus on macro- and meso-issues, and others on micro-issues of consumer behaviour. The studies employ a variety of methods, including surveys, field experiments, eye tracking, scale development, and contingent valuation. The 12 contributions from authors of 13 different countries show the wide and varied application of consumer research focused on sustainabilit...

Online Consumer Trust: Trends in Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonina Bauman

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the literature review of studies published in 2004-2014 (Web 2.0 period in the area of consumer online trust. Based on the content analysis of 138 papers, this study highlights three major research themes: (1 trust models, (2 technological, and (3 social factors impacting online trust. It also explores topics in each major theme found in direct studies of online consumer trust. Since this literature review uses the concept-centric approach, it points out not only the major trends in research but also three understudied areas: (1 green trust, (2 trust recovery, and (3 the role of ethics in developing online trust.

How can consumers be empowered for sustainable lifestyle changes?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thøgersen, John

Consumers can be empowered for changing lifestyles by reducing some of their individual limitations, but it is also important to reduce some of the external constraints that make changes towards a more sustainable lifestyle difficult. In terms of reducing consumers' subjectively felt restrictions...

Can Consumers Understand Sustainability through Seafood Eco-Labels? A U.S. and UK Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexis Gutierrez

2014-11-01

Full Text Available In the United States and the United Kingdom, over the last decade major retail chains have increasingly publicized their efforts to supply sustainably sourced and eco-labelled seafood. Debate exists over the extent of consumer demand for this product. Seafood eco-labels purportedly resolve the information asymmetry between producer and consumer, allowing consumers who care about sustainability to easily find and purchase these products. This paper discusses the idealized model of seafood eco-labelling in promoting sustainability and presents results of US and UK case studies based on consumer interviews and surveys, which found that consumers had often seen one or more seafood eco-labels. Two well-established eco-labels, dolphin-safe and organic, drove these rates of sustainable seafood awareness. These rates are interpreted in the context of consumer’s understanding of sustainable. The Sustainable Seafood Movement’s efforts to increase the supply of eco-labelled seafood and elaborate corporate buying policies for sustainable seafood are influencing consumer’s recognition and purchase of certified sustainable seafood products. However, eco-labels are a means to communicate messages about sustainable fisheries to consumers, not an end. Efforts to educate consumers about eco-labels should be a component of ocean literacy efforts, which educate the public about the need for sustainable fisheries.

Trends and Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Sustainability in Eastern Anhui Province, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian Zhang

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This study analyzes and evaluates the status and long-term trend of regional economic sustainability in eastern Anhui Province, China. Based on the triangle model and the definition of economic sustainable development, this study evaluates the interrelationship among regional economic development, resource-energy consumption, environmental pollution, and ecological performance. The sustainable and comprehensive utilization situation in the study region from 1975–2012 is examined. The results show that in 2012, the comprehensive development in the study region had a general status in terms of sustainability. The sustainable development trend of the seven administrative subunits inside the region had a weak and general status in terms of sustainability, while the status of sustainability in the southeastern part of the region was better than that in the northwest. During the period from 1975–1998, the study region’s comprehensive development presented a trend of general sustainability. In the period from 1998–2012, the region experienced a trend of very strong sustainability in its development. These statuses and trends have a certain relationship with the study region’s strong economic development and environmental protection over the past 37 years. The triangle method, as an intuitive platform for illustrating sustainability status and trends in economic development, seems to hold promise as an analytical management tool given its simplicity, ease of use, and flexibility.

Clear road for sustainable fuels? Study on the willingness of consumers to switch to sustainable fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Amelsfoort, A.; Zwier, R.

2007-01-01

In the Netherlands, there are currently hardly any filling stations where various types of sustainable fuels are available next to the regular fuels. Green Planet wants to start a filling station in the province of Drenthe. However, first Green Planet want to examine if consumers are prepared to switch to sustainable fuels. In addition, they want to know how these fuels should be properly introduced. The authors have sent questionnaires to more than 300 car drivers in the provinces of Groningen en Drenthe. Based on the results of the questionnaire a marketing strategy was developed recommending to start offering sustainable fuels, and especially B10/E10 and CNG. The consumer must be informed about the composition of sustainable fuels and possible consequences that driving on sustainable fuels may have for cars and the environment. [mk] [nl

Communicating Sustainable Shoes to Mainstream Consumers : The Impact of Advertisement Design on Buying Intention

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visser, M.C.; Gattol, V.; Van der Helm, R.

2015-01-01

Traditionally, marketing of sustainable products addresses green buyers, thus missing out on the mainstream consumers and volume necessary to cover the potentially higher cost of more sustainable materials. However, how to effectively communicate more sustainable products to mainstream consumers and

Citizens of the (Green) World? Cosmopolitan Orientation and Sustainability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grinstein, A.; Riefler, P.

2015-01-01

Contemporary consumer markets are characterized by both a heightened need for sustainability and an increasingly cosmopolitan lifestyle. This article bridges these two trends and studies two untapped questions: (1) How do cosmopolitan consumers relate to sustainable behavior? and (2) How should

Trends in Energy. 'The consumer decides'; Trends in Energy. 'De consument bepaalt'

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brzezowsky-Ruys, Y.; Van der Zalm, M.; Van Zutphen, M. (eds.)

2012-03-15

A report is given of the Capgemini organised congress 'Trends in Energy 2011' which has the Dutch subtitle 'De consument bepaalt' (The consumer decides'. The focus of the articles, interviews, debates and presentations is on the role of the consumer in the supply of and demand for energy. Parts of the report are in Dutch and English [Dutch] Dit rapport bestaat uit een verslag van het congres 'Trends in Energy 2011. De consument bepaalt' en een aantal artikelen met achtergrondinformatie over onder meer de rol van de consument in vraag en aanbod van energie.

How the making and marketing of sustainable brand affect consumer behaviour

OpenAIRE

Nguyen, Vy

2014-01-01

The purpose of this thesis is to concentrate on sustainable businesses. This whole report will deal with sustainable production/making and marketing products, as well as their effect on consumer behaviour. In the first stage, the author looked through the greening concept of mainstream business. Then, based on the review, the sustainable business part is developed and divided into making sustainable products and sustainable marketing. Sustainable production covers the main ideas of envir...

Investigating Consumer Preferences towards Sustainability in Product Packaging

OpenAIRE

Petit, Lisa

2017-01-01

This research-oriented thesis investigates to which extent German consumers consider the sustainability aspect of a product package as their main factor in preferring a product. The research was conducted based on a comparison between two specific smoothies from the Company A and Company B brands. Company A smoothies are packed in glass bottles, whereas Company B smoothies are sold in plastic bottles. For the scope of the thesis, sustainable product packaging was defined regarding its contrib...

Drivers to and barriers against sustainable consumption : exploring the role of consumer anticipated emotions in the context of consumer adoption of alternative fuel vehicles

OpenAIRE

Rezvani, Zeinab

2017-01-01

With the increasing environmental problems, sustainable consumption is an important consumer behavior. Therefore, it is important to investigate further the significant drivers to and barriers against sustainable consumption, in order to increase the share of sustainable consumption and understanding of consumer behavior. This dissertation identifies two gaps. The first is in understanding consumer positive and negative anticipated emotions as an important factor influencing high-involvement ...

Green marketing as a key strategy for sustainable development: A case study of Albanian consumers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anita Gumeni

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Recently efforts have been made in order to achieve sustainable development, which consists of social sustainability, economic sustainability and environmental sustainability in order to reach well-being of present and future generations. In our time the concern for environmental topics and sustainable development has been increasing. Accordingly companies are trying to design new strategies for gaining competitive advantage in the marketplace. Green marketing is one of such strategies used by marketers for reaching sustainable development. Companies need to know consumers' attitude and to adapt new marketing solutions with the focus on determining the expectations and satisfying their needs. In this paper we will attempt to examine the attitude of Albanian consumers toward eco-friendly products. The aim of the survey is to gather information from a consumer standpoint. We will apply various statistical analyses to investigate the demographic variable of consumers who are willing to pay an extra price for eco-friendly products. Findings demonstrate that the profile of consumers with a positive attitude towards eco-friendly products was more likely to be young educated women.

Shared Living and Sustainability: Emerging Trends in the Tourism Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Valva

2014-12-01

Full Text Available An emerging concept in accommodations in the travel industry called Shared Living is blurring the lines between hospitality and residential living and is moving the industry towards greater ecological and social sustainability. Changing trends brought about by the sustainability challenge, climate change, technological advancements and increasing affluence and cultural awareness are disrupting the tourism industry. Meeting clients’ needs for Leisure and Relaxation is not enough. Increasingly sustainability-conscious travelers expect their fundamental needs of Participation, Creation and Identity to be fulfilled as well. Today’s travelers want to do more than eat, sleep and sightsee – they want to interact with the local communities they are visiting. But traditional accommodations offer little opportunity for travelers to engage with fellow travelers or local communities. Emerging trends in accommodations are increasingly connecting travelers to the people, organizations and projects that are changing lives and transforming communities. By understanding and adapting to the trends, the tourism industry can both contribute towards ecological social sustainability and reap the business benefits presented by the sustainability challenge of our time.

Trends in Exposure to Chemicals in Personal Care and Consumer Products.

Science.gov (United States)

Calafat, Antonia M; Valentin-Blasini, Liza; Ye, Xiaoyun

2015-12-01

Synthetic organic chemicals can be used in personal care and consumer products. Data on potential human health effects of these chemicals are limited-sometimes even contradictory-but because several of these chemicals are toxic in experimental animals, alternative compounds are entering consumer markets. Nevertheless, limited information exists on consequent exposure trends to both the original chemicals and their replacements. Biomonitoring (measuring concentrations of chemicals or their metabolites in people) provides invaluable information for exposure assessment. We use phthalates and bisphenol A-known industrial chemicals-and organophosphate insecticides as case studies to show exposure trends to these chemicals and their replacements (e.g., other phthalates, non-phthalate plasticizers, various bisphenols, pyrethroid insecticides) among the US general population. We compare US trends to national trends from Canada and Germany. Exposure to the original compounds is still prevalent among these general populations, but exposures to alternative chemicals may be increasing.

Appeals to consumer responsibility and improving structural conditions as means to promote sustainable consumer behavior

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thøgersen, John

for their acts or (b) structural conditions determined by governments? In field experiments with large samples of ordinary consumers, the behavioral effects of perceptions of responsibility/personal moral norms and of altering an important structural condition are quantified by measuring a relevant behavior......-developed public transit service. The results suggest that there is often more to gain from changing structural conditions to be more facilitating for the desired behavior than from a campaign targeting consumer feelings of responsibility.......Environmental policy-makers increasingly emphasize consumers' responsibility for environmental side effects of their acts, but is this justified? This paper investigates which is the most important limiting factor for sustainable consumption: (a) the extent to which consumers assume responsibility...

Sustainable Biomaterials: Current Trends, Challenges and Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar Gupta, Girish; De, Sudipta; Franco, Ana; Balu, Alina Mariana; Luque, Rafael

2015-12-30

Biomaterials and sustainable resources are two complementary terms supporting the development of new sustainable emerging processes. In this context, many interdisciplinary approaches including biomass waste valorization and proper usage of green technologies, etc., were brought forward to tackle future challenges pertaining to declining fossil resources, energy conservation, and related environmental issues. The implementation of these approaches impels its potential effect on the economy of particular countries and also reduces unnecessary overburden on the environment. This contribution aims to provide an overview of some of the most recent trends, challenges, and applications in the field of biomaterials derived from sustainable resources.

Sustainable Biomaterials: Current Trends, Challenges and Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Girish Kumar Gupta

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Biomaterials and sustainable resources are two complementary terms supporting the development of new sustainable emerging processes. In this context, many interdisciplinary approaches including biomass waste valorization and proper usage of green technologies, etc., were brought forward to tackle future challenges pertaining to declining fossil resources, energy conservation, and related environmental issues. The implementation of these approaches impels its potential effect on the economy of particular countries and also reduces unnecessary overburden on the environment. This contribution aims to provide an overview of some of the most recent trends, challenges, and applications in the field of biomaterials derived from sustainable resources.

Guilt and loathing in the kitchen. Why sustainable consumers waste food

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kraus, Karolina; Emontspool, Julie

2018-01-01

This paper studies how and why consumers justify failure to lowering food waste, focusing on their reflections relative to the role of the individual in addressing sustainability issues. It complements existing understandings of sustainable consumption by introducing three types of customer...

How does consumer knowledge affect environmentally sustainable choices?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Peschel, Anne O; Grebitus, Carola; Steiner, Bodo

2016-01-01

. Subjective knowledge was found to be more important in this context. Usage experience had relatively little impact on environmentally sustainable choices. Our results suggest that about 20 % of consumers in both countries are ready to adopt footprint labels in their food choices. Another 10 - 20% could...

Sustainable Urban Development – Compact Cities or Consumer Practices?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jesper Ole; Christensen, Toke Haunstrup; Gram-Hanssen, Kirsten

2011-01-01

Sustainability in urban planning has a long history and it has been a widespread solution to build high and compact in order to minimise the need for transportation, land use and heating. Recent research, however, points towards the need for a supplementary approach, which includes the consumer...... behaviour of the household. This approach necessarily has to work from below and include the citizens, as it is their daily practices that have to be challenged. This article reviews selected literature and studies on whether compact cities leads to more sustainable cities, and it use lifestyle...... strategies of achieving sustainable urban development....

Communicating Sustainable Shoes to Mainstream Consumers: The Impact of Advertisement Design on Buying Intention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirjam Visser

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Traditionally, marketing of sustainable products addresses green buyers, thus missing out on the mainstream consumers and volume necessary to cover the potentially higher cost of more sustainable materials. However, how to effectively communicate more sustainable products to mainstream consumers and to increase their buying intention is still underexplored. Combining personal and environmental benefits, called double benefit theory, is promoted as an effective green marketing strategy but so far not supported by quantitative research as being effective to reach mainstream consumers. We studied the effect of advertisement elements (layout color, benefit type, and heritage on the products’ perceived sustainability, quality and fashion image, and buying intentions of mainstream consumers. Two hundred adults participated in a study that was based on a 2 (red vs. green layout × 2 (personal vs. environmental benefit × 2 (local vs. global heritage between-subjects factorial design of a sustainable shoe advertisement. The impact of these independent variables on product image as well as on buying intention was analyzed by means of three-way ANOVAs. In line with the double benefit theory, combining a personal benefit with a green layout led to the highest buying intention. Moreover, a mediation analysis revealed the effect of emphasizing a personal benefit on buying intention was mediated by fashion image but not by sustainability. Sustainability, however, did have a positive effect on buying intentions independent of benefit type.

THE USE OF CONSUMER COMMUNITIES TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Skorek

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The paper presents an explanation of the essence of creation of consumer communities that have been developing for several years on the marketing market. A hypothesis was made that says that the mechanism of interdependence existing in the consumer community can be used to create sustainable consumption on the market. The method of literature study was used in the article. In the introduction it was proved that regardless of whether a community is formed independently around the brand or not, its existence is initiated by a company and its members interact by providing one another with the patterns of consumption. The reasons for consumers’ belonging to communities around the brand were described. The presented literature analysis revealed that the appropriate management of the community around the brand can serve the company to create a sustainable product consumption. 

Sustainable food purchases in the Netherlands: the influence of consumer characteristics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijers, M.H.C.; van Dam, Y.K.

2012-01-01

In this paper socio-demographic characteristics of sustainable food consumers are studied by using actual purchasing data of 4,412 households in a wide range of food products over a twenty week period in the months November 2008 till March 2009. Our results indicate that purchasing sustainable food

Perceived importance of sustainability and ethics related to fish: a consumer behavior perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Verbeke, Wim; Vanhonacker, Filiep; Sioen, Isabelle; Van Camp, John; De Henauw, Stefaan

2007-11-01

Although sustainability and ethics are of increasing public importance, little research has been conducted to reveal its association with fish consumer behavior. Cross-sectional data were collected through a postal self-administered survey (June 2005) from a sample of 381 Flemish women aged 20-50 years. Consumers attach high perceived importance to sustainability and ethics related to fish. However, this perceived importance is neither correlated with fish consumption frequency nor with general attitude toward eating fish. Refusing to eat wild fish is grounded in sustainability and ethical concerns, whereas the decision not to eat farmed fish is associated with a lower expected intrinsic quality rather than shaped by importance attached to sustainability and ethical issues.

Estimating the common trend rate of inflation for consumer prices and consumer prices excluding food and energy prices

OpenAIRE

Michael T. Kiley

2008-01-01

I examine the common trend in inflation for consumer prices and consumer prices excluding prices of food and energy. Both the personal consumption expenditure (PCE) indexes and the consumer price indexes (CPI) are examined. The statistical model employed is a bivariate integrated moving average process; this model extends a univariate model that fits the data on inflation very well. The bivariate model forecasts as well as the univariate models. The results suggest that the relationship betwe...

Consumers in a Sustainable Food Supply Chain (COSUS: Understanding Consumer Behavior to Encourage Food Waste Reduction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harald Rohm

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Consumers are directly and indirectly responsible for a significant fraction of food waste which, for a large part, could be avoided if they were willing to accept food that is suboptimal, i.e., food that deviates in sensory characteristics (odd shape, discoloration, or that has a best-before date which is approaching or has passed, but that is still perfectly fine to eat. The choice to accept or discard suboptimal food is taken either before or after purchase (hence, in the retail store or in the household. The aim of the European research project COSUS (Consumers in a sustainable food supply chain was to increase consumer acceptance of suboptimal food, before and after purchase, by implementing targeted strategies that are based on consumer insights, and that are feasible for and acceptable by the food sector. To reach this aim, different methodological approaches were applied to analyze this issue, to experiment with different aspects, and to test the resulting interventions. Each of these approaches was undertaken by competent consortium partners from Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden and The Netherlands. The project finally provides validated strategies to promote the distribution and consumption of suboptimal foods, thereby improving resource efficiency in the food chain and contributing to a more sustainable food supply.

Consumers in a Sustainable Food Supply Chain (COSUS): Understanding Consumer Behavior to Encourage Food Waste Reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Rohm, Harald; Oostindjer, Marije; Aschemann-Witzel, Jessica; Symmank, Claudia; L Almli, Valérie; de Hooge, Ilona E; Normann, Anne; Karantininis, Kostas

2017-11-27

Consumers are directly and indirectly responsible for a significant fraction of food waste which, for a large part, could be avoided if they were willing to accept food that is suboptimal, i.e., food that deviates in sensory characteristics (odd shape, discoloration), or that has a best-before date which is approaching or has passed, but that is still perfectly fine to eat. The choice to accept or discard suboptimal food is taken either before or after purchase (hence, in the retail store or in the household). The aim of the European research project COSUS (Consumers in a sustainable food supply chain) was to increase consumer acceptance of suboptimal food, before and after purchase, by implementing targeted strategies that are based on consumer insights, and that are feasible for and acceptable by the food sector. To reach this aim, different methodological approaches were applied to analyze this issue, to experiment with different aspects, and to test the resulting interventions. Each of these approaches was undertaken by competent consortium partners from Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden and The Netherlands. The project finally provides validated strategies to promote the distribution and consumption of suboptimal foods, thereby improving resource efficiency in the food chain and contributing to a more sustainable food supply.

Consumers in a Sustainable Food Supply Chain (COSUS): Understanding Consumer Behavior to Encourage Food Waste Reduction

Science.gov (United States)

Rohm, Harald; Oostindjer, Marije; Aschemann-Witzel, Jessica; Symmank, Claudia; L. Almli, Valérie; de Hooge, Ilona E.; Normann, Anne; Karantininis, Kostas

2017-01-01

Consumers are directly and indirectly responsible for a significant fraction of food waste which, for a large part, could be avoided if they were willing to accept food that is suboptimal, i.e., food that deviates in sensory characteristics (odd shape, discoloration), or that has a best-before date which is approaching or has passed, but that is still perfectly fine to eat. The choice to accept or discard suboptimal food is taken either before or after purchase (hence, in the retail store or in the household). The aim of the European research project COSUS (Consumers in a sustainable food supply chain) was to increase consumer acceptance of suboptimal food, before and after purchase, by implementing targeted strategies that are based on consumer insights, and that are feasible for and acceptable by the food sector. To reach this aim, different methodological approaches were applied to analyze this issue, to experiment with different aspects, and to test the resulting interventions. Each of these approaches was undertaken by competent consortium partners from Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden and The Netherlands. The project finally provides validated strategies to promote the distribution and consumption of suboptimal foods, thereby improving resource efficiency in the food chain and contributing to a more sustainable food supply. PMID:29186883

Try Before You Buy: How to Design Information Systems to Enhance Consumer Willingness to Test Sustainable Innovations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carola Stryja

2018-05-01

Full Text Available More and more business organizations recognize the relevance of sustainable innovations as driving factor for their corporate strategies, products and processes. But while the concept of sustainability is generally ratified by employees and consumers, their willingness to actually use or buy such innovations can be low. One of the most important facilitators for the adoption of innovations is self-experience generated by testing the innovation. This paper provides insight on how sustainable innovation testing affects consumer mindsets and which barriers consumers face when considering testing a sustainable innovation. The study draws on the data from an in-depth interview study with seven providers and consumers of electric cars (as sustainable innovation in business and private environments. Insights about the nature of consumer’s willingness to test are extracted and recommendations for the design and use of information systems as facilitators for testing sustainable innovations are derived.

Mapping the underlying drivers of nowism as a consumer trend, and its impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty

OpenAIRE

Dahl, Sandra; Thowsen, Kristine Nygaard

2014-01-01

Every now and then, a powerful consumer trend surfaces, leaving companies no other choice but to familiarize with the trend and its implications, and adapt to it. Since first introduced as a consumer trend in 2009, nowism has received growing attention as a trend that deserves recognition, yet no empirical research has been conducted on this subject. This leaves managers with no information or guidelines on how to handle this influential consumer trend. Our main goal with this ...

Attribute Segmentation and Communication Effects on Healthy and Sustainable Consumer Diet Intentions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verain, Muriel; Sijtsema, Siet; Dagevos, Hans; Antonides, Gerrit

2017-01-01

A shift towards more sustainable consumer diets is urgently needed. Dietary guidelines state that changes towards less animal-based and more plant-based diets are beneficial in terms of sustainability and, in addition, will have a positive effect on public health. Communication on these guidelines

Current Trends in Sustainability of Bitcoins and Related Blockchain Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pasquale Giungato

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Bitcoin is a digital currency based on a peer-to-peer payment system managed by an open source software and characterized by lower transaction costs, greater security and scalability than fiat money and no need of a central bank. Despite criticisms about illegal uses and social consequences, it is attracting the interest of the scientific community. The purpose of this work is to define and evaluate the current trends of the literature concerned with the sustainability of bitcoin, considering the environmental impacts, social issues and economic aspects. From the analysis it emerges that the transition of the whole monetary system in the new cryptocurrency will result in an unacceptable amount of energy consumed to mine new bitcoins and to maintain the entire virtual monetary system, and probably bitcoin will remain a niche currency. Blockchain, which is the base for a distributed and democratically-sustained public ledger of the transactions, could foster new and challenging opportunities. Sharing the framework of medical data, energy generation and distribution in micro-grids at the citizen level, block-stack and new state-driven cryptocurrencies, may benefit from the wide spread of blockchain-based transactions. Under the perspective of its being a driver of social change, bitcoins and related blockchain technologies may overcome the issues highlighted by numerous detractors.

Development Situation, Trend and Countermeasure of Consumer-level UAV Market in China

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Kang Yu-Lei

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is based on the status of Chinese consumer-level UAV(Unmanned Aerial Vehicle market. According to the main problems in Chinese consumer-level UAV market, the author analyses the trends of Chinese consumer-level UAV market. Then, the author put forward some suggestions to develop Chinese consumer-level UAV market. In 21st century, the research and development expenditure presents the explosive growth in Chinese consumer-level UAV market. From the year of 2012, DJI released their first consumer-level UAV product. Amazon, Facebook, Google and other companies have announced their entry into the UAV market. In 2016, Huawei also announced that it will enter the UAV market.

Sustainable Design Practices and Consumer Behavior: FCS Student Perceptions

Science.gov (United States)

Ulasewicz, Connie; Vouchilas, Gus

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to gather information on the perceptions of sustainability in design held by family and consumer sciences (FCS) students majoring in interior design and apparel design/merchandising. Likert-scale responses were used to explore differences and similarities between students in the two majors. Overall, interior design…

Seafood Banquets in Beijing: Consumer Perspectives and Implications for Environmental Sustainability

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Michael Fabinyi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Understanding the social drivers of increased seafood consumption in China, such as consumer perspectives in banquets, will be crucial if practical strategies to introduce sustainability into this market are to be successfully implemented. Based on 34 semi-structured interviews with key informants including seafood restaurant operators, seafood consumers and seafood traders, this study investigated seafood consumer attitudes and behaviours in Beijing seafood restaurants. The results and discussion is divided into sections that address the popularity and reasons behind the popularity of: 1 seafood banquets in general; 2 fish at banquets; 3 other forms of seafood at banquets; and 4 preferred characteristics and qualities of seafood at banquets. The consumption of certain types of seafood such as live reef fish and sea cucumber is becoming increasingly popular, while the consumption of shark fin is decreasing in popularity. Awareness and concern about sustainability and traceability issues were relatively low, and more significant themes for understanding consumer preferences about seafood include social status and prestige, food safety and quality, and health and nutrition. The paper concludes by demonstrating the implications for market-based interventions and government regulation.

A Study on Consumer Perspective towards Green Products in Bengaluru City, India

OpenAIRE

Pusarla Lakshmi Padmaja; Vaddadi Krishna Mohan

2016-01-01

Sustainability is a trending concept of the 21st century. With an increase in global warming and carbon emissions, green marketing gained importance and subsequently encouraging green products, which can further contribute to sustainable environment. The consumer play a major role in determining the demand for any product and since green products are eco-friendly, they have created niche for those environmental consciousness customers. In this context, a study on consumer perspective and atti...

Toward a sustainability label for food products: an analysis of experts' and consumers' acceptance.

Science.gov (United States)

Engels, Stéphanie V; Hansmann, Ralf; Scholz, Roland W

2010-01-01

The recent proliferation of standards and labels for organic, fair-trade, locally produced, and healthy food products risks creating confusion among consumers. This study presents a standardized approach to developing a comprehensive sustainability label that incorporates ecological, economic, and social values. The methodology is based on an extension of modular life-cycle assessment to non-environmental sustainability criteria. Interviews with a wide range of experts (n=65) and a consumer survey (n=233) were conducted to analyze the feasibility and potential effectiveness of the approach. Responses indicated that a comprehensive sustainability label could considerably influence consumption patterns and facilitate cross-product comparisons. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Empowering the Citizen-Consumer: Re-Regulating Consumer Information to Support the Transition to Sustainable and Health Promoting Food Systems in Canada

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Sandi Trillo

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Both health and sustainability are stated public policy objectives in Canada, but food information rules and practices may not be optimal to support their achievement. In the absence of a stated consensus on the purposes of public information about food, the information provided is frequently determined by the marketers of product. No institution or agency has responsibility for determining the overall coherence of consumer food messages relative to these broader social goals of health and sustainability. Individual firms provide information that shows their products to best advantage, which may contradict what is provided about the product by another firm or government agency. Individual consumers do not have the resources to determine easily the completeness of any firm's messages, particularly in light of the size of food industry advertising budgets. Government rules confound this problem because there is also little coherence between the parts of government that have responsibility for point of purchase, advertising rules, and labelling. The healthy eating messages of health departments are often competing with contradictory messages permitted by the regulatory framework of other arms of government. Investments in programs that successfully promote environmental stewardship in agriculture are undercut in the market because consumers cannot support those efforts with their dollars. This problem exists despite the emergence of “citizen-consumers” who have a broader approach to food purchasing than individual maximization. Only recently have some health professionals and sustainable agriculture proponents turned their attention to these factors and designed interventions that take them into account. In this paper, which builds upon earlier work by MacRae [1], we outline key short, medium and long term initiatives to facilitate the citizen-consumer phenomenon and better support consumers in their efforts to promote health and sustainability

Sustainable Logistics of End-of-life Vehicles – Trends in Europe

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Agata Mesjasz-Lech

2017-06-01

determining the development of reverse logistics of end-of-life vehicles in selected European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, The Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Finland, United Kingdom, Norway. These trends are reflected in the amount of end-of-life vehicles designed for reuse, recovery and recycling. Findings: With respect to their total or partial processing, end-of-life vehicles are handled according to the 3R principle (reduce, reuse, and recycle in order to promote the concept of sustainable development. Unfortunately, the number of end-of-life vehicles in Europe is increasing which is a result of the growing economy and society’s wealth. Also the ecological awareness of the producers and consumers is rising which is reflected in the increased number of end-of-life vehicles put through reuse, recovery and recycling processes. The analyzed period shows an average annual increase in the reuse, recovery and recycling indexes in most of the discussed countries. Therefore, we can speak of an increasing ecological efficiency of sustainable logistics of end-of-life vehicles. Conclusions: Sustainable logistics allows to recover value from used products. End-of-life products contain materials of full value that should be recovered, which undoubtedly fosters sustainable use of resources. European countries vary according to both the effort and the result of the end-of-life vehicles recovery which is due to economic, legal and cultural circumstances. But research shows the existence of positive trends in the realization of reuse, recovery and recycling processes of end-of-life vehicles. These tendencies should delineate further activities in this area.

Slow fashion and sustainability in Spain: How can local manufacturing improve sustainability and how do consumers respond?

OpenAIRE

Karaosman, Hakan; Morales Alonso, Gustavo; Brun, Alessandro

2014-01-01

"Slow Fashion" attempts to offset the demand for fast fashion and mass production (Fletcher, 2007). Consumers' response to sustainability-based practices is a limited discourse and studies for slow fashion concept are scarce. This study thus aims to enlighten the subject of how slow fashion concept could improve local economies and how Spanish consumers respond to such initiatives. This paper is based on an exploratory qualitative research for which focus group interviews including three grou...

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING AS A DETERMINANT OF THE PROCESS OF MAKING PURCHASE DECISIONS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF POLISH AND FRENCH YOUNG CONSUMERS

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Ewa Jerzyk

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The promotion of the idea of sustainable development largely depends on the way it is perceived and understood by consumers. Therefore, the article presents the fi ndings of a survey on consumers’ knowledge about sustainable packaging, in particular: the understanding of the idea of sustainable packaging in terms of sustainable development, consumers’ interest in the concept of sustainable packaging, as well as the sources of information about sustainable packaging. Numerous earlier studies showed that younger and better-educated consumers are more favourably disposed to this concept, so the research was restricted to young consumers. The respondents’ opinions were analysed from the point of view of the purchase decision process. The subject of the analysis was the signifi cance of particular characteristics of sustainable packaging for consumers. The research allowed for establishing fi ve characteristics of sustainable packaging which, according to the respondents, are the main criteria for the assessment and the comparison of products and packaging during shopping. Moreover, it turned out that in mature markets consumers display higher sensitivity to companies’ sustainable activities, including those related to packaging, which can be caused by the economic reasons (consumers are not very price-conscious.

A Study on Consumer Perspective towards Green Products in Bengaluru City, India

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Pusarla Lakshmi Padmaja

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Sustainability is a trending concept of the 21st century. With an increase in global warming and carbon emissions, green marketing gained importance and subsequently encouraging green products, which can further contribute to sustainable environment. The consumer play a major role in determining the demand for any product and since green products are eco-friendly, they have created niche for those environmental consciousness customers. In this context, a study on consumer perspective and attitude towards green products will be quite useful for marketers, to understand both, consumers and market. This study focus on the consumer awareness, attitude and purchase intention towards green products.

How and When Retailers’ Sustainability Efforts Translate into Positive Consumer Responses: The Interplay Between Personal and Social Factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hofenk, D.; Birgelen, M.J.H. van; Bloemer, J.M.M.; Semeijn, J.

2017-01-01

This study aims to address how (through which mechanisms) and when (under which conditions) retailers’ sustainability efforts translate into positive consumer responses. Hypotheses are developed and tested through a scenario-based experiment among 672 consumers. Retailers’ assortment sustainability

Sharing the Sky: The Role of Family and Consumer Sciences in Sustainability.

Science.gov (United States)

Makela, Carole J.

2003-01-01

Explains why sustainability is integral to family and consumer sciences. Presents a framework depicting the relationship of ultimate means, intermediate means, intermediate ends, and ultimate ends. Provides classroom activities. (SK)

Profile of Green Consumers in Romania in Light of Sustainability Challenges and Opportunities

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Teodora Roman

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Sustainability and responsible consumption are now the policies of companies interested in preserving a good reputation. If in the past, sustainability was an issue present only in the corporate social responsibility campaigns developed by companies; nowadays, this aspect has become a key element that has been proven to influence the purchasing behavior of consumers. The existence of policies and strategies in the area of sustainability does not necessarily mean their being put into practice as long as people, who make these objectives attainable, are not aware of them. The present paper aims to explore the green consumption of Romanian consumers, which would indicate whether the concern for environmental problems is then translated into an appropriate behavior; in other words, whether “words become facts”. At the same time, this paper analyzes the extent to which the “green trend” has gained popularity in Romania, how involved the Romanian consumers are with environmental issues and the behaviors they adopt in order to mitigate the impact on the ecosystem. However, there are differences between individual opinions on green consumption and the actual behavior adopted in trying to ameliorate this issue.

Accommodation Consumers and Providers’ Attitudes, Behaviours and Practices for Sustainability: A Systematic Review

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Colin Michael Hall

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Accommodation and lodging are an integral component of the tourism and hospitality industry. Given the sectors’ growing contribution to resource consumption and waste, there is a growing body of literature on the attitudes, behaviours and practices of consumers, managers, staff and owners of lodging with respect to sustainability. This paper presents the results of a systematic analysis of articles on attitudes, behaviours and practices of consumers and the provision of accommodation with respect to sustainability. The results indicate that there is a dearth of longitudinal studies on the sustainability of practices and behaviours. There are limitations in geographical coverage as well as methods, with research dominated by convenience sampling approaches. It is concluded that while there appear to be improvements in the potential sustainability of lodging with respect to technological approaches, the lack of systematic long-term studies on behavioural interventions represents a significant challenge to reducing the absolute emissions of the sector as well as reductions in energy and water use and waste production. Given the lack of longitudinal studies, it is not known whether observed behavioural changes are sustained over time.

Consumer preferences for sustainable aquaculture products: Evidence from in-depth interviews, think aloud protocols and choice experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Risius, Antje; Janssen, Meike; Hamm, Ulrich

2017-06-01

Fish from aquaculture is becoming more important for human consumption. Sustainable aquaculture procedures were developed as an alternative to overcome the negative environmental impacts of conventional aquaculture procedures and wild fisheries. The objective of this contribution is to determine what consumers expect from sustainable aquaculture and whether they prefer sustainable aquaculture products. A combination of qualitative research methods, with think aloud protocols and in-depth interviews, as well as quantitative methods, using choice experiments and face-to-face interviews, was applied. Data was collected in three different cities of Germany. Results revealed that sustainable aquaculture was associated with natural, traditional, local, and small scale production systems with high animal welfare standards. Overall, participants paid a lot of attention to the declaration of origin; in particular fish products from Germany and Denmark were preferred along with local products. Frequently used sustainability claims for aquaculture products were mostly criticized as being imprecise by the participants of the qualitative study; even though two claims tested in the choice experiments had a significant positive impact on the choice of purchase. Similarly, existing aquaculture-specific labels for certified sustainable aquaculture had an impact on the buying decision, but were not well recognized and even less trusted. Overall, consumers had a positive attitude towards sustainable aquaculture. However, communication measures and labelling schemes should be improved to increase consumer acceptance and make a decisive impact on consumers' buying behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards sustainable urban renewal in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wassenberg, F.A.G.

2010-01-01

Cities and the neighbourhoods within are dynamic and change continuously. Vital neighbourhoods can cope with changing circumstances like outdated use, changing household compositions, consumer preferences and fashions, political turnovers, global trends and economic cycles. Sustainable areas are

Sustainability, natural and organic cosmetics: consumer, products, efficacy, toxicological and regulatory considerations

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Bruno Fonseca-Santos

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The interest in sustainable products has increased along the years, since the choice of products, packaging and production processes have a great impact on the environment. These products are classified by regulatory agencies in different categories, aggregating advantages to the product and increasing the demand by consumers. However, there is no harmonization in guidelines of these certifying agencies and each cosmetic industry formulates their product and packaging in a more rational way, which causes less damage to the environment. Many cosmetic products have in their formulation natural products that perform a specific biological function, but these products should be evaluated on efficacy and toxicological aspects. The aim of this article is to approach sustainability, natural and organic cosmetics, considering the consumer and the efficacy, toxicological and regulatory aspects.

Sustainable Consumption

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Røpke, Inge

2015-01-01

The intention of this chapter is to explore the role of consumption and consumers in relation to sustainability transition processes and wider systemic transformations. In contrast to the individualistic focus in much research on sustainable consumption, the embeddedness of consumption activities...... in wider social, economic and technological frameworks is emphasised. In particular, the chapter is inspired by practice theory and transition theory. First, various trends in consumption are outlined to highlight some of the challenges for sustainability transitions. Then, it is discussed how consumption...... patterns are shaped over time and what should be considered in sustainability strategies. While discussions on consumption often take their point of departure in the perspective of the individual and then zoom to the wider context, the present approach is the opposite. The outline starts with the basic...

Why Do People Consume and Provide Sharing Economy Accommodation?—A Sustainability Perspective

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Eunsuk Sung

2018-06-01

Full Text Available In the platform-based sharing economy service, the consumer using the service and the service provider providing the service form a two-sided market around the platform. In the two-sided market, service users and service providers interact across the platform, and the value of the platform increases with the size of the network. This study aims to study the virtuous circulation of consumption and production for sustainability of sharing economy. For this purpose, several hypotheses were established based on the literature and are tested with survey data of both consumer and service provider of Airbnb. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze whether the consumer acceptance intention model and the supplier acceptance intention model can be linked through the concept of network effect, which is a major characteristic of the sharing economy service platform. The research results are expected to contribute to development of a sustainable sharing economy model.

Sustainable packaging : A study of consumers' loyalty and behavior

OpenAIRE

van Huynh, Fredrik; Gonzalez, Aaron; Yousef, Waseem

2009-01-01

  The ecological consumer has been a significant and central character in the development of green marketing. In an effort to enhance brand equity and increase consumers’ loyalty, companies are relying on environmental claims. From advances in processes, to product design and packaging materials that diminish waste, companies are more and more emphasizing on sustainability. The findings of previous research aiming to link purchasing and environmental concerns to socio-demographic factors have...

Australian consumers' views towards an environmentally sustainable eating pattern.

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, Davina; Thornton, Lukar; Crawford, David; Ball, Kylie

2018-05-15

The present qualitative study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of participants' attitudes, knowledge, perceived effectiveness (a person's belief that his/her behaviour can contribute to environmental preservation) and behaviours relating to a sustainable eating pattern. One-to-one interviews (either face-to-face or by telephone) were conducted following a structured interview schedule, audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive thematic analysis in NVivo 10. Victorian (Australia) adult participants recruited via online advertisements, flyers on community advertisement boards and letterbox drops. Twenty-four participants (mean age 40 years, range 19-69 years; thirteen female, eleven male) were interviewed. Participants reported that environmental impact was not an important influence on their food choice. Participants displayed limited knowledge about a sustainable eating pattern, with most unaware of the environmental impact of food-related behaviours. Most participants believed sustainable eating would be only slightly beneficial to the environment. Participants reported undertaking limited sustainable food behaviours currently and were more willing to undertake a food behaviour if they perceived additional benefits, such as promoting health or supporting the local community. The study suggests consumers need further information about a sustainable eating pattern and the environmental impact of food choice. The findings highlight some of the barriers that will need to be addressed when promoting this kind of eating pattern and that a range of interventions will be necessary.

Millennial Generation and Environmental Sustainability: The Role of Social Media in the Consumer Purchasing Behavior for Wine

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Giovanni Sogari

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In the coming years, social media technology will have a crucial role in environmental involvement and in encouraging sustainable behaviors in the wine industry. Sustainable development is becoming a crucial topic for many consumers. Also, in the wine industry much research has been carried out to decrease the environmental impact, with a particular focus on renewable energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, pesticides reduction, water and waste management, biodiversity, soil and landscape preservation. In recent years, social media technologies have gained increased attention for their potential to amplify environmental concerns and encourage sustainable behaviors among people. This study aims to study the role of social media in the consumer purchasing behavior for wine between the millennial and non-millennial generations. A total sample of 2597 Italian wine consumer responses were collected and a structured questionnaire was used to test our hypothesis. The main results show that the greater the import the consumer places on the product/process dimension of environmental sustainability, the higher the self-selection in market segments. This is true for both millennials and non-millennials. The results show the power of social media to increase sustainability awareness and consecutively influence the consumer’s buying behavior for wine (higher price segment. From a marketing perspective, companies should improve their capacity to share and communicate their environmental activities through social media.

Greener and Sustainable Trends in Synthesis of Organics and Nanomaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Trends in greener and sustainable process development during the past 25 years are abridged involving the use of alternate energy inputs (mechanochemistry, ultrasound- or microwave irradiation), photochemistry, and greener reaction media as applied to synthesis of organics and na...

Retro Design and Nostalgic Marketing: Influence of nostalgic trend in consumer behavior

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Alline Sardinha Cordeiro Morais

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The presence of elements that refer to nostalgia in many sectors of contemporary society has been studied by researchers from various areas. In marketing, nostalgia is perceived as a market trend that attracts consumers through their past emotions. This article aims to analyze the factors that drive the retro phenomenon, given the evolution of consumption, the current values that govern the relationship between brands and consumers through an exploratory research, also seeking to understand this phenomenon, determining concepts in relation to retro culture and its peculiarities.

Psychosocial and demographic variables associated with consumer intention to purchase sustainably produced foods as defined by the Midwest Food Alliance.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Ramona; Smith, Chery

2002-01-01

To examine psychosocial and demographic variables associated with consumer intention to purchase sustainably produced foods using an expanded Theory of Planned Behavior. Consumers were approached at the store entrance and asked to complete a self-administered survey. Three metropolitan Minnesota grocery stores. Participants (n = 550) were adults who shopped at the store: the majority were white, female, and highly educated and earned >or= 50,000 dollars/year. Participation rates averaged 62%. The major domain investigated was consumer support for sustainably produced foods. Demographics, beliefs, attitudes, subjective norm, and self-identity and perceived behavioral control were evaluated as predictors of intention to purchase them. Descriptive statistics, independent t tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson product moment correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression analyses (P Consumers were supportive of sustainably produced foods but not highly confident in their ability to purchase them. Independent predictors of intention to purchase them included attitudes, beliefs, perceived behavioral control, subjective norm, past buying behavior, and marital status. Beliefs, attitudes, and confidence level may influence intention to purchase sustainably produced foods. Nutrition educators could increase consumers' awareness of sustainably produced foods by understanding their beliefs, attitudes, and confidence levels.

Consumer attitudes and preferences towards pangasius and tilapia: The role of sustainability certification and the country of origin.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinkes, Cordula; Schulze-Ehlers, Birgit

2018-08-01

The majority of farmed fish produced in Bangladesh is consumed domestically, while global demand for fish is increasing. Non-tariff barriers resulting from consumers' concerns about sustainability and food safety or attitudes towards the country of origin might be one reason for limited export. The purpose of this study is to analyze consumer preferences for frozen pangasius and tilapia fillets from Bangladesh in order to explore market opportunities in Germany. A discrete choice experiment was conducted to estimate marginal utilities and willingness-to-pay for different product attributes, focusing on sustainability certification and the country of origin. Vietnam as a major exporter of pangasius to Germany was selected as a reference country for the analysis. The results of fitted mixed logit models indicate that German consumers are price-sensitive and prefer fish produced in Germany over fish farmed in either Bangladesh or Vietnam. While this finding seems not to be attributable to consumer ethnocentrism, country image constructs might play a role. A significant positive utility was identified for both sustainability and fair trade certification. The overall opt-out rate of the choice experiment was relatively high, indicating a general reluctance to consume pangasius and tilapia. Older respondents as well as those concerned about sustainability and those having less positive attitudes towards aquaculture were more likely to opt out. Overall, concerns about sustainability and the country of origin are relevant factors influencing purchase decisions, but aspects of taste and preferences for certain fish species might be even more significant in this context, limiting the market potential of pangasius and tilapia in Germany. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analyzing the environmental impacts of laptop enclosures using screening-level life cycle assessment to support sustainable consumer electronics (j/a)

Science.gov (United States)

The market growth of consumer electronics makes it essential for industries and policy-makers to work together to develop sustainable products. The objective of this study is to better understand how to promote environmentally sustainable consumer electronics by examining the use...

Building a Sustainable Society: The Necessity to Change the Term 'Consumer'

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Sabrina Chakori

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The profit-seeking system leads to many negative environmental impacts. Within this economic system, consumption reflects an important relationship between humans and nature. However, despite the growing international attention to environmental sustainability, our society does not necessarily acknowledge consumerism as the cause of global environmental degradation. Deconstructing the consumption culture and redefining what determines well-being, this paper will attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing definition of people in the economic system. Many authors have defined our role in the economy; however, in terms of customer, citizen-consumer, and socially conscious consumer, most of the literature in this domain remains rooted in consumerism. Consumerism cannot be fixed with further consumerism; therefore this paper discusses the importance of reclaiming our identity and the need to define new terms for people in a new economic system. Any new terms should integrate interests and responsibilities that go beyond simple utility maximization. Moving beyond the term “consumer” will change our worldview. This cultural transformation may help facilitate long-term environmental sustainability.

Understanding implications of consumer behavior for wildlife farming and sustainable wildlife trade.

Science.gov (United States)

Nuno, A; Blumenthal, J M; Austin, T J; Bothwell, J; Ebanks-Petrie, G; Godley, B J; Broderick, A C

2018-04-01

Unsustainable wildlife trade affects biodiversity and the livelihoods of communities dependent upon those resources. Wildlife farming has been proposed to promote sustainable trade, but characterizing markets and understanding consumer behavior remain neglected but essential steps in the design and evaluation of such operations. We used sea turtle trade in the Cayman Islands, where turtles have been farm raised for human consumption for almost 50 years, as a case study to explore consumer preferences toward wild-sourced (illegal) and farmed (legal) products and potential conservation implications. Combining methods innovatively (including indirect questioning and choice experiments), we conducted a nationwide trade assessment through in-person interviews from September to December 2014. Households were randomly selected using disproportionate stratified sampling, and responses were weighted based on district population size. We approached 597 individuals, of which 37 (6.2%) refused to participate. Although 30% of households had consumed turtle in the previous 12 months, the purchase and consumption of wild products was rare (e.g., 64-742 resident households consumed wild turtle meat [i.e., 0.3-3.5% of households] but represented a large threat to wild turtles in the area due to their reduced populations). Differences among groups of consumers were marked, as identified through choice experiments, and price and source of product played important roles in their decisions. Despite the long-term practice of farming turtles, 13.5% of consumers showed a strong preference for wild products, which demonstrates the limitations of wildlife farming as a single tool for sustainable wildlife trade. By using a combination of indirect questioning, choice experiments, and sales data to investigate demand for wildlife products, we obtained insights about consumer behavior that can be used to develop conservation-demand-focused initiatives. Lack of data from long-term social

Improving the quality of pork and pork products for the consumer : development of innovative, integrated, and sustainable food production chains of high quality pork products matching consumer demands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heimann, B.; Christensen, M.; Rosendal Rasmussen, S.; Bonneau, M.; Grunert, K.G.; Arnau, J.; Trienekens, J.H.; Oksbjerg, N.; Greef, de K.H.; Petersen, B.

2012-01-01

Improving the quality of pork and pork products for the consumer: development of innovative, integrated, and sustainable food production chains of high quality pork products matching consumer demands.

Sustainability assessment in the 21. century. Tools, trends and applications. Symposium abstracts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2012-07-01

Focus on sustainability of products and corporations has been increasing over the last decade. New market trends develop, engendering new tools and application areas with the purpose of increasing sustainability, thus setting new demands for industry and academia. The 2012 SETAC LCA Case Study Symposium focuses on the experiences gained in industry and academia on the application of LCA and on the application of new tools for sustainability assessment. These tools may relate to environmental 'footstep' assessments, such as carbon, water or chemical footprints, as well as life cycle oriented tools for assessing other dimensions of sustainability. (LN)

Sustainability assessment in the 21. century. Tools, trends and applications. Symposium abstracts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2012-07-01

Focus on sustainability of products and corporations has been increasing over the last decade. New market trends develop, engendering new tools and application areas with the purpose of increasing sustainability, thus setting new demands for industry and academia. The 2012 SETAC LCA Case Study Symposium focuses on the experiences gained in industry and academia on the application of LCA and on the application of new tools for sustainability assessment. These tools may relate to environmental 'footstep' assessments, such as carbon, water or chemical footprints, as well as life cycle oriented tools for assessing other dimensions of sustainability. (LN)

Consumer interest in social sustainability issues of whitefish from capture fisheries in the north-east Atlantic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veldhuizen, Linda J.L.; Lans, van der Ivo A.; Berentsen, Paul B.M.; Boer, de Imke J.M.; Bokkers, Eddy

2017-01-01

Capture fisheries in the north-east Atlantic account for approximately 10% of all fish consumed from capture fisheries globally. The literature shows that consumers show considerable interest in social sustainability of products in general and of fish specifically. This interest, however, has not

Distributed Optimization of Sustainable Power Dispatch and Flexible Consumer Loads for Resilient Power Grid Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Srikantha, Pirathayini

Today's electric grid is rapidly evolving to provision for heterogeneous system components (e.g. intermittent generation, electric vehicles, storage devices, etc.) while catering to diverse consumer power demand patterns. In order to accommodate this changing landscape, the widespread integration of cyber communication with physical components can be witnessed in all tenets of the modern power grid. This ubiquitous connectivity provides an elevated level of awareness and decision-making ability to system operators. Moreover, devices that were typically passive in the traditional grid are now `smarter' as these can respond to remote signals, learn about local conditions and even make their own actuation decisions if necessary. These advantages can be leveraged to reap unprecedented long-term benefits that include sustainable, efficient and economical power grid operations. Furthermore, challenges introduced by emerging trends in the grid such as high penetration of distributed energy sources, rising power demands, deregulations and cyber-security concerns due to vulnerabilities in standard communication protocols can be overcome by tapping onto the active nature of modern power grid components. In this thesis, distributed constructs in optimization and game theory are utilized to design the seamless real-time integration of a large number of heterogeneous power components such as distributed energy sources with highly fluctuating generation capacities and flexible power consumers with varying demand patterns to achieve optimal operations across multiple levels of hierarchy in the power grid. Specifically, advanced data acquisition, cloud analytics (such as prediction), control and storage systems are leveraged to promote sustainable and economical grid operations while ensuring that physical network, generation and consumer comfort requirements are met. Moreover, privacy and security considerations are incorporated into the core of the proposed designs and these

Swedish Consumers' Perception of Food Quality and Sustainability in Relation to Organic Food Production.

Science.gov (United States)

Bosona, Techane; Gebresenbet, Girma

2018-04-01

Consumers' demand for locally produced and organic foods has increased in Sweden. This paper presents the results obtained from the analysis of data acquired from 100 consumers in Sweden who participated in an online survey during March to June 2016. The objective was to identify consumers' demand in relation to organic food and sustainable food production, and to understand how the consumers evaluate food quality and make buying decisions. Qualitative descriptions, descriptive statistics and Pearson's Chi-square test (with alpha value of p price were found to be relatively less important parameters. Food buying decisions and food quality were found to be highly related with Pearson's correlation coefficient of r = 0.99.

Sustainability as an Identity Factor of Tourist Destinations at Websites:Does the Consumer Care?

OpenAIRE

Francisco Vicente Sales Melo; Salomão Alencar de Farias

2014-01-01

When choosing a vacation destination, consumers consider various factors, such as culture, natural attractions, history and points of interest, among others. In this article we analyze whether the question of sustainability is a determining factor in the choice of tourist destinations. Therefore, the article investigates the relationship of the identity of tourist destinations, as presented at their official websites, according to sustainability characteristics, the evaluation of the destinat...

Do "good" food products make others look "bad"? Spin-off effects of labels for sustainable food production in the consumer perception

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Binnekamp, M.H.A.; Ingenbleek, P.T.M.

2008-01-01

Abstract Purpose ¿ The objective of this study is to examine whether sustainability labels like Fair Trade have a spin-off effect to mainstream products in the consumer perception: do consumers perceive mainstream products and brands more negatively in the presence of a product with a sustainability

Sustainability and Philanthropic Awareness in Clothing Disposal Behavior Among Young Malaysian Consumers

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Loi Wai Yee

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Young consumers are the stylish shoppers who have a strong tendency to follow the latest fashion. With the rapid changes in the fashion trends, the overconsumption of clothing has had a significant environmental impact on society. Hence, there is a need to understand how young fashionable consumers are disposing their unwanted clothes. The survey was conducted among 205 young respondents, and the results show that clothing disposal behavior is affected by philanthropic awareness and mediated by the attitude toward clothing disposal. Interestingly, environmental economic factors only influence clothing disposal behavior through the attitude toward the disposal of clothing. The findings provide a valuable insight into the government and related authorities or organizations in developing strategies to encourage young consumers to increase their clothing-recycling rate, and, thus, eliminate the environmental issues in near future.

Exploring Consumer Associations between Corporate Reputation, Corporate Sustainability and Product Attributes within Utilitarian Market Contexts

OpenAIRE

Garry, Tony; Harwood, Tracy

2016-01-01

Much of the extant literature proposes that contemporary motivated consumers assess, evaluate and differentiate firms based not only on their corporate reputation (CR), but also on their corporate sustainability (CS) strategy. However, research that examines the interrelationship and cognitive associations between CR, CS strategy and a firm’s product attributes among consumer stakeholders remains scant. To address this gap, we take a holistic perspective that draws on pertinent literature to ...

How does consumer knowledge affect environmentally sustainable choices? Evidence from a cross-country latent class analysis of food labels.

Science.gov (United States)

Peschel, Anne O; Grebitus, Carola; Steiner, Bodo; Veeman, Michele

2016-11-01

This paper examines consumers' knowledge and lifestyle profiles and preferences regarding two environmentally labeled food staples, potatoes and ground beef. Data from online choice experiments conducted in Canada and Germany are analyzed through latent class choice modeling to identify the influence of consumer knowledge (subjective and objective knowledge as well as usage experience) on environmentally sustainable choices. We find that irrespective of product or country under investigation, high subjective and objective knowledge levels drive environmentally sustainable food choices. Subjective knowledge was found to be more important in this context. Usage experience had relatively little impact on environmentally sustainable choices. Our results suggest that about 20% of consumers in both countries are ready to adopt footprint labels in their food choices. Another 10-20% could be targeted by enhancing subjective knowledge, for example through targeted marketing campaigns. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR – REFERENCE ELEMENT FOR MARKET TRENDS OF AUTOMOBILE IN ROMANIA

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Nicoleta ISAC

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The paper aims to form an overview of the current situation of the car market in Romania and based on this to highlight trends and directions towards which this important branch of manufacturing industry seen through the eyes of consumers. The consumer always seeks to compare the performance of the product, with certain standards and they have required to inform themselves and to reflect upon purchasing the product. In order to ensure business success and minimize the risk, entrepreneurs must pay major attention to defining and knowledge of the market or markets they want to act, as well as the segment of consumers that their it proposes to conquer the products and services offered. To a better analyze of the consumer behaviour we implemented a model based on a questionnaire that allows us to detect the main objectives: Identifying the attributes of an ideal car; Establishing the importance of these attributes for current and potential customers; The Dacia brand in comparison to major competing brands; Determining the factors influencing the choice of consumer. The reason I chose the automobile market is the fact that manufacturing (which includes engineering sector, whose part is the construction industry of cars is the main component industry in Romania, covering about 80% of the volume of activity in which are covered about 1.5 million people.

Millennial consumers shape corporate culture towards sustainability : the case of the food industry in Portugal

OpenAIRE

Baptista, Mariana Falcão Viana

2017-01-01

The main purpose of this Thesis is to understand Portuguese Millennials’ attitudes towards Corporate Sustainability and whether these influence companies’ Corporate Culture. Millennials seem to care about the environment and society to a greater degree than previous generations, and as consumers, they care about the sustainability of the products they buy. They also present an extremely complex brand loyalty behavior, and want to buy from companies whose values are in line with their own. To ...

Environmental Sustainability and Energy-Efficient Supply Chain Management: A Review of Research Trends and Proposed Guidelines

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Piera Centobelli

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This paper conducts a structured review on the topic of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability in the supply chain management context to define research trends on the topic and identify research gaps. The review is carried out using the largest databases of peer-reviewed literature (Scopus and Web of Science. A sample of 122 papers focusing on the topic of energy-efficient and sustainable supply chain management was selected and analyzed through descriptive and content analysis. The review highlights that despite there is a growing research trend on the topic, different research gaps remain to be covered. These gaps concern the factors influencing energy efficiency and environmental sustainability initiatives, the classification of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability initiatives, the impact of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability on supply chain performance, the customer perspective in sustainable and energy-efficient supply chain, and the different technologies supporting the energy efficiency and environmental sustainability initiatives. The research gaps and the research questions identified offer the opportunity to identify areas of investigation to design future research directions and propose guidelines in the field of supply chain management.

Understanding the purchasing behaviour of Taiwanese meat consumers in light of rising sustainability concerns

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jen, Meng Yuan; Wang, Shun Mei

2015-01-01

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to provide an exploratory study of how Taiwanese consumer concerns about sustainability issues relating to pork are linked to their purchasing behaviours, using the case of “warm” meat. Design/methodology/approach-The study is based on qualitative

Sustainable Consumer Voices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klitmøller, Anders; Rask, Morten; Jensen, Nevena

2011-01-01

Aiming to explore how user driven innovation can inform high level design strategies, an in-depth empirical study was carried out, based on data from 50 observations of private vehicle users. This paper reports the resulting 5 consumer voices: Technology Enthusiast, Environmentalist, Design Lover...

Consumer motivations for sustainable consumption:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rezvani, Zeinab; Jansson, Johan; Bengtsson, Maria

2018-01-01

Recent conceptual studies identify gain, normative and hedonic factors as three categories of motivations of consumer proenvironmental behavior. However, empirical understanding of how these motivations interact and affect proenvironmental behavior is limited. This study is based on a survey of car...... owners in Sweden (N = 573) and uses structural equation modeling to analyze the data. The empirical findings point to the importance of all three motivations (gain, normative and hedonic) in consumer electric vehicle adoption intentions. Furthermore, for consumers who perceive high social norms regarding...

Consuming apart, together

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bartels, Jos; Reinders, M.J.

2016-01-01

Although consumers' awareness of the environmental and ethical consequences of their behaviour has grown, research on the role of multiple consumer identities in sustainability behaviours is scarce. The aim of the current study was to explain sustainable behaviour from a social identity

Consumer perceptions on sustainable practices implemented in foodservice organizations in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Ju, Seyoung; Chang, Hyeja

2016-02-01

Sustainable practices in foodservice organizations including commercial and noncommercial ones are critical to ensure the protection of the environment for the future. With the rapid growth of the foodservice industry, wiser usage of input sources such as food, utilities, and single use packaging should be reconsidered for future generations. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the customer's perceptions on sustainable practices and to identify the relationship among sustainable practices, social contribution and purchase intention. The study was conducted using content analyses by reviewing articles on sustainable food service practices published domestically and abroad. Thereafter, data were collected with a face-to-face survey using a questionnaire and analyzed with factor analyses and multiple regressions. Sustainable practices classified with factor analysis consisted of 6 dimensions of green food material procurement, sustainable food preparation, green packaging, preservation of energy, waste management, and public relations on green activity, with a total of 25 green activities in foodservice operations. Consumers were not very familiar with the green activities implemented in the foodservice unit, with the lowest awareness of "green food material procurement (2.46 out of 5 points)", and the highest awareness of "green packaging (3.74)" and "waste management (3.28). The factors influencing the perception of social contribution by foodservice organizations among 6 sustainable practice dimensions were found to be public relations on green activity (β = 0.154), waste management (β = 0.204) and sustainable food preparation (β = 0.183). Green packaging (β = 0.107) and the social contribution of the foodservice organization (β = 0.761) had strong relationships with the image of the organization. The purchase intentions of customers was affected only by the foodservice image (β = 0.775). The results of this study suggest that sustainable practices by

Sustainable consumption and marketing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dam, van Y.K.

2016-01-01

Sustainable development in global food markets is hindered by the discrepancy between positive consumer attitudes towards sustainable development or sustainability and the lack of corresponding sustainable consumption by a majority of consumers. Apparently for many (light user) consumers the

IMPACT OF PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF DAIRY PRODUCTS MARKET

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Monika Świątkowska

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Chain and market-oriented dairy sustainability, nutritional and social objectives related to the promotion of behaviours aimed at the development are essential. At the same time, the signifi cance of the various forms of sales promotion, as a factor of consumer buying behaviour infl uence, increases. The study includes the use of the sales promotion instruments in commercial space, perceived by consumers and assessment of their impact on purchasing decisions. The study was carried out on the basis of a standardized authoring individual interview questionnaire on nationwide random-quota, registered trials, in 2007–2012, as a part of the study of consumer behaviour performed in the dairy market for KZSM (National Association of Dairy Cooperatives. The results confi rm that the effect of promotion activities is a high visibility by consumers and change of their purchasing decisions. The most important determinant of consumer purchasing behaviour are the price promotions. Most often supported by a complete set of sales promotion instruments have been modern dairy products – yoghurt, grainy and ripening cheese. Sales promotion is an important instrument of balancing the dairy market and shaping the desired behaviour of consumers.

Sustaining Innovative Success: A Case Study on Consumer-Centric Innovation in the ICT Industry

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Minkyung Choy

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The phenomenon of innovation growing rapidly and having a shorter lifespan is a structural change due to the development of ICT (Information and Communications Technology, diverse investment methods, and reduced pattern of innovation adoption. For ICT companies to survive and maintain their success in this ever-changing environment, they need to succeed in fulfilling both productivity and accuracy of innovation. To sustain their innovative success, ICT companies should consistently maintain the direction of innovation towards consumers. The present study analyzes various cases of ICT companies which succeeded or failed to maintain their prior innovative success, and suggests consumer-centric innovation as a solution. To create consumer-centric innovations, companies have to (1 predict the dynamically evolving demand of consumers and continuously transform; (2 proactively employ observation method and big data analysis to discover hidden demands; and (3 identify hassles such as wastes, inconveniences, and anxieties, and put effort in solving these hassles.

The consumer behavior towards an ecological fitness club

OpenAIRE

Aguilar Pérez, Rocío

2017-01-01

The Gen Z is a new generation that, among others, cares about healthy and sustainable lifestyles. These two new tendencies together give rise to a new market opportunity, which has been taken by us by creating a new fitness concept: an ecologically-friendly gym called GreenMonkeyGym. Throughout this paper the reader will find two important parts. The first one consists of information about the current market trends, about important theoretical concepts regarding consumer behavior as well a...

Dietary change – consumer preferences, marketing barriers and enablers, and the role of meat alternative choice(s) in achieving sustainable consumption

OpenAIRE

Apostolidis, Chrysostomos; McLeay, Fraser

2012-01-01

This research builds upon existing theories of consumer behaviour, sustainable and ethical consumption and social marketing. It aims to improve academic and practical understanding of the effect of socio-environmental attributes on consumer preferences regarding meat and meat alternative products and examine how more sustainable consumption patterns can be achieved. It is based upon the idea that marketing strategies can be used with the ultimate aim of changing behavior in order to benefit t...

Mobilizing consumer demand for sustainable development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Trijp, van J.C.M.; Fischer, A.R.H.

2011-01-01

A lot of innovation effort is aimed at increased sustainable consumption, while at the same time actual sustainable consumption is not meeting the expectations raised by the positive public attitudes towards sustainability. This is indicative of a gap between attitudes and behaviors in sustainable

When sustainability of a tourism destination is a requirement: Does the consumer perceive sacrifices in diving experiences?

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Polyanna de Lourdes Saraiva do Nascimento

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Consumer behaviour refers to some subjective characteristics of individuals, their cultural principles and living experiences throughout their lives, aspects that awaken the individual’s desire to consume certain products and services and sometimes the tendency to give up some personal and discretionary resources to concretize this consumption, in other words, to make sacrifices. In this present study, the emphasis focuses on the understanding of the way Dutch and Brazilian consumers carry out the sacrifice in diving experiences, while the practice of sustainability is required. Therefore, the aspects that motivated this study are related to the need to explore the sacrifice theme in consumer relations, mainly when associated with products and services where the hedonic experience is felt, as it is through diving. The research is interpretative, considering that it captures objective results from the studied phenomenon, by using semi-structured interviews collected with divers, totalling twenty-three interviews in Brazil and Netherlands. The collected data was analysed according to content analysis. The results pointed out the relationship between sacrifices and sustainability, in diving experiences associated with the abdication of resources such as: recreation, time, comfort and money. Moreover, the predisposition to sacrifice something is directly related to living experiences during the practice of the activity, considering that it awakens positive feelings and generates a strong individual affective commitment. These aspects emphasize the provision of the individuals to follow the rules for sustainability determined by tourist destinations for diving, as well as the desire to explore without destroying, aiming to keep practicing that activity are that location.

Ergonomics and sustainable development in the past two decades (1992-2011): Research trends and how ergonomics can contribute to sustainable development.

Science.gov (United States)

Radjiyev, Ayubkhon; Qiu, Hai; Xiong, Shuping; Nam, KyungHyun

2015-01-01

The need for sustainable development has been widely recognized and sustainable development has become a hot topic of various disciplines even though the role of ergonomics in it is seldom reported or considered. This study conducts a systematic survey of research publications in the fields of ergonomics and sustainable development over the past two decades (1992-2011), in order to identify their research trends and convergent areas where ergonomics can play an important role in sustainable development. The results show that 'methods and techniques', 'human characteristics', 'work design and organization', 'health and safety' and 'workplace and equipment design' are the top five frequently researched areas in ergonomics. Ergonomics has an opportunity to contribute its knowledge especially to 'industrial and product design', 'architecture', 'health and safety' and 'HCI' (especially for energy reduction issues) categories of sustainable development. Typical methodologies and general guidance on how to contribute the expertise of ergonomist to sustainable development are also discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

EDUCATING AND INFORMING TOURISM CONSUMERS IN THE CONTEXT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

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Carmen CHAŞOVSCHI

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This article addresses aspects of environmental behavior in tourism issues, in the context in which, sustainable development has become increasingly important, due to preservation of natural and cultural heritage,upon which the very existence of future tourism depends. Mass tourism is declining in favor of individualized forms of tourism such as ecotourism, where Romania, especially Bukovina area, has a great potential. Responsible environmental behavior is addressed to all actors involved in tourism, suppliers, consumers and authorities. Necessary initiatives are those of spreading awareness and good practice, and to this end, we chose to present a significant initiative from Bukovina zone, shaped in the form of a project, from which people working in tourism have been trained in the spirit of environmentally friendly behavior and will disseminate it among tourists with which come into contact. What we consider important in the future, in such tourism projects, regardless of their essential objective, is the inclusion of issues related to sustainability and ecological behavior.

Does the Sustainability of Food Products Influence Consumer Choices? The Case of Italy

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Alessandro Banterle

2013-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper we analyse if there is a diffused interest among consumers about the environmental impacts of their food choices, and try to capture the different types of attitudes of Italian consumers with respect to environmental sustainability of food products. The analysis builds on a survey based on vis-a-vis interviews with 240 consumers in Milan, and on a cluster analysis. The results highlight a high level of stated concern about environmental issues and about possible impacts of personal food consumption choices on the environment. Nevertheless, when investigating their actions during everyday shopping we have identified four groups of consumers: (1 those who take into consideration the environmental information on labels and do not require additional information; (2 those for which environmental information on labels does not have a great effect on purchase, but would like to receive more information; (3 those for which the presence of environmental information directs product selection and would also like to receive more; (4 those that do not take into account environmental issues when purchasing and are not interested in receiving more information about the impacts of the products.

Designing and assessing a sustainable networked delivery (SND) system: hybrid business-to-consumer book delivery case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Junbeum; Xu, Ming; Kahhat, Ramzy; Allenby, Braden; Williams, Eric

2009-01-01

We attempted to design and assess an example of a sustainable networked delivery (SND) system: a hybrid business-to-consumer book delivery system. This system is intended to reduce costs, achieve significant reductions in energy consumption, and reduce environmental emissions of critical local pollutants and greenhouse gases. The energy consumption and concomitant emissions of this delivery system compared with existing alternative delivery systems were estimated. We found that regarding energy consumption, an emerging hybrid delivery system which is a sustainable networked delivery system (SND) would consume 47 and 7 times less than the traditional networked delivery system (TND) and e-commerce networked delivery system (END). Regarding concomitant emissions, in the case of CO2, the SND system produced 32 and 7 times fewer emissions than the TND and END systems. Also the SND system offer meaningful economic benefit such as the costs of delivery and packaging, to the online retailer, grocery, and consumer. Our research results show that the SND system has a lot of possibilities to save local transportation energy consumption and delivery costs, and reduce environmental emissions in delivery system.

Trends in direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription contraceptives.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Min H; Bartz, Deborah; Avorn, Jerry; Seeger, John D

2016-05-01

Despite much speculation about the role of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) in increasing demand for prescription contraceptives in the United States, there is little published research on this topic. We sought to quantify the prevalence and magnitude of DTCA for prescription contraceptives over the last decade. Using cross-sectional data from January 2005 through December 2014, we performed descriptive analyses on trends in DTCA expenditure for prescription contraceptives. We also quantified the amount of DTCA according to contraceptive method category and individual brand. During the study period, pharmaceutical companies spent a total of US$1.57 billion in the United States on DTCA of prescription contraceptives. Annual expenditure for contraceptive DTCA reached a peak value of US$260 million in 2008, with a progressive decline to a nadir of US$69 million by 2013. Of the contraceptive methods, oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) have been the most heavily promoted, with Yaz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) - the most advertised brand - accounting for US$347 million of cumulative DTCA expenditure. However, DTCA spending on OCPs peaked in 2007 and was overtaken in 2012 by the DTCA of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), the contraceptive method now receiving the largest amount of DTCA promotion. DTCA is a major form of promotion for prescription contraceptives. Recent trends in DTCA expenditure indicate a shift from promotion of the OCPs to the LARCs. DTCA's effect on provider and patient utilization of various contraceptive methods has yet to be determined. This study provides the first quantitative evaluation of DTCA of prescription contraceptive methods and reveals DTCA's importance as a form of promotion. Recent DTCA trends indicate increased promotion of LARCs, coinciding with greater uptake of LARC methods by patients and prescribers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Consumers as tutors – legitimate teachers?

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Owen Cathy

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this study was to research the feasibility of training mental health consumers as tutors for 4th year medical students in psychiatry. Methods A partnership between a consumer network and an academic unit in Psychological Medicine was formed to jointly develop a training package for consumer tutors and a curriculum in interviewing skills for medical students. Student attitudes to mental health consumers were measured pre and post the program. All tutorial evaluation data was analysed using univariate statistics. Both tutors and students evaluated the teaching program using a 4 point rating scale. The mean scores for teaching and content for both students and tutors were compared using an independent samples t-test. Results Consumer tutors were successfully trained and accredited as tutors and able to sustain delivery of tutorials over a 4 year period. The study found that whilst the medical students started with positive attitudes towards consumers prior to the program, there was a general trend towards improved attitude across all measures. Other outcomes for tutors and students (both positive and negative are described. Conclusions Consumer tutors along with professional tutors have a place in the education of medical students, are an untapped resource and deliver largely positive outcomes for students and themselves. Further possible developments are described.

Food in Relation to Sustainable Development Expressed in Swedish Syllabuses of Home and Consumer Studies: At Present and Past

Science.gov (United States)

Gisslevik, Emmalee; Wernersson, Inga; Åberg, Helena; Larsson, Christel

2016-01-01

Little is known what the term sustainable development entails in relation to the school subject of home and consumer studies and the subject's knowledge area of food. The aim is to illustrate how food is expressed in national syllabuses of home and consumer studies at present and in the past, and its operationalization into sustainable…

Towards a Balanced Sustainability Vision for the Coffee Industry

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Luis F. Samper

2017-04-01

Full Text Available As one of the world’s most traded agricultural commodities, coffee constitutes a significant part of the overall economy and a major source of foreign revenue for many developing countries. Coffee also touches a large portion of the world’s population in the South, where it is mainly produced, and in the North, where it is primarily consumed. As a product frequently purchased by a significant share of worldwide consumers on a daily basis in social occasions, the coffee industry has earned a high profile that also attracts the interest of non-governmental organizations, governments, multilateral organizations and development specialists and has been an early adopter of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS. Responding to the trend of increased interest on sustainability, it is therefore not surprising that coffee continues to be at the forefront of sustainability initiatives that transcend into other agricultural industries. Based on literature and authors’ experiences, this article reflects on the VSS evolution and considers a sustainability model that specifically incorporates producers’ local realities and deals with the complex scenario of sustainability challenges in producing regions. Agreeing on a joint sustainability approach with farmers’ effective involvement is necessary so that the industry as a whole (up and downstream value chain actors can legitimately communicate its own sustainability priorities. This top-down/bottom-up approach could also lead to origin-based, actionable and focused sustainability key performance indicators, relevant for producers and consistent with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The initiative also aims to provide a sustainability platform for single origin coffees and Geographical Indications (GIs in accordance with growers’ own realities and regions, providing the credibility that consumers now expect from sustainability initiatives, additional differentiation options for origin

The Power of One: The Impact of Family and Consumer Sciences Education on Environmental Sustainability

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Nancy E.

2010-01-01

The issues related to environmental sustainability can be overwhelming. It is difficult to imagine that actions of one person could make a difference. This article addresses that perception and illustrates the impact of one person, a family and consumer sciences educator, on the lives of others and on environmental resources. Making a difference…

Millennial Generation and Environmental Sustainability: The Role of Social Media in the Consumer Purchasing Behavior for Wine

OpenAIRE

Giovanni Sogari; Tommaso Pucci; Barbara Aquilani; Lorenzo Zanni

2017-01-01

In the coming years, social media technology will have a crucial role in environmental involvement and in encouraging sustainable behaviors in the wine industry. Sustainable development is becoming a crucial topic for many consumers. Also, in the wine industry much research has been carried out to decrease the environmental impact, with a particular focus on renewable energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, pesticides reduction, water and waste management, biodiversity, soil and landscape prese...

Greener and Sustainable Trends in Synthesis of Organics and ...

Science.gov (United States)

Trends in greener and sustainable process development during the past 25 years are abridged involving the use of alternate energy inputs (mechanochemistry, ultrasound- or microwave irradiation), photochemistry, and greener reaction media as applied to synthesis of organics and nanomaterials. In the organic synthesis arena, examples comprise assembly of heterocyclic compounds, coupling and a variety of other name reactions catalyzed by basic water or recyclable magnetic nanocatalysts. Generation of nanoparticles benefits from the biomimetic approaches where vitamins, sugars, and plant polyphenols, including agricultural waste residues, can serve as reducing and capping agents. Metal nanocatalysts (Pd, Au, Ag, Ni, Ru, Ce, Cu, etc.) immobilized on biodegradable supports such as cellulose and chitosan, or on recyclable magnetic ferrites via ligands, namely dopamine or glutathione, are receiving special attention. These strategic approaches attempt to address most of the Green Chemistry Principles while producing functional chemicals with utmost level of waste minimization. Feature article for celebration of 25 years of Green Chemistry on invitation from American Chemical Society (ACS) journal, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.

Smart Grid Technologies: Trends and Perspectives

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Buran Anna

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The study explores the role of Smart Grid technologies, giving sustainable, reliable and safe energy. These technologies will provide an economic benefit to the government, the investors and the consumers. The paper overviews global trends and perspectives of using Smart Grid technologies in Russia and in other countries. The Smart Grid concept is especially important for Russia, because there are many power supply problems in the energy sector. This study is expected to be important for researchers and engineers studying Smart Grid technologies.

Are Consumers Willing to Pay More for Sustainable Products? A Study of Eco-Labeled Tuna Steak

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Guzhen Zhou

2016-05-01

Full Text Available A high demand for seafood leads to overfishing, harms the long-term health of seafood stocks, and threatens environmental sustainability in oceans. Sustainability certification is one of the major sustainability movements and is known as eco-labeling. For instance, in the tuna industry, leading tuna brands have committed to protecting sea turtles by allowing the tracing of the source of their tuna “from catch to can.” This paper relies on an Internet survey on consumers from Kentucky conducted in July 2010. The survey investigates household-level tuna steak (sashimi grade consumption and examines consumer preferences for eco-labeling (“Certified Turtle Safe” (CTS in this study while mimicking individuals’ seafood procurement processes. A random parameter logit model is utilized, and willingness-to-pay measures are calculated based on model estimation results. It was found that respondents on average preferred turtle-safe-labeled tuna steak and were likely to pay more for it; however, they were less likely to purchase wild-caught species, and insignificant results were found for pre-frozen. Moreover, significant heterogeneities were found across individuals regarding tuna steak purchases. The findings indicate evidence of public support for environmental friendliness, particularly with regard to eco-labeling.

Sustainability in the food sector

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grunert, Klaus G

2011-01-01

Consumers have, through their food choices, a major role in bringing about more sustainable food production. However, this presupposes that differences in sustainability are communicated to consumers. Even if food products are eco-labelled and consumers are motivated to support sustainability...

Corporate Sustainability Strategies: A Case Study in Brazil Focused on High Consumers of Electricity

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Fabricio Casarejos

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The decline of socio-ecological resilience has emerged as an unprecedented truth with high risks to local and global economies, thereby increasing the vulnerability of businesses and markets while potentially threatening the wellbeing of civil society as a whole. From a business perspective, corporate strategies towards sustainability are crucial to strengthen the social and economic foundations that foster sustainable development. In order to assist enterprises pursuing leading market positions, this work proposes a set of strategic actions towards sustainability and an evaluation scheme to assess the effectiveness of their implementation process. This proposed global strategy encompasses five key sustainability indices—commitment, investment, difficulty, proactivity and vulnerability—focusing the investigation on a sample of enterprises representing the highest consumers of electricity in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Addressing the energy consumption, this study also discusses the concerning level of GHG emissions that are associated with the generation of electricity. Although 85% of the enterprises participating in this survey recognized the relevance of the actions proposed, the current degree of proactivity and vulnerability associated with these enterprises indicate that very few of them have effectively implemented and invested in corporate sustainability programs, certainly a symptom of their institutional vulnerability.

Building sustainable supply chains: consumer choice or direct management?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hebditch, David; Blackmore, Emma

2012-06-15

Putting a 'carbon label' on products to show how much carbon dioxide is emitted during their production, transport and disposal has been heralded as a powerful route to sustainability within companies' supply chains. Several leading firms have joined the Carbon Trust carbon labelling scheme over the past five years, including UK-based retail giant Tesco, which as early as 2007 promised to use carbon labels on all its products. But earlier this year, the multinational said it was dropping carbon labels and instead directly managing its supply chains. Many other companies are similarly choosing direct management over consumer choice as the most effective route to emission reductions. In so doing, they are shouldering greater responsibility for the emissions and impacts of their supply chains. But environmental concerns must not be allowed to trump development needs and companies must not unfairly disadvantage smaller-scale producers in developing countries.

How does consumer knowledge affect environmentally sustainable choices?:Evidence from a cross-country latent class analysis of food labels

OpenAIRE

Peschel, Anne O; Grebitus, Carola; Steiner, Bodo; Veeman, Michele

2016-01-01

This paper examines consumers' knowledge and lifestyle profiles and preferences regarding two environmentally labelled food staples, potatoes and ground beef. Data from online choice experiments conducted in Canada and Germany are analyzed through latent class choice modelling to identify the influence of consumer knowledge (subjective and objective knowledge as well as usage experience) on environmentally sustainable choices. We find that irrespective of product or country under investigatio...

Meat consumption: trends and quality matters.

Science.gov (United States)

Henchion, Maeve; McCarthy, Mary; Resconi, Virginia C; Troy, Declan

2014-11-01

This paper uses quality theory to identify opportunities for the meat sector that are consistent with trends in meat consumption. Meat consumption has increased and is likely to continue into the future. Growth is largely driven by white meats, with poultry in particular of increasing importance globally. The influence of factors such as income and price is likely decline over time so that other factors, such as quality, will become more important. Quality is complex and consumers' quality expectations may not align with experienced quality due to misconception of certain intrinsic cues. Establishing relevant and effective cues, based on extrinsic and credence attributes, could offer advantage on the marketplace. The use of extrinsic cues can help convey quality characteristics for eating quality, but also for more abstract attributes that reflect individual consumer concerns e.g. health/nutrition, and collective concerns, e.g. sustainability. However, attributes are not of equal value to all consumers. Thus consumer segmentation and production differentiation is needed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Latest Trends in the Corporate Sustainability and its Implications for Czech Businesses

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Zuzana Křečková Kroupová

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes the state of corporate sustainability in the Czech Republic compared with world trends, including case studies of best practices. Corporate sustainability has developed from ad hoc activities dominantly focused on cost-cutting or corporate image improvements to strategic issue requiring the attention of corporate boards and top management. The development of sustainability as an integral part of corporate existence comprises of the following managerial implications: strategy, collaboration, and implementation. The strategic component requires mission reformulation, strategy redefinition and involves the board and top managers’ broader thinking, leaders capable of open mindedness, and creativity. The collaborative component calls for intensive collaboration and communication with all stakeholders, including association with avant-garde partners, such as, NGOs, regulators, universities, and competitors. The implementation component addresses the need for high quality change management programs.

Environmental and Sustainability Education Policy Research: A Systematic Review of Methodological and Thematic Trends

Science.gov (United States)

Aikens, Kathleen; McKenzie, Marcia; Vaughter, Philip

2016-01-01

This paper reports on a systematic literature review of policy research in the area of environmental and sustainability education. We analyzed 215 research articles, spanning four decades and representing 71 countries, and which engaged a range of methodologies. Our analysis combines quantification of geographic and methodological trends with…

Thinking-about-the-Box; A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Design Engineering of Packaging for Durable Consumer Goods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wever, R.

2009-01-01

So far, the sustainability focus on packaging has been strongly on resource conservation and material recycling. However, as this thesis demonstrates based on LCA studies, for typical cases of packed consumer durables, the transportation of the packed product has a higher environmental impact than

Accountability of FCS Education to a Sustainability Ethos: Focus on Sustainable Consumption

Science.gov (United States)

Wuest, Beth; Hustvedt, Gwendolyn; Kang, Jiyun

2014-01-01

The American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences' (AAFCS) brand, "creating healthy and sustainable families," implies accountability in promoting sustainable consumer behavior. This study compared students majoring in family and consumer sciences (FCS) and its specializations to those majoring in other fields on constructs of…

The measurement of China's consumer market development based on CPI data

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Jiang; Wang, Minggang; Tian, Lixin; Zhen, Zaili

2018-01-01

Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a comprehensive index which contains a large amount of market information. In order to effectively measure the running status of China's consumer market and analyze the dynamic evolution characteristics of regional economic consumption in China, the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of random matrix are proposed to quantitatively describe the evolution relationship of provincial and regional CPI in China. Based on the provincial data of China's CPI, system risk entropy, synchronicity ratio, stability and market induction are introduced to characterize the market evolution characteristics, and analyze the regional differences and synchronicity of the consumer price index of China and evaluate the development of China's consumer market. The results show that the average system risk entropy of China's consumer market for the period 2000-2015 is 0.1646, fluctuating in the range of 0.0512-0.3288, indicating a higher system risk of China's consumer market. The system risk of China's consumer market is still higher than the average in nearly 15 years. Fluctuating in the range of 0.3871-0.9355, the market synchronicity ratio has a mean of 0.7225, which reveals a higher market consistency level, a rising trend in fluctuation but an increasing tendency in the degree of unbalanced regional development. Evolution results of market induction demonstrate that the evolution of China's consumer market has experienced four stages. The market induction has possessed a sustained growth trend since August 2010. Scenario analysis indicates that the key to effectively improve China's consumer market system is to solve the lagging issue of China's western region market on the basis of controlling and resolving of the existing risk.

Challenging the business case logic for sustainability as an instrument of CSR: Do consumer attitudes in Germany support a business case?

OpenAIRE

Kraus, P; Britzelmaier, B; Stokes, Peter; Moore, Neil

2017-01-01

Abstract Purpose: The overall goal of this paper is to critique the purported business case for CSR and sustainability, which persists as a major contentious force in convincing companies to become more sustainable. Extant literature on sustainability, CSR and Socially Responsible Investments (SRIs) generally tends to focus on company perspectives decision-making and approaches. This paper considers an alternative and under-developed perspective and examines CSR from a consumer/ public...

Consumer response to packaging design: The role of packaging materials and graphics in sustainability perceptions and product evaluations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steenis, N.D.; Herpen, E. van; Lans, I.A. van der; Ligthart, T.N.; Trijp, H.C.M. van

2017-01-01

Building on theories of cue utilization, this paper investigates whether and how packaging sustainability influences consumer perceptions, inferences and attitudes towards packaged products. A framework is tested in an empirical study among 249 students using soup products varying in packaging

Sustainable viticulture and winery practices in California: What is it, and do customers care?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gary Zucca

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Gary Zucca1,2, David E Smith3,4, Darryl J Mitry5,61National University, Stockton, CA, USA; 2Owner and Winemaker, Zucca Mountain Vineyards, Vallecito, CA, USA; 3National University, Costa Mesa, CA, USA; 4Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen, Denmark; 5Graduate School Faculty, Norwich University, Northfield, VT, USA; 6National University, San Diego, CA, USAAbstract: Producers in the wine industry are increasingly competing in the area of product differentiation. The focus of this article is product differentiation via sustainable viticulture and consumer perception. The authors report on their independent research, assess previous findings in the literature, and examine the industry trends. The study concludes with important observations on wine consumer perceptions of sustainable practices in the wine industry and implications for industry practices and product development.Keywords: California, biologique, organic, biodynamic, sustainable

Trends in prices to commercial energy consumers in the competitive Texas electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zarnikau, Jay; Fox, Marilyn; Smolen, Paul

2007-01-01

To date, the price of electricity to commercial or business energy consumers has generally increased at greater rates in the areas of Texas where retail competition has been introduced than in areas that do not enjoy competition. Trends in commercial competitive prices have largely mirrored trends in residential prices. Market restructuring has tended to increase the sensitivity of retail electricity prices to changes in the price of natural gas, the marginal fuel used for generation in Texas. Consequently, the rapid increases in the commodity price of natural gas following restructuring led to increases in competitive electric rates which exceeded the increases in areas not exposed to restructuring, where the fuel component of electric rates tend to reflect a weighted average of the utilities' fuel costs. There is some evidence that pricing behavior by competitive retailers changed when the retailers affiliated with the incumbent utilities were permitted some pricing flexibility, resulting in a reduction in prices. (author)

Design of sustainable food chains: Measuring consumers' willingness-to-pay through the performance of experimental auctions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Costa, Ana I.A.

Today's EU animal production systems face a major challenge. On one hand, they must deal with society's demand for production strategies that are safer, more environmental-friendly and ensure better animal welfare. On the other hand, they have to address food suppliers' aspirations for economic....... Moreover, the ability to quantify consumers' willingness-to-pay for new, ethically-improved foods is vital for the economic sustainability of the animal production sector, as well as for the generation of addedvalue products. This abstract presents the outcome of a pilot study of Dutch consumers...... conducted previously3,4. The type of auction employed was the second-price, sealed bid auction. The results obtained give some indication that Dutch consumers' might be willing to pay more for ethical benefits, namely those perceived to be associated with safety. Nevertheless, our findings also indicate...

Sustainable properties – dream or trend?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lützkendorf, T.

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Since issues like climate change, scarcity of resources or social problems in megacities have entered the mainstream media the general public became more sensitised to questions relating to sustainable development. This has also led to an intense debate within the property industry. In the past, the sustainability discourse was often focused on the contribution and role of designers and the construction and building materials industry. The rather abstract concept of sustainable development has been, at best, formally included within corporate goals and missions. In the meantime, however, the important role of private and institutional investors, banks, insurance agencies and governmental authorities is increasingly being recognized; not only by academics but also by the general public which put pressure on corporations to consider the consequences of their actions and thus, aspects of sustainable development within decision making. Based on current trends in Europe and lessons learned in Germany the paper reflects on the transformation of property and construction markets and argues that decision making processes in property and construction are to be backed-up and supported by a ‘tool-box’ of instruments and methods based on LCA and LCC methodology. Furthermore, it is argued that market-driven forces to implement the principles of sustainable development in property and construction shall be supported by governmental and fiscal measures in order to reach market transformation effectively and quickly.

Desde que aspectos tales como el cambio climático, la escasez de recursos o los problemas sociales en las megalópolis llegaron a los medios de comunicación, la sociedad se ha sensibilizado con las cuestiones relacionadas con el desarrollo sostenible. Esto también ha llevado a un intenso debate dentro del sector inmobiliario. En el pasado, el discurso sobre la sostenibilidad fue habitualmente centrado en la contribución y el papel

Secular trends in reported portion size of food and beverages consumed by Irish adults.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Sinead A; Livingstone, M Barbara E; McNulty, Breige A; Lyons, Jacqueline; Walton, Janette; Flynn, Albert; Segurado, Ricardo; Dean, Moira; Spence, Michelle; McCaffrey, Tracy A; Pourshahidi, L Kirsty; Nugent, Anne P; Gibney, Eileen R

2015-04-14

The present analysis aimed to investigate the changes in the reported portion sizes (PS) of foods and beverages commonly consumed by Irish adults (18-64 years) from the North South Ireland Food Consumption Survey (NSIFCS) (1997-2001) and the National Adult Nutrition Survey (NANS) (2008-10). Food PS, which are defined as the weight of food (g) consumed per eating occasion, were calculated for comparable foods and beverages in two nationally representative cross-sectional Irish food consumption surveys and were published in NSIFCS and NANS. Repeated measure mixed model analysis compared reported food PS at the total population level as well as subdivided by sex, age, BMI and social class. A total of thirteen commonly consumed foods were examined. The analysis demonstrated that PS significantly increased for five foods ('white sliced bread', 'brown/wholemeal breads', 'all meat, cooked', 'poultry, roasted' and 'milk'), significantly decreased for three ('potatoes', 'chips/wedges' and 'ham, sliced') and did not significantly change for five foods ('processed potato products', 'bacon/ham', 'cheese', 'yogurt' and 'butter/spreads') between the NSIFCS and the NANS. The present study demonstrates that there was considerable variation in the trends in reported food PS over this period.

Significant social events and increasing use of life-sustaining treatment: trend analysis using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as an example.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yen-Yuan; Chen, Likwang; Huang, Tien-Shang; Ko, Wen-Je; Chu, Tzong-Shinn; Ni, Yen-Hsuan; Chang, Shan-Chwen

2014-03-04

Most studies have examined the outcomes of patients supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a life-sustaining treatment. It is unclear whether significant social events are associated with the use of life-sustaining treatment. This study aimed to compare the trend of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use in Taiwan with that in the world, and to examine the influence of significant social events on the trend of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use in Taiwan. Taiwan's extracorporeal membrane oxygenation uses from 2000 to 2009 were collected from National Health Insurance Research Dataset. The number of the worldwide extracorporeal membrane oxygenation cases was mainly estimated using Extracorporeal Life Support Registry Report International Summary July 2012. The trend of Taiwan's crude annual incidence rate of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use was compared with that of the rest of the world. Each trend of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use was examined using joinpoint regression. The measurement was the crude annual incidence rate of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use. Each of the Taiwan's crude annual incidence rates was much higher than the worldwide one in the same year. Both the trends of Taiwan's and worldwide crude annual incidence rates have significantly increased since 2000. Joinpoint regression selected the model of the Taiwan's trend with one joinpoint in 2006 as the best-fitted model, implying that the significant social events in 2006 were significantly associated with the trend change of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use following 2006. In addition, significantly social events highlighted by the media are more likely to be associated with the increase of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use than being fully covered by National Health Insurance. Significant social events, such as a well-known person's successful extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use highlighted by the mass media, are associated with the use of

The Impact of Sustainability Practices on Corporate Financial Performance: Literature Trends and Future Research Potential

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Alshehhi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an analysis of the literature concerning the impact of corporate sustainability on corporate financial performance. The relationship between corporate sustainable practices and financial performance has received growing attention in research, yet a consensus remains elusive. This paper identifies developing trends and the issues that hinder conclusive consensus on that relationship. We used content analysis to examine the literature and establish the current state of research. A total of 132 papers from top-tier journals are shortlisted. We find that 78% of publications report a positive relationship between corporate sustainability and financial performance. Variations in research methodology and measurement of variables lead to the divergent views on the relationship. Furthermore, literature is slowly replacing total sustainability with narrower corporate social responsibility (CSR, which is dominated by the social dimension of sustainability, while encompassing little to nothing of environmental and economic dimensions. Studies from developing countries remain scarce. More research is needed to facilitate convergence in the understanding of the relationship between corporate sustainable practices and financial performance.

Seasonal and Interannual Trends in Largest Cholera Endemic Megacity: Water Sustainability - Climate - Health Challenges in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Science.gov (United States)

Akanda, Ali S.; Jutla, Antarpreet; Faruque, Abu S. G.; Huq, Anwar; Colwell, Rita R.

2014-05-01

The last three decades of surveillance data shows a drastic increase of cholera prevalence in the largest cholera-endemic city in the world - Dhaka, Bangladesh. Emerging megacities in the region, especially those located in coastal areas also remain vulnerable to large scale drivers of cholera outbreaks. However, there has not been any systematic study on linking long-term disease trends with related changes in natural or societal variables. Here, we analyze the 30-year dynamics of urban cholera prevalence in Dhaka with changes in climatic or anthropogenic forcings: regional hydrology, flooding, water usage, changes in distribution systems, population growth and density in urban settlements, as well as shifting climate patterns and frequency of natural disasters. An interesting change is observed in the seasonal trends of cholera prevalence; while an endemic upward trend is seen in the dry season, the post-monsoon trend is epidemic in nature. In addition, the trend in the pre-monsoon dry season is significantly stronger than the post-monsoon wet season; and thus spring is becoming the dominant cholera season of the year. Evidence points to growing urbanization and rising population in unplanned settlements along the city peripheries. The rapid pressure of growth has led to an unsustainable and potentially disastrous situation with negligible-to-poor water and sanitation systems compounded by changing climatic patterns and increasing number of extreme weather events. Growing water scarcity in the dry season and lack of sustainable water and sanitation infrastructure for urban settlements have increased endemicity of cholera outbreaks in spring, while record flood events and prolonged post-monsoon inundation have contributed to increased epidemic outbreaks in fall. We analyze our findings with the World Health Organization recommended guidelines and investigate large scale water sustainability challenges in the context of climatic and anthropogenic changes in the

Conceptualizing Sustainably Produced Food for Promotional Purposes: A Sustainable Marketing Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cecilia Solér

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Progress in transforming current food consumption and production practice in a sustainable direction is slow. Communicative, sustainable consumer policy instruments such as eco-labeling schemes have limited impact outside the green segment and within the mainstream market. This article asks how sustainably produced food can be described in order to promote such food. Based on six cases, it aims to conceptualize the common denominators of sustainable food production by drawing on recent literature on sustainable marketing and on food and sustainable development. Contradictions and implications in terms of labeling schemes, global sourcing and consumer food practice are discussed.

Trends and Gaps in Awareness of Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Tests From 2007 to 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Apathy, Nate C; Menser, Terri; Keeran, Lindsay M; Ford, Eric W; Harle, Christopher A; Huerta, Timothy R

2018-06-01

Direct-to-consumer genetic tests for inherited disease risks have gained recent approvals from the Food and Drug Administration, and interest in these tests has continued to grow. Broad use of these tests coupled with planning and discussion with health providers regarding genetic risks and potential protective behavior changes have been proposed as preventive tools to reduce health disparities and improve equity in health outcomes. However, awareness of direct-to-consumer genetic testing has historically demonstrated differences by education, income, and race; these disparities could jeopardize potential benefits by limiting access and use. The national survey data from the Health Information National Trends Survey was analyzed to understand how overall awareness of direct-to-consumer genetic testing and disparities in awareness across sociodemographic groups have changed since 2007. The findings showed persistent disparities, as well as a widening gap in awareness between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites (OR 2007 =1.52, OR 2014 =0.58, p change =0.0056), despite overall increases in awareness over time. Given these findings, policies regulating direct-to-consumer genetic tests should prioritize equitable distribution of benefits by including provisions that counteract prevailing disparities in awareness. Copyright © 2018 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analyzing the Environmental Impacts of Laptop Enclosures Using Screening-Level Life Cycle Assessment to Support Sustainable Consumer Electronics

Science.gov (United States)

With the ever-increasing amount of consumer electronics in service, it is essential industries and policy-makers work together to develop ways to manufacture more environmentally sustainable IT products which meet the needs of society. The objective of this study was to better un...

Crowdfunding and new trends in consumer behaviour

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Joanna Pieniążek

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses social funding and how it affects consumer behaviour. Crowdfunding contributes to the support and development of interesting products and services. Consumers have become not only the recipients but also co-creators of new products.The changes also apply to the consumption model.So far, the customer has received product already formed by the manufacturers. Now, the customer may pre-order the product via a crowdfunding site, by financially supporting the manufacturing process of the product. Online community which the consumer belongs to has the power to market the products which might never be created or would be created after a long period of time. It may also have influence on their appearance and functionality. The purpose of this article is to present the phenomenon of crowdfunding and an attempt at defining consumer attitudes related to the new model of funding, promotion and sale of products online.The article provides an overview of the literature on the subject and an analysis of selected crowdfunding sites.

Correlates of consumer trust in online health information: findings from the health information national trends survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Yinjiao

2011-01-01

The past few decades have witnessed a dramatic increase in consumers seeking health information online. However, the quality of such information remains questionable, and the trustworthiness of online health information has become a hot topic, whereas little attention has been paid to how consumers evaluate online health information credibility. This study builds on theoretical perspectives of trust such as personal-capital-based, social-capital-based, and transfer-based, and it examines various correlates of consumer trust in online health information. The author analyzed the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey data (N = 7,674). Results showed that consumer trust in online health information did not correlate with personal capital such as income, education, and health status. Social capital indicated by visiting social networking Web sites was not associated with trust in online health information either. Nevertheless, trust in online health information transferred from traditional mass media and government health agencies to the Internet, and it varied by such information features as easiness to locate and to understand. Age appeared to be a key factor in understanding the correlates of trust in online health information. Theoretical and empirical implications of the results are discussed.

EMERGING TRENDS IN TOURISM: NEED FOR ALTERNATIVE FORMS IN MACEDONIAN TOURISM

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Nikola Cuculeski

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to research the development of tourism, taking into consideration the growing competition and new consumer intentions. The aim of this research is to analyze the alternative forms of tourism as a crucial factor for long term sustainability. As a basic research method used is an interview with tourist providers in Macedonia (travel agencies – DMC companies and tourist guides, regarding their experience for alternative tourism forms. Results are showing growing trend of alternative forms of tourism considering different tourist nationalities. These results are valuable for further scientific research in consumer analyzes, and presents an input for the national tourism in this region.

Sustainability pays. A reward system for sustainable producer and consumer behaviour; Duurzaam loont. Een beloningssysteem voor duurzaam consumentengedrag

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Hilten, R. [QOIN, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2011-03-15

In Sustainability Rewarded citizens are rewarded for good behaviour: saving energy, reducing waste, cycling to work more often and so on. They are also enticed to opt more often for environmentally-friendly, regional and sustainable purchases. This is achieved by giving them points as a reward for making the right choice. The prospect of earning points makes consumers more receptive to new information, which they can use to change their choice so that they do not miss out on the reward. These points are saved and can be spent later on other regional and/or sustainable products (gifts). Regional entrepreneurs can thus strengthen their businesses by fostering the loyalty of customers and securing their purchasing power. The government or retailer always settles the paid-out points in euros, so that all points in circulation are always covered by the equivalent value in euros. The government pays for these costs from its policy budget, and retailers from their marketing budget. Several parties from the chain (e.g. the retailer and brand producer) can also form partnerships to share the costs of the points. Points can always be earned and cashed in by the citizen for clean and efficient products, insulation materials, climate-neutral products, regional products, waste prevention and waste separation, sustainable products and services, the use of public transport, voluntary work within the cultural sector, tickets for the cinema, theatre or museum, music classes, healthy food, admission to swimming pools, sports club memberships and so forth. Businesses that accept the points can then convert these into euros at the organization operating the scheme. Consumers can also donate these points to affiliated organizations. Households receive an incentive from the reward to change their behaviour and life style in favour of sustainability. They make more use of the cultural sector, sports, and other amenities. It also helps households to save costs. Tourists opt more often for

Consumer values and eco-fashion in the future

OpenAIRE

Niinimäki, Kirsi

2009-01-01

This paper discusses the consumer values, attitudes and expectations regarding sustainable textiles and clothing. Consumers' interest in ethical issues is currently raising ethical questions in the mass market. What does a consumer expect from sustainable products in the apparel industry? and what is future eco-fashion?

"Hold on, I have to post this on Instagram": Trends, Talk, and Transactions of the Experiential Consumer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steve Kent

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Just a few years ago, consumers proudly showcased material purchases of the latest fashion accessory or technological gadget. Now they are more likely to post online about experiences, rather than the consumption of products.By its very nature, hospitality is a natural beneficiary of these trends in consumption-but how can the industry target audiences to capitalize financially on experiences?

Attitudes of the Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability Segment in Hungary

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Zoltán Szakály

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research was to define the size of the Hungarian LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability consumer group by analyzing its lifestyle based on sustainable values. To achieve this goal, a representative questionnaire-based survey was carried out involving 1000 individuals in Hungary. During the value-orientated research, 25 lifestyle statements were drawn up. According to the results, five value-based segments could be distinguished. The largest cluster, the young trend followers group, reflects the characteristics of the LOHAS consumers’ lifestyle to the greatest extent. However, this segment cannot entirely be regarded as a consumer group devoted to LOHAS values, which is why a further segmentation of this group was necessary. As a result of this further segmentation, the third sub-cluster, which emphasizes the ethical (competence statements the most, can be identified with the LOHAS consumer group, which makes up 8.7% of the Hungarian population. Further research is necessary to find out whether the situation regarding value orientation in Hungary is similar to that in other Eastern European countries whose social and cultural backgrounds are very similar. Revealing the values of the Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability segment contributes to the extension of the literature.

Rural electrification for isolated consumers: Sustainable management model based on residue biomass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinheiro, Giorgiana; Rendeiro, Goncalo; Pinho, Joao; Macedo, Emanuel

2011-01-01

This paper presents a case study of the electrification of a riparian community in the State of Para, Brazil, within the scope of the Program for Electric Power Service Universalization in Brazil. The community is located in a remote area; approximately 100 km from the municipal district, there is no regular transport to access the community, and adequate communication service. The community is provided with electrification facilities through a small biomass-based power plant, directly firing residues produced by the local economic activity. The objective of the paper is to propose a sustainable management model that is suitable for community's isolation conditions, considering the high costs with operation and maintenance related to the supply of isolated consumers in small locations. A simulation is conducted for the operation of the small biomass-based power plant, the generation costs are determined, the legal aspects are analyzed, and a suggestion for the management model is presented. - Highlights: → Electrification of isolated consumers is a great challenge for utilities. → Using local labor and resources allows lower energy costs for electrification. → Creation of a specific legislation for utilities is required. → Should also be implemented social activities together with electrification.

Costs and consequences of direct-to-consumer advertising for clopidogrel in Medicaid.

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Michael R; Soumerai, Stephen B; Adams, Alyce S; Majumdar, Sumit R

2009-11-23

Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) is assumed to be a major driver of rising pharmaceutical costs. Yet, research on how it affects costs is limited. Therefore, we studied clopidogrel, a commonly used and heavily marketed antiplatelet agent, which was first sold in 1998 and first direct-to-consumer advertised in 2001. We examined pharmacy data from 27 Medicaid programs from 1999 through 2005. We used interrupted time series analysis to analyze changes in the number of units dispensed, cost per unit dispensed, and total pharmacy expenditures after DTCA initiation. In 1999 and 2000, there was no DTCA for clopidogrel; from 2001 through 2005, DTCA spending exceeded $350 million. Direct-to-consumer advertising did not change the preexisting trend in the number of clopidogrel units dispensed per 1000 enrollees (P = .10). However, there was a sudden and sustained increase in cost per unit of $0.40 after DTCA initiation (95% confidence interval, $0.31-$0.49; P consumer advertising was not associated with an increase in clopidogrel use over and above preexisting trends. However, Medicaid pharmacy expenditures increased substantially after the initiation of DTCA because of a concomitant increase in the cost per unit. If drug price increases after DTCA initiation are common, there are important implications for payers and for policy makers in the United States and elsewhere.

HYPE: a WFD tool for the identification of significant and sustained upward trends in groundwater time series

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Benjamin; Croiset, Nolwenn; Laurence, Gourcy

2014-05-01

The Water Framework Directive 2006/11/CE (WFD) on the protection of groundwater against pollution and deterioration asks Member States to identify significant and sustained upward trends in all bodies or groups of bodies of groundwater that are characterised as being at risk in accordance with Annex II to Directive 2000/60/EC. The Directive indicates that the procedure for the identification of significant and sustained upward trends must be based on a statistical method. Moreover, for significant increases of concentrations of pollutants, trend reversals are identified as being necessary. This means to be able to identify significant trend reversals. A specific tool, named HYPE, has been developed in order to help stakeholders working on groundwater trend assessment. The R encoded tool HYPE provides statistical analysis of groundwater time series. It follows several studies on the relevancy of the use of statistical tests on groundwater data series (Lopez et al., 2011) and other case studies on the thematic (Bourgine et al., 2012). It integrates the most powerful and robust statistical tests for hydrogeological applications. HYPE is linked to the French national database on groundwater data (ADES). So monitoring data gathered by the Water Agencies can be directly processed. HYPE has two main modules: - a characterisation module, which allows to visualize time series. HYPE calculates the main statistical characteristics and provides graphical representations; - a trend module, which identifies significant breaks, trends and trend reversals in time series, providing result table and graphical representation (cf figure). Additional modules are also implemented to identify regional and seasonal trends and to sample time series in a relevant way. HYPE has been used successfully in 2012 by the French Water Agencies to satisfy requirements of the WFD, concerning characterization of groundwater bodies' qualitative status and evaluation of the risk of non-achievement of

Sustainable business conduct as business model or business identity : a stakeholder review of a potential trend towards a new normal

OpenAIRE

Kvarnström, Lovisa

2016-01-01

The objective of the thesis is to analyse how stakeholder influence has transformed sustainability work from being primarily risk management into becoming an integral part of business conduct and even business identities of today. To detect this trend I gather theoretical information that elaborate on the meaning and drivers of sustainable business conduct, sustainability as corporate identity, relevant stakeholders and ways of communicating to stakeholders. A case study of Ben & Jerry’s ...

Prioritizing the barriers to achieve sustainable consumption and production trends in supply chains using fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mangla, Sachin Kumar; Govindan, Kannan; Luthra, Sunil

2017-01-01

Currently, production systems and consumption patterns are based on conventional courses of action and utilize methods and technologies that are generally not sustainable. As a result, Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) is becoming an important means by which business organizations...... and production trends in a supply chain context. In this work, firstly, 30 barriers related to implementing SCP trends in supply chain are recognized. These barriers are derived from a literature survey and from field and industrial experts' inputs. Secondly, an operational model is suggested using the fuzzy...... Analytical Hierarchy Process to prioritize the identified barriers with the goal of improving overall performance. The fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process helps determine the priority of concerns of the identified barriers under fuzzy surroundings. Inputs in this work are based upon an ancillary auto...

Design of resilient consumer products

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haug, Anders

2016-01-01

Consumer product sustainability is a topic that has been of increasing interest to practice and academia in recent decades. In this context, a widely discussed means of achieving sustainability is to design more durable products, thereby reducing the need for the production of new products....... In particular, the emotional perspective on product durability has received attention in recent design literature, since consumer products are often replaced long before they become physically non-functioning. However, the literature does not provide a full account of the causes of product replacement...... for designers to design resilient consumer products and for researchers to engage in further studies....

Sustainability Policy and the Law

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karsten, Jens; Reisch, Lucia

2008-01-01

Growing awareness of environmental and social concern and the pressing issue of climate change have forcefully re-established sustainability policy as a part of consumer policy. The need for change in consumer behaviour and for more responsible lifestyles on the demand-side of the economy is chal...... of sustainability policy in European politics. Beyond this descriptive purpose the paper thereby purports to frame the debate on sustainability policy and the law on the eve of a new political cycle of the European Union.......Growing awareness of environmental and social concern and the pressing issue of climate change have forcefully re-established sustainability policy as a part of consumer policy. The need for change in consumer behaviour and for more responsible lifestyles on the demand-side of the economy...

Constructive Consumer Choice Processes.

OpenAIRE

Bettman, James R; Luce, Mary Frances; Payne, John W

1998-01-01

Consumer decision making has been a focal interest in consumer research, and consideration of current marketplace trends ( e.g., technological change, an information explosion) indicates that this topic will continue to be critically important. We argue that consumer choice is inherently constructive. Due to limited processing capacity, consumers often do not have well-defined existing preferences, but construct them using a variety of strategies contingent on task demands. After describing c...

78 FR 54629 - Consumer Advisory Board meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-05

... consumer financial products or services industry, including regional trends, concerns, and other relevant... consumer financial products or services industry, including regional trends, concerns, and other relevant... business so requires; in such event, the public will be given notice at the earliest practicable time. (3...

Food Relocalization for Environmental Sustainability in Cumbria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Les Levidow

2011-04-01

Full Text Available In the past decade, many European farmers have adopted less-intensive production methods replacing external inputs with local resources and farmers’ skills. Some have developed closer relations with consumers, also known as short food-supply chains or agro-food relocalization. Through both these means, farmers can gain more of the value that they have added to food production, as well as greater incentives for more sustainable methods and/or quality products, thus linking environmental and economic sustainability. These systemic changes encounter difficulties indicating two generic needs—for state support measures, and for larger intermediaries to expand local markets. The UK rural county of Cumbria provides a case study for exploring those two needs. Cumbria farmers have developed greater proximity to consumers, as a means to gain their support for organic, territorially branded and/or simply ‘local’ food. This opportunity has been an incentive for practices which reduce transport distances, energy costs and other inputs. Regional authorities have provided various support measures for more closely linking producers with each other and with consumers, together developing a Cumbrian food culture. Going beyond the capacity of individual producers, farmer-led intermediaries have maintained distinctive product identities in larger markets including supermarket chains. Although Cumbria’s agro-food relocalization initiatives remain marginal, they counteract the 1990s trend towards delocalization, while also indicating potential for expansion elsewhere.

Trends in Organic Farming Development in Bulgaria: Applying Circular Economy Principles to Sustainable Rural Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dimitrov Dimitar K.

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The paper examines the development of organic farming in Bulgaria through the viewpoint of its links to circular economy concept and its potential to contribute to sustainable rural development. The significant increase in the number of organic operators and areas is analyzed in the context of stable growth in the European sector and worldwide and the increase in consumer demand. Main indicators reported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Bulgaria and the support provided by the National Rural Development Program are used to present the characteristics of organic production and agricultural holdings. The advantages of Bulgaria are underlined as a country offering the necessary conditions, along with the main problems in production and marketing. Recommendations are provided for organic sector encouragement as a sustainable business model and an entrepreneurial initiative for sustainable rural development putting a special accent on networking and capacity building activities in connection to potential solutions and policy development.

Making sense of the "clean label" trends: A review of consumer food choice behavior and discussion of industry implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Asioli, Daniele; Aschemann-Witzel, Jessica; Caputo, Vincenzina; Vecchio, Riccardo; Annunziata, Azzurra; Næs, Tormod; Varela, Paula

2017-09-01

Consumers in industrialized countries are nowadays much more interested in information about the production methods and components of the food products that they eat, than they had been 50years ago. Some production methods are perceived as less "natural" (i.e. conventional agriculture) while some food components are seen as "unhealthy" and "unfamiliar" (i.e. artificial additives). This phenomenon, often referred to as the "clean label" trend, has driven the food industry to communicate whether a certain ingredient or additive is not present or if the food has been produced using a more "natural" production method (i.e. organic agriculture). However, so far there is no common and objective definition of clean label. This review paper aims to fill the gap via three main objectives, which are to a) develop and suggest a definition that integrates various understandings of clean label into one single definition, b) identify the factors that drive consumers' choices through a review of recent studies on consumer perception of various food categories understood as clean label with the focus on organic, natural and 'free from' artificial additives/ingredients food products and c) discuss implications of the consumer demand for clean label food products for food manufacturers as well as policy makers. We suggest to define clean label, both in a broad sense, where consumers evaluate the cleanliness of product by assumption and through inference looking at the front-of-pack label and in a strict sense, where consumers evaluate the cleanliness of product by inspection and through inference looking at the back-of-pack label. Results show that while 'health' is a major consumer motive, a broad diversity of drivers influence the clean label trend with particular relevance of intrinsic or extrinsic product characteristics and socio-cultural factors. However, 'free from' artificial additives/ingredients food products tend to differ from organic and natural products. Food

Consumer attitudes towards sustainability aspects of food production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krystallis Krontalis, Athanasios; Grunert, Klaus G; de Barcellos, Marcia Dutra

2012-01-01

This study aims to analyse citizens' sustainability attitudes towards food production in the EU, Brazil, and China (n = 2885), using pork as an exemplary production system. The objective is to map citizens' attitudes towards sustainable characteristics of pig production systems, and investigate...... whether these attitudes coincide with people's general attitudes towards sustainability, on one hand, and their consumption of specific pork products, on the other. A conjoint experiment was designed to evaluate citizens' preferences towards pig production systems with varying sustainability levels....... Conjoint analysis results were then used for a subsequent cluster analysis in order to identify international citizen clusters across the three continents. Respondents' sociodemographic profile, attitudes towards sustainability issues, and consumption frequency of various pork products are used to profile...

Consumer attitudes towards sustainability aspects of food production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krystallis Krontalis, Athanasios; Grunert, Klaus G; de Barcellos, Marcia D.

2013-01-01

This study aims to analyse citizens' sustainability attitudes towards food production in the EU, Brazil, and China (n = 2885), using pork as an exemplary production system. The objective is to map citizens' attitudes towards sustainable characteristics of pig production systems, and investigate...... whether these attitudes coincide with people's general attitudes towards sustainability, on one hand, and their consumption of specific pork products, on the other. A conjoint experiment was designed to evaluate citizens' preferences towards pig production systems with varying sustainability levels....... Conjoint analysis results were then used for a subsequent cluster analysis in order to identify international citizen clusters across the three continents. Respondents' sociodemographic profile, attitudes towards sustainability issues, and consumption frequency of various pork products are used to profile...

THE ROLE OF CONSUMERS IN THE TRANSITION TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FOOD SUPPLY. THE CASE OF GRUPPI DI ACQUISTO SOLIDALE (SOLIDARITY PURCHASING GROUPS IN ITALY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filippo Randelli

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses the role of ethical consumers in the transition process towards a sustainable food supply. The questions that immediately come to mind are: can the consumers put changes in motion in the established food supply regime? Which are the mechanisms hindering a transition driven by consumers? In order to answer to these questions we analyse the case of Gruppi di Acquisto Solidale (Solidarity Purchasing Groups in Italy, as a support for a broader reflection to the topic. The growing dissatisfaction with the established food supply, dominated by the duopoly supermarket-global food supplier, has driven a few pioneers to search for new solutions. In the case of Italy, consumers have organized themselves into informal networks, in order to purchase quality food together from local farmers. They are motivated by the meeting of social, ethical and environmental needs (providing sustainable food and support local farmers which were not served in the beginning by incumbent firms and they operate in the social economy as community groups.

From corporate social responsibility (CSR to sustainability – Trend of social reporting in banking organization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shirley Mo-Ching Yeung

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Riding on the key findings of Yeung (2011 for the four main factors for a framework of CSR for banks: (1 internal management –implementing meaningful strategy, (2 external management – accountability for creditability, (3 internal management - process and people management; and (4 external management – consideration of stakeholders, this paper has reviewed the sustainability-related activities of a major bank in Hong Kong for the past eight years to build a framework for sustainability via qualitative and quantitative analysis of N’ vivo in this research. Five main dimensions are identified for fulfilling the principles of sustainability and the seven dimensions of CSR: 1 community – caring and disclosure, 2 consumers – products and services, 3 environmental issues – certification and schemes, 4 staff issues – talent development and 5 supply chain – performance. There is a growing emphasis on community issues of caring which embed talent development of staff issues (e.g. impacts on skill strengthening and supply chain issues of performance which embed the environmental concerns and services issues (e.g. impacts on safety and risk-reducing policy. By understanding the reporting elements of sustainability-related reports, it is expected that transparency of community, staff and supply chain issues is needed to gain trust from the public for sustainability. This research is managerially and strategically relevant and topical. However, more sustainability-related reports from banks of other countries are required to generate a holistic picture for managing and reporting sustainability and CSR related activities.

Sustainable consumption

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Prothero, Andrea; Dobscha, Susan; Freund, Jim

2011-01-01

This essay explores sustainable consumption and considers possible roles for marketing and consumer researchers and public policy makers in addressing the many sustainability challenges that pervade our planet. Future research approaches to this interdisciplinary topic need to be comprehensive...... and systematic and will benefit from a variety of different perspectives. There are a number of opportunities for future research, and three areas are explored in detail. First, the essay considers the inconsistency between the attitudes and behaviors of consumers with respect to sustainability; next, the agenda...... is broadened to explore the role of individual citizens in society; and finally, a macro institutional approach to fostering sustainability is explored. Each of these areas is examined in detail and possible research avenues and public policy initiatives are considered within each of these separate...

Sport and Sex-Specific Reporting Trends in the Epidemiology of Concussions Sustained by High School Athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Schallmo, Michael S; Weiner, Joseph A; Hsu, Wellington K

2017-08-02

Approximately 300,000 U.S. adolescents sustain concussions annually while participating in organized athletics. This study aimed to track sex and sport-specific trends among high school sports-related concussions over time, to identify whether a particular sport predisposes athletes to a higher risk, and to assess whether traumatic brain injury law enactments have been successful in improving recognition. Injury data for academic years 2005 to 2014 were collected from annual reports generated by High School RIO (Reporting Information Online). The relative proportions of total estimated concussions to total estimated injuries were compared using an injury proportion ratio. The concussion rate was defined as the number of concussions per 10,000 athlete exposures (1 athlete participating in 1 practice or competition), with rates compared using a rate ratio. To evaluate the impact of legislation on sports-related concussions in this population, trends in concussion rates and proportions were analyzed before enactment (academic years 2005-2009) and after enactment (academic years 2010-2014). Between 2005-2006 and 2014-2015, a significant increase (p concussions for all sports combined, the overall concussion rate (rate ratio, 2.30 [95% confidence interval, 2.04 to 2.59]), and the overall proportion of concussions (injury proportion ratio, 2.68 [95% confidence interval, 2.66 to 2.70]) was seen. Based on the injury proportion ratio, during the 2014-2015 academic year, concussions were more common in girls' soccer than in any other sport (p concussion prevention and recognition measures continue to be emphasized in high school contact sports. The data in our study suggest that significant increases in the overall rate and proportion of reported concussions during the past decade could have been affected by traumatic brain injury legislation. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that girls' soccer players may have an even greater risk of sustaining a concussion

A food recall case study in Australia – Towards the development of food safety applications for consumers

OpenAIRE

Adeola Bamgboje-Ayodele; Leonie Ellis; Paul Turner

2016-01-01

Changes in consumer attitudes, behaviours and purchasing preferences towards different types of food highlight the increased demand for better quality information on safety, quality and provenance of food products and on sustainability of food production processes. These changes offer both new opportunities and risks for food producers who require mechanisms to better understand and respond to changing consumers’ decision-making trends on food.  In the area of food safety, investigation of co...

Sustainability and the facilities management in Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asbollah Asra Zaliza

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Facilities Management (FM in the industry of environment involves numerous expertise, especially from the management side. Other than that, technology and finance are the other factors involved as well. One essential aspect of FM, other than the emphasis on technical operation, is its performance. In parallel, the performance does impact occupant behaviour and, at the same time, this performance does affect the environment. In short, this indicates that FM is in a key position to participate in delivering a sustainable environment for the industry of built environment. Sustainable facilities Management (SFM is crucial because buildings consume more resources which will, in consequence, negatively impact the environment and generate large amounts of waste. This justifies the importance of sustainability under the umbrella of facilities management. However, FM is quite new in Malaysia’s environment. Government agencies, such as JKR, have adopted and are practicing FM at the moment. Fortunately, there has been an increasing trend and awareness of SFM adoption. Therefore, this paper aims to understand and identify the contribution and practices of Sustainable Facilities Management (SFM in Malaysia; focusing on the development taken in regards to SFM.

Marine Structures: Future Trends and the Role of Universities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Preben Terndrup

2015-01-01

the analysis tools that are most needed to enable sustainable designs for future ships and offshore structures.The last section of the paper contains thoughts on the role of universities in education, research, and innovation regarding marine structures. It discusses curriculum requirements for maritime-technology......This paper emphasizes some of the challenges and trends associated with the future development of marine structures. Its main focus is onways to improve the efficiency of energy-consuming ships, and on design challenges related to energy-producing offshore structures. This paper also discusses...... education, basic research activities, and international cooperation....

Marine Structures: Future Trends and the Role of Universities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Preben Terndrup Pedersen

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This paper emphasizes some of the challenges and trends associated with the future development of marine structures. Its main focus is on ways to improve the efficiency of energy-consuming ships, and on design challenges related to energy-producing offshore structures. This paper also discusses the analysis tools that are most needed to enable sustainable designs for future ships and offshore structures. The last section of the paper contains thoughts on the role of universities in education, research, and innovation regarding marine structures. It discusses curriculum requirements for maritime-technology education, basic research activities, and international cooperation.

The added value of sustainability motivations in understanding sustainable food choices

OpenAIRE

Verain, M.C.D.; Onwezen, M.C.; Sijtsema, S.J.; Dagevos, H.

2016-01-01

Understanding consumer food choices is crucial to stimulate sustainable food consumption. Food choice motives are shown to be relevant in understanding consumer food choices. However, there is a focus on product motives, such as price and taste, whereas process motives (i.e. environmental welfare) are understudied. The current study aims to add to the existing literature by investigating the added value of sustainable process motives (environmental welfare, animal welfare and social justice) ...

Design for Sustainability : Current Trends in Sustainable Product Design and Development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Clark, G.; Kosoris, J.; Nguyen Hong, L.; Crul, M.

2009-01-01

The Design for Sustainability (D4S) concept outlines methodologies for making sustainable improvements (social, economic and environmental) to products by applying elements of life cycle thinking. D4S builds on the work of ecodesign to include economic and social concerns, and its methodology

Behavioural Economics, Consumer Behaviour, and Consumer Policy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reisch, Lucia A.; Zhao, Min

2017-01-01

. In particular, we discuss the impacts of key principles such as status quo bias, the endowment effect, mental accounting and the sunkcost effect, other heuristics and biases related to availability, salience, the anchoring effect and simplicity rules, as well as the effects of other supposedly irrelevant...... factors such as music, temperature and physical markers on consumers’ decisions. These principles not only add significantly to research on consumer behaviour – they also offer readily available practical implications for consumer policy to nudge behaviour in beneficial directions in consumption domains...... including financial decision making, product choice, healthy eating and sustainable consumption....

Age trends for failures of sustained attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Carriere, Jonathan S A; Cheyne, J Allan; Solman, Grayden J F; Smilek, Daniel

2010-09-01

Recent research has revealed an age-related reduction in errors in a sustained attention task, suggesting that sustained attention abilities improve with age. Such results seem paradoxical in light of the well-documented age-related declines in cognitive performance. In the present study, performance on the sustained attention to response task (SART) was assessed in a supplemented archival sample of 638 individuals between 14 and 77 years old. SART errors and response speed appeared to decline in a linear fashion as a function of age throughout the age span studied. In contrast, other measures of sustained attention (reaction time coefficient of variation), anticipation, and omissions) showed a decrease early in life and then remained unchanged for the rest of the life span. Thus, sustained attention shows improvements with maturation in early adulthood but then does not change with aging in older adults. On the other hand, aging across the entire life span leads to a more strategic (i.e., slower) response style that reduces the overt and critical consequences (i.e., SART errors) of momentary task disengagement. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Sustainable Consumption and Life Satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Jing Jian; Li, Haifeng

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between sustainable consumption and life satisfaction. One aspect of sustainable consumption focused on in this study is the environment friendly purchase or green purchase. Using data collected from consumers in 14 cities in China, we found that consumers who reported green purchase…

Supporting Sustainable Markets Through Life Cycle Assessment: Evaluating emerging technologies, incorporating uncertainty and the consumer perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Merugula, Laura

As civilization's collective knowledge grows, we are met with the realization that human-induced physical and biological transformations influenced by exogenous psychosocial and economic factors affect virtually every ecosystem on the planet. Despite improvements in energy generation and efficiencies, demand of material goods and energy services increases with no sign of a slowing pace. Sustainable development requires a multi-prong approach that involves reshaping demand, consumer education, sustainability-oriented policy, and supply chain management that does not serve the expansionist mentality. Thus, decision support tools are needed that inform developers, consumers, and policy-makers for short-term and long-term planning. These tools should incorporate uncertainty through quantitative methods as well as qualitatively informing the nature of the model as imperfect but necessary and adequate. A case study is presented of the manufacture and deployment of utility-scale wind turbines evaluated for a proposed change in blade manufacturing. It provides the first life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluating impact of carbon nanofibers, an emerging material, proposed for integration to wind power generation systems as blade reinforcement. Few LCAs of nanoproducts are available in scientific literature due to research and development (R&D) for applications that continues to outpace R&D for environmental, health, and safety (EHS) and life cycle impacts. LCAs of emerging technologies are crucial for informing developers of potential impacts, especially where market growth is swift and dissipative. A second case study is presented that evaluates consumer choice between disposable and reusable beverage cups. While there are a few studies that attempt to make the comparison using LCA, none adequately address uncertainty, nor are they representative for the typical American consumer. By disaggregating U.S. power generation into 26 subregional grid production mixes and evaluating

evaluation of electricity consumer's behaviour towards electricity ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Energy efficiency and sustainability: evaluation of electricity consumer's behaviour towards electricity usage and energy conservation. ... Remember me ... particularly about electricity consumer's attitudes, behaviour and practices with respect ...

Toward sustainable logistics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Soysal, Mehmet; Bloemhof-Ruwaard, Jacqueline M.

2017-01-01

The fast evolution of sustainability leads to the development of a new fast-growing concept called sustainable logistics management. This research addresses recent business trends and challenges in logistics and their implications for sustainable logistics management. Additionally, we discuss policy

Toward sustainable logistics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Soysal, Mehmet; Bloemhof-Ruwaard, Jacqueline M.

2018-01-01

The fast evolution of sustainability leads to the development of a new fast-growing concept called sustainable logistics management. This research addresses recent business trends and challenges in logistics and their implications for sustainable logistics management. Additionally, we discuss policy

A History of Drug Advertising: The Evolving Roles of Consumers and Consumer Protection

Science.gov (United States)

Donohue, Julie

2006-01-01

Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs in the United States is controversial. Underlying the debate are disagreements over the role of consumers in medical decision making, the appropriateness of consumers engaging in self-diagnosis, and the ethics of an industry promoting potentially dangerous drugs. Drug advertising and federal policy governing drug advertising have both responded to and reinforced changes in the consumer's role in health care and in the doctor-patient relationship over time. This article discusses the history of DTCA in the context of social movements to secure rights for health care patients and consumers, the modern trend toward consumer-oriented medicine, and the implications of DTCA and consumer-oriented medicine for contemporary health policy debates about improving the health care system. PMID:17096638

A history of drug advertising: the evolving roles of consumers and consumer protection.

Science.gov (United States)

Donohue, Julie

2006-01-01

Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs in the United States is controversial. Underlying the debate are disagreements over the role of consumers in medical decision making, the appropriateness of consumers engaging in self-diagnosis, and the ethics of an industry promoting potentially dangerous drugs. Drug advertising and federal policy governing drug advertising have both responded to and reinforced changes in the consumer's role in health care and in the doctor-patient relationship over time. This article discusses the history of DTCA in the context of social movements to secure rights for health care patients and consumers, the modern trend toward consumer-oriented medicine, and the implications of DTCA and consumer-oriented medicine for contemporary health policy debates about improving the health care system.

Black Truffle Harvesting in Spanish Forests: Trends, Current Policies and Practices, and Implications on its Sustainability

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Barreda, Sergi; Forcadell, Ricardo; Sánchez, Sergio; Martín-Santafé, María; Marco, Pedro; Camarero, J. Julio; Reyna, Santiago

2018-04-01

The European black truffle is a mycorrhizal fungus native to Spanish Mediterranean forests. In most Spanish regions it was originally commercially harvested in the second half of the 20th century. Experts agree that wild truffle yields suffered a sharp decline during the 1970s and 1980s. However, official statistics for Spanish harvest are scarce and seemingly conflicting, and little attention has been paid to the regime for the exploitation of truffle-producing forests and its implications on the sustainability of this resource. Trends in harvest from 1969 to 2013 and current harvesting practices were analyzed as a case study, taking into account that Spain is a major truffle producer worldwide, but at the same time truffles have only recently been exploited. The available statistical sources, which include an increasing proportion of cultivated truffles since the mid-1990s, were explored, with estimates from Truffle Harvesters Federation showing higher consistency. Statistical sources were then compared with proxies for wild harvest (rents from truffle leases in public forests) to corroborate time trends in wild harvesting. Results suggest that black truffle production is recovering in recent years thanks to plantations, whereas wild harvest is still declining. The implications of Spanish legal and institutional framework on sustainability of wild truffle use are reviewed. In the current scenario, the decline of wild harvest is likely to continue and eventually make commercial harvesting economically unattractive, thus aggravating sustainability issues. Strengthening of property rights, rationalization of harvesting pressure, forest planning and involvement of public stakeholders are proposed as corrective measures.

Clear road for sustainable fuels? Study on the willingness of consumers to switch to sustainable fuels; Weg vrij voor duurzame brandstoffen? Onderzoek naar bereidheid consument om over te schakelen op duurzame brandstoffen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Amelsfoort, A.; Zwier, R.

2007-07-01

In the Netherlands, there are currently hardly any filling stations where various types of sustainable fuels are available next to the regular fuels. Green Planet wants to start a filling station in the province of Drenthe. However, first Green Planet want to examine if consumers are prepared to switch to sustainable fuels. In addition, they want to know how these fuels should be properly introduced. The authors have sent questionnaires to more than 300 car drivers in the provinces of Groningen en Drenthe. Based on the results of the questionnaire a marketing strategy was developed recommending to start offering sustainable fuels, and especially B10/E10 and CNG. The consumer must be informed about the composition of sustainable fuels and possible consequences that driving on sustainable fuels may have for cars and the environment. [mk]. [Dutch] In Nederland zijn op dit moment praktisch geen tankstations waar, naast reguliere brandstoffen, verschillende soorten duurzame brandstoffen worden aangeboden. Green Planet wil hiervoor een tankstation beginnen in de provincie Drenthe. Green Planet wil echter eerst laten onderzoeken of consumenten bereid zijn om op duurzame brandstoffen te gaan rijden. Daarnaast wil zij graag weten op welke wijze deze brandstoffen moeten worden geintroduceerd. De auteurs hebben een enquete uitgezet onder ruim 300 autorijders in Groningen en Drenthe. Op basis van de enqueteresultaten is een marketingstrategie opgesteld waarin wordt aanbevolen om duurzame brandstoffen te gaan aanbieden, met nadruk op B10/E10 en CNG. Hierbij moet de consument vooral ingelicht worden over de samenstelling van duurzame brandstoffen en over eventuele consequenties van het rijden op duurzame brandstoffen voor auto en milieu.

Survey Results on Fashion Consumption and Sustainability Among Young Consumers in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK and the US in 2014

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Farsang, Andrea; Gwozdz, Wencke; Mueller, Tina

Sustainable choices and behaviours are becoming ever more important in our daily lives in all domains of consumption. This report focuses specifically on the consumption of textile fashion by young consumers in five different countries by focusing on two consumption phases, the purchase phase...

Field Report - Consumer Survey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kristian S.; Gwozdz, Wencke

The present report outlines the purpose, scope, and methodology of a recently conducted four-country consumer survey that explored sustainable clothing consumption. The report also presents a sample of the descriptive findings from the survey (see Gwozdz, Nielsen & Müller, 2017 for further results...... foundation for upcoming deliverables relating to quality of life, acceptance of new business models, and consumer policy recommendations. The results presented in the report relate, specifically, to consumers’ general clothing consumption patterns, acceptance of new business models, and environmental...... purchasing outlets, and acceptance of new business models. Polish and American consumers purchased the most clothing items. Polish consumers also reported the lowest expenditures on clothing, whereas German consumers reported the highest expenditures. Only a limited proportion of consumers had previously...

Responsible marketing for sustainable tourism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jegdić Vaso

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The biggest challenge associated with the concept of sustainable tourism is its operationalisation and perception as a process to be applied through development plans, projects and ongoing activities of tour operators. The traditional approach to marketing, focused on a limited idea of maximising profit businesses, was not able to respond to a number of social and environmental requirements imposed by the concept of sustainable development. This paper discusses the ways in which marketing could play a more important role in the sustainable development of tourism. This refers to the determination of consumer needs and preferences, the formation of certain products and pricing, product information and advertising to consumers of their benefits in a sustainable manner, as well as adequate distribution channels used by businesses to deliver products to consumers. Environmental and social marketing are now being confirmed as important elements of a much broader marketing perspective. In order to develop tourism with sustainable outcomes, responsible marketing can be crucial. The concept of marketing mix for sustainable tourism was used as a starting point to explore the specific role of responsible marketing in tourism.

International trends on sustainable energy Issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spitalnik, J.

2007-01-01

At the U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), the role of nuclear power for a carbon free emission supply of energy is now being recognized although with certain reticence or opposition. Such recognition is taking place at the current cycle of discussions devoted to sustainable energy, industrial development, atmospheric pollution and climate change issues. This paper focuses on the arguments and facts provided during CSD deliberations for considering nuclear energy as a valid option: all available energy sources will need to be considered for an adjustment to a world that requires much less carbon liberation to the environment; in the transportation sector, actions need to be urgently implemented for promoting cleaner fuels and more efficient vehicles; massive reduction of greenhouse gas emissions must be urgently implemented in order to mitigate the impacts of global warming; sustainable energy solutions for developed economies are not always adequate in developing countries; the development evolution requires specifically tailored solutions to conditions of large annual growth-rates of energy demand. Consequently, nuclear power will provide the answer to many of these problems. (Author)

The rise of digital direct-to-consumer advertising?: Comparison of direct-to-consumer advertising expenditure trends from publicly available data sources and global policy implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Mackey, Tim K; Cuomo, Raphael E; Liang, Bryan A

2015-06-19

Pharmaceutical marketing is undergoing a major shift in the United States, in part due to new transparency regulations under the healthcare reform act. Changes in pharmaceutical marketing practices include a possible shift from more traditional forms of direct-to-consumer advertising towards emerging use of Internet-based DTCA ("eDTCA") given the growing importance of digital health or "eHealth." Though legally allowed only in the U.S. and New Zealand, eDTCA poses novel regulatory challenges, as it can cross geopolitical boundaries and impact health systems and populations outside of these countries. We wished to assess whether changes in DTCA and eDTCA expenditure trends was occurring using publicly available pharmaceutical marketing data. DTCA data was analyzed to compare trends in aggregate marketing expenditures and to assess if there were statistically significant differences in trends and magnitudes for data sources and DTCA sub-categories (including eDTCA). This was accomplished using regression lines of DTCA trend data and conducting pairwise comparisons of regression coefficients using t-tests. Means testing was utilized for comparing magnitude of DTCA expenditure. Data from multiple data sources indicate that aggregate DTCA expenditures have slightly declined during the period from 2005-2009 and are consistent with results from other studies. For DTCA sub-categories, television remained the most utilized form of DTCA, though experienced trends of declining expenditures (-13.2 %) similar to other traditional media platforms such as radio (-30.7 %) and outdoor ads (-12.1 %). The only DTCA sub-category that experienced substantial increased expenditures was eDTCA (+109.0 %) and it was the only medium that had statistically significant differences in its marketing expenditure trends compared to other DTCA sub-categories. Our study indicates that traditional DTCA marketing may be on the decline. Conversely, the only DTCA sub-category that experienced

Inferring Anthropogenic Trends from Satellite Data for Water-sustainability of US Cities Near Artificial Reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Yigzaw, W. Y.; Hossain, F.

2015-12-01

Impact of anthropogenic activities on water cycle and water supply has different effects at global and regional spatial scales, ensuing the need for a design and water management approach that considers anthropogenic inputs. One of the major inputs in local-to-regional availability of water and the water cycle are land use land cover change as a result of urbanization, artificial reservoirs and irrigation activity. This study employed a multi-factorial approach involving population trends, water use (and demand), streamflow; and various satellite derived water-relevant variables. These variables are: daily precipitation (from TRMM, 3B42.V7), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index-NDVI (from MODIS-MOD13A1), land surface temperature-LST (from MODIS-MOD11A2), and land cover (MODIS-MCD12Q1). Long terms exhibited by such data were used to understand temporal and spatial trends in impounded watersheds hosting a large and growing city in its proximity. The selected cities are: City of Atlanta-Georgia and Buford dam; Columbia-South Carolina and Saluda dam; Columbus-Ohio and Alum Creek dam; Montgomery-Alabama and Jordan dam; Tulsa-Oklahoma and Keystone dam; Tuscaloosa-Alabama and Tuscaloosa dam were selected. our study reveals that daily mean stream flow has been decreasing in all but one (Tulsa) of the areas selected. Satellite data trends between 2000 and 2012 showed a steady decrease in precipitation and NDVI; while LST has gradually increased. We attribute the NDVI (i.e., gradual decrease in vegetation cover) to LST rather than precipitation trends. The results of this research suggested that future temperature projection from climate models can be used in understanding vegetation activity and water availability over the study areas. Cities with larger upstream watershed area are potentially more sustainable and resilient (than those with small watersheds) as a result of spatial variability of water resources' response to climate change. Inter-basin water resources

Market-oriented health care reforms: trends and future options.

Science.gov (United States)

van de Ven, W P

1996-09-01

In many (predominantly) publicly financed health care systems market-oriented health care reforms are being implemented or have been proposed. The purpose of these reforms is to make resource allocation in health care more efficient, more innovative and more responsive to consumers preferences while maintaining equity. At the same time, the advances in technology result in a divergence of consumers' preferences with respect to health care and urge society to (re)think about the meaning of the solidarity principle in health care. In this paper we indicate some international trends in health care reforms and explore some potential future options. From an international perspective we can observe a trend towards universal mandatory health insurance, contracts between third-party purchasers and the providers of care, competition among providers of care and a strengthening of primary care. These trends can be expected to continue. A more controversial issue is whether there should also be competition among the third-party purchasers and whether in the long run there will occur a convergence towards some "ideal" model. Although regulated competition in health care can be expected to yield more value for money, it might yield both more efficiency and higher total costs. It has been argued that equity can be maintained in a competitive health care system if we interpret equity as "equal access to cost-effective care within a reasonable period of time". Because the effectiveness of care has to be considered in relation to the medical indication and the condition of the patient, the responsibility for cost-effective care rests primarily with the providers of care. Guidelines and protocols should be developed by the profession and sustained by financial incentives embedded in contracts. It has been argued that the third-party purchasers could start to concentrate on the contracts with the primary care physicians. Contracts with other providers could then be a natural

Identification and evaluation of culture current trend consumption of goods and services to final consumers in Ukraine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Osmolovich Anna

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Changes in the relations of property and economic crisis intensified the problem of employment and decline of standard of life of population, transformed (strengthened participation of the state in providing of social security of personality, increased differentiation of population on profits. Understanding of necessities and interests of consumer is needed both for realization of effective public social policy and for forming perspective both from the point of view of economic effectiveness and socially-responsible marketing trends. The article is sanctified to research of volumes, structure and tendencies of the personal consumption of citizens of Ukraine in 2015.

The added value of sustainability motivations in understanding sustainable food choices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verain, M.C.D.; Onwezen, M.C.; Sijtsema, S.J.; Dagevos, H.

2016-01-01

Understanding consumer food choices is crucial to stimulate sustainable food consumption. Food choice motives are shown to be relevant in understanding consumer food choices. However, there is a focus on product motives, such as price and taste, whereas process motives (i.e. environmental welfare)

Awakened Oscillations in Coupled Consumer-Resource Pairs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Almaz Mustafin

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The paper concerns two interacting consumer-resource pairs based on chemostat-like equations under the assumption that the dynamics of the resource is considerably slower than that of the consumer. The presence of two different time scales enables to carry out a fairly complete analysis of the problem. This is done by treating consumers and resources in the coupled system as fast-scale and slow-scale variables, respectively, and subsequently considering developments in phase planes of these variables, fast and slow, as if they are independent. When uncoupled, each pair has unique asymptotically stable steady state and no self-sustained oscillatory behavior (although damped oscillations about the equilibrium are admitted. When the consumer-resource pairs are weakly coupled through direct reciprocal inhibition of consumers, the whole system exhibits self-sustained relaxation oscillations with a period that can be significantly longer than intrinsic relaxation time of either pair. It is shown that the model equations adequately describe locally linked consumer-resource systems of quite different nature: living populations under interspecific interference competition and lasers coupled via their cavity losses.

Developing More Insights on Sustainable Consumption in China Based on Q Methodology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying Qu

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Being an important aspect of sustainable development, sustainable consumption has attracted great attention among Chinese politicians and academia, and Chinese governments have established policies that encourage sustainable consumption behaviors. However, unsustainable consumption behavior still remains predominant in China. This paper aims to classify consumers with similar traits, in terms of the characteristics of practicing sustainable consumption, into one group, so that their traits can be clearly understood, to enable governments to establish pointed policies for different groups of consumers. Q methodology, generally used to reveal the subjectivity of human beings involved in any situation, is applied in this paper to classify Chinese consumers based on Q sample design and data collection and analysis. Next, the traits of each group are analyzed in detail and comparison analyses are also conducted to compare the common and differentiating factors among the three groups. The results show that Chinese consumers can be classified into three groups: sustainable (Group 1, potential sustainable (Group 2 and unsustainable consumers (Group 3, according to their values and attitudes towards sustainable consumption. As such, Group 1 cares for the environment and has strong environmental values. They understand sustainable consumption and its functions. Group 2 needs more enlightenments and external stimuli to motivate them to consume sustainably. Group 3 needs to be informed about and educated on sustainable consumption to enable them to change their consumption behavior from unsustainable to sustainable. Suggestions and implications of encouraging each group of consumers to engage in sustainable consumption are also provided.

Children between Sustainable Development and Commercials

Science.gov (United States)

Péter, Lilla; Balázs, Szilvia

2009-01-01

Our paper deals with the relationship between sustainability, media advertisements and their effect on children. This topic is highly actual today, as the children of today, who grow up in front of the TV will be the consumers of tomorrow. The perpetual growth of consuming and gathering material goods is not serving the sustainable development.…

Brand Strategies in the Era of Sustainability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aleksandar Grubor

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Today, brands are powerful instruments of change. They are tightly connected with consumers all over the world and profoundly incorporated into their everyday life and choices they made. Consumers indicate with brands they love and strongly advocate the ideas that are embedded in their philosophy and image. Consequently, companies that own successful brands, which are followed by large group of loyal consumers, have the power to generate modification and even complete shift in consumers' lifestyle, value system, attitudes and behavior. Accordingly, environmentally friendly brands are inevitable element of sustainable marketing strategy and sustainability concept, given that its implementation requires changes that will trigger mass rather than individuals. However, regardless of positive opinion about socially responsible practice on the market, attitude - behavior gap is widely present among consumers, making segment of green consumers just a market niche. Thus, the most challenging task for marketing and brand managers is to find interest for consumers in a sustainable way of life and to make it easy accessible and attractive for them. This article aims to highlight the leading role of sustainability in branding theory and practice and to point out strategies for successful implementation of green values into the brand management, with an accent on brand equity construct, relying on the results of research and analysis in the given field.

Consumer Behavior Research

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Kaveh Peighambari

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This article analyzes 12 years of recent scholarly research on consumer behavior published in the five leading international journals in this field. Analyzing academic contributions to a specific area of research provides valuable insights into how it has evolved over a defined period. The approach was to briefly discuss content analysis and its application in scholarly literature review studies. The methodology used here involves the classification of topics to evaluate key trends in consumer behavior literature. It includes a ranking of topics published, typology of the published articles, the research classification in terms of methodologies, and analysis techniques. The most cited articles in the field and within each journal are also examined. The comprehensive literature review of consumer behavior research undertaken in this article could advance the discipline of consumer behavior research by elucidating the evolution of consumer behavior literature in the studied period.

Sustainability index for Taipei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Y.-J.; Huang Chingming

2007-01-01

Sustainability indicators are an effective means of determining whether a city is moving towards sustainable development (SD). After considering the characteristics of Taipei, Taiwan, discussions with experts, scholars and government departments and an exhaustive literature review, this study selected 51 sustainability indicators corresponding to the socio-economic characteristic of Taipei City. Such indicators should be regarded as a basis for assessing SD in Taipei City. The 51 indicators are classified into economic, social, environmental and institutional dimensions. Furthermore, statistical data is adopted to identify the trend of SD from 1994 to 2004. Moreover, the sustainability index is calculated for the four dimensions and for Taipei as a whole. Analysis results demonstrate that social and environmental indicators are moving towards SD, while economic and institutional dimensions are performing relatively poorly. However, since 2002, the economic sustainability index has gradually moved towards SD. Overall, the Taipei sustainability index indicates a gradual trend towards sustainable development during the past 11 years

Trend Analysis of Worldwide FDI Flows in the Context of Promoting Sustainable Development and National Interest

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Alina Georgeta Ailincă

2016-10-01

Full Text Available About FDI there are numerous studies, some of them have mostly theoretical character and others mostly practical. This article aims at capturing and analyzing the most important trends in the short, medium and long term on FDI flows worldwide, thus this study has a rather practical approach. Also, the paper aims to discern how FDI flows may influence the sustainable development and the national interest. The analysis starts from studying the past in the most significant developments of the world economy in terms of inflows of investment attraction, drawing marginally some advantages or disadvantages of joining a political entity with regional vocation (e.g. European Union or a currency area (e.g. E.M.U.. It should also be noted that, beyond the analysis of past trends, the direction towards which worldwide foreign direct investment (FDI should be considered in relationship with the ability to infer certain areas which in future can attract FDI for a sustainable and balanced national economy development, serving to the national interest. Thus, the article aims, through a broad set of indicators, to seize these structural or cyclical advantages of world economies and, to the extent that can be applied to the Romanian economy, to contribute to the restructuring of objectives of macroeconomic policies in order to mobilize the country's potential to attract FDI.

Consumers’ willingness to pay for sustainable wine claims

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mueller, Simone; Remaud, Hervé; Chabin, Yann

attributes (price, brand, region of origin and appellation system, grape variety, alcohol level, medal, sensory style, bottling, and sustainable claim), considering the majority of attributes, which are known to be important to consumers and preventing an overestimation of the effect of sustainable claims......-choice reference alternative. Findings: Of all sustainable claims, organic had the highest impact on consumer choice, followed by a privately used claim ‘protect the planet’. Carbon zero wines were only significantly positively valued in the UK, where consumers were made aware of its meaning through national...

The dilemma of healthy eating and environmental sustainability: the case of fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Clonan, Angie; Holdsworth, Michelle; Swift, Judy A; Leibovici, Didier; Wilson, Paul

2012-02-01

Despite widespread concern over exploitation of the European Union's fish stocks, dietary guidelines in the UK continue to recommend two portions of fish per week. The present study sought to investigate whether health and/or sustainability are motivating factors when purchasing and consuming fish and whether there are sociodemographic trends. A structured, self-completion postal questionnaire exploring consumers' attitudes towards purchasing fish, their dietary intake, stated purchasing behaviour and sociodemographic information. Nottinghamshire, UK. Adults from 842 households randomly selected from the electoral register. Over half of the participants (57·0 %) were aware of the health benefits of fish consumption and reported health as a primary motivator for purchasing fish; however, only 26·8 % actively sought to purchase fish from a sustainable source (e.g. Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fish). Only 30·6 % of participants met current dietary recommendations for fish intake. Older respondents (>60 years of age) were more likely to report purchasing fish for health reasons and to buy MSC fish. Participants were significantly less likely to report MSC purchases if they agreed with the statement 'I am confused about which type of fish I should be eating to protect fish stocks' (P purchasing fish for health reasons was more than those seeking sustainably sourced fish; yet, they still failed to meet the recommended intake set by the Food Standards Agency. Dietary advice to the public to increase consumption of fish conflicts with the prevailing pressure on fish stocks. Clear advice should be communicated enabling consumers to meet nutritional needs while protecting fish stocks.

Future trends and consumer lifestyles with regard to meat consumption

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grunert, Klaus G.

2006-01-01

Using the food-related lifestyle model as a conceptual framework, one possible trend each is discussed for the following four components of food-related lifestyle: quality aspects, ways of shopping, cooking methods, and purchase motives. These trends refer to the increasing use of extrinsic cues ...... in quality perception, shopping fast and easy vs. shopping in specialized outlets, the role of convenience and meat avoidance in cooking, and the role of concerns about the meat production process in purchasing. Indicators for each of these trends are discussed.......Using the food-related lifestyle model as a conceptual framework, one possible trend each is discussed for the following four components of food-related lifestyle: quality aspects, ways of shopping, cooking methods, and purchase motives. These trends refer to the increasing use of extrinsic cues...

Future trends and consumer lifestyles with regard to meat consumption

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grunert, Klaus G.

Using the food-related lifestyle model as a conceptual framework, one possible trend each is discussed for the following four components of food-related lifestyle: quality aspects, ways of shopping, cooking methods, and purchase motives. These trends refer to the increasing use of extrinsic cues ...... in quality perception, shopping fast and easy vs. shopping in specialized outlets, the role of convenience and meat avoidance in cooking, and the role of concerns about the meat production process in purchasing. Indicators for each of these trends are discussed.......Using the food-related lifestyle model as a conceptual framework, one possible trend each is discussed for the following four components of food-related lifestyle: quality aspects, ways of shopping, cooking methods, and purchase motives. These trends refer to the increasing use of extrinsic cues...

Exploring Perceptions of Raspberries and Blueberries by Italian Consumers

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Vincenzo Girgenti

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Consumers can be important active contributors to a sustainable society by selecting foods that are produced respecting environmental and socially ethical standards. In the fruit sector, sustainability issues are often associated with imprecisely defined concepts such as “locally grown”, “freshness” and “local product”. This study has investigated raspberries (Rubus idaeus L. and blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L. purchases in order to identify how berry fruits choice attributes are ranked by consumers in two Italian Regions, using a choice experiment (best-worst methodology. Twelve attributes—that indirectly refer to the concept of environmental sustainability—have been investigated. According to the preferences expressed by our sample of retail purchasers (n = 669, the results show that the reasons for the purchase of berries are associated with numerous parameters among which freshness and product origin are the most important and price was not ranked as so relevant. These findings indirectly testify the consumer attention towards the sustainability of local production and the link between sustainability and territory. Therefore, we can presume that the improvement of consumer familiarity with attributes such as “locally grown” and “local product” could support more eco-friendly consumption of raspberries and blueberries.

Energy Trends 2012; Energie Trends 2012

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Dril, T. (ed.); Gerdes, J. (ed.) [ECN Beleidsstudies, Petten (Netherlands); Marbus, S. (ed.) [Energie-Nederland, Den Haag (Netherlands); Boelhouwer, M. (ed.) [Netbeheer Nederland, Arnhem (Netherlands)

2012-11-15

In Energy Trends 2012, all figures and developments in the field of energy in the Netherlands are presented in conjunction. The book provides information on energy use by consumers and businesses, provides insight into the international energy trade, energy production and development of energy networks [Dutch] In Energie Trends 2012 staan alle cijfers en ontwikkelingen op het gebied van energie in Nederland in samenhang gepresenteerd. Het boek biedt informatie over energiegebruik door consumenten en bedrijven, geeft inzage in de internationale energiehandel en energieproductie en biedt inzicht in de ontwikkeling van de energienetten.

The impact of ethnocentrism on Serbian consumers

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Veljković Saša

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of consumer ethnocentrism on the intention to buy local products by Serbian consumers. Modern business trends and market changes are followed by new trends in consumer behaviour. Many changes in all segments of economy and society occurred in last few years in Republic of Serbia. Changes were especially influenced by: strong foreign competition, transition, change in values, economy and society liberalization, local culture, and as well by globalization and all other kinds of socio­economic and psychological factors. The globalization of markets presents considerable challenges and opportunities for domestic and international marketers. All these have been influencing on people differentiation concerning ethnocentrism.

Environmentally Sustainable Apparel Acquisition and Disposal Behaviours among Slovenian Consumers

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Žurga Zala

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Fibre production and textile processing comprise various industries that consume large amounts of energy and resources. Textiles are a largely untapped consumer commodity with a strong reuse and recycling potential, still fibres and fibre containing products ends up in landfill sites or in waste incinerators to a large extent. Reuse and recycle of waste clothing results in reduction in the environmental burden. Between 3% and 4% of the municipal solid waste stream in Slovenia is composed of apparel and textiles. This exploratory study examines consumer practices regarding purchase and the disposal of apparel in Slovenia. Data were collected through structured online survey from a representative random sample of 535 consumers. Responses to online questionnaire indicated the use of a variety of textile purchase and disposal methods. The influence of different sociodemographic variables on apparel purchase, disposal and recycling behaviour was examined. Moreover, the differences in the frequency of apparel recycling between consumers with and without an apparel bank available nearby were explored. This research was conducted, since it is crucial to analyse the means by which consumers are currently disposing their textile waste in order to plan the strategies that would encourage them to further reduce the amount of apparel sent to landfills.

Consumer acceptance of irradiated food

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loaharanu, P [Head, Food Preservation Section, Joint FAO/ IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Wagramerstr. 5, A-1400, Vienna (Austria)

1998-12-31

There was a widely held opinion during the 1970`s and 1980`s that consumers would be reluctant to purchase irradiated food, as it was perceived that consumers would confuse irradiated food with food contaminated by radionuclides. Indeed, a number of consumer attitude surveys conducted in several western countries during these two decades demonstrated that the concerns of consumers on irradiated food varied from very concerned to seriously concerned.This paper attempts to review parameters conducting in measuring consumer acceptance of irradiated food during the past three decades and to project the trends on this subject. It is believed that important lessons learned from past studies will guide further efforts to market irradiated food with wide consumer acceptance in the future. (Author)

Consumer acceptance of irradiated food

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loaharanu, P. [Head, Food Preservation Section, Joint FAO/ IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Wagramerstr. 5, A-1400, Vienna (Austria)

1997-12-31

There was a widely held opinion during the 1970`s and 1980`s that consumers would be reluctant to purchase irradiated food, as it was perceived that consumers would confuse irradiated food with food contaminated by radionuclides. Indeed, a number of consumer attitude surveys conducted in several western countries during these two decades demonstrated that the concerns of consumers on irradiated food varied from very concerned to seriously concerned.This paper attempts to review parameters conducting in measuring consumer acceptance of irradiated food during the past three decades and to project the trends on this subject. It is believed that important lessons learned from past studies will guide further efforts to market irradiated food with wide consumer acceptance in the future. (Author)

Consumer acceptance of irradiated food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loaharanu, P.

1997-01-01

There was a widely held opinion during the 1970's and 1980's that consumers would be reluctant to purchase irradiated food, as it was perceived that consumers would confuse irradiated food with food contaminated by radionuclides. Indeed, a number of consumer attitude surveys conducted in several western countries during these two decades demonstrated that the concerns of consumers on irradiated food varied from very concerned to seriously concerned.This paper attempts to review parameters conducting in measuring consumer acceptance of irradiated food during the past three decades and to project the trends on this subject. It is believed that important lessons learned from past studies will guide further efforts to market irradiated food with wide consumer acceptance in the future. (Author)

Current Trends in providing the Toys Security and Consumer Protection

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Luiela Magdalena Csorba

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The goods and services market is not in equilibrium. This affects continuously the consumers under multiple aspects: economic, educational, health insurance and security, and so on. Not even the toys market outlets or the toys trading market aren’t trouble free. Because publications in the toys consumer protection field are seldom (legislation is the starting point in analyzing this area, the checks carried out at national level which showed the marketed toys insecurity and the abuses of the economic agents in this sector determined us to analyze the degree in which people knows the toy-related injuries and the danger to which they expose their own children when purchasing dangerous toys. That’s why a quantitative research was conducted, using the method of questionnaire, distributed through the Romanian consumers, with the aim to check the empirically awareness and the seriousness with which they relate the risks concerning the toys consume.

Analysis of the evolution of sustainable development in biofuels industry in Brazil

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Carmen Rosa Loayza Rollano

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an evaluation of sustainable development in the biofuel production sector. The Energy Indicators Tool for Sustainable Development (EISD and the Sustainability Indicators Tool Global Association for Bioenergy (GBEP were applied. Performing a comparison of indicators in each performance (economic, social and environmental, it was found that the production of biofuels in Brazil is positive in most of them. Biofuels showed a favorable trend in economic indicators, not only in terms of cost, but also through the use of energy available to the consumer market. Environmental indicators showed an improvement in the efficient use of land, water and energy resources, while pesticide applications are relatively low in relation to the limits. In addition, it appears that the biofuels industries have contributed positively to rural economies, since the social indicators showed a relatively significant and positive increase in labor supply and salary level of the labor market in this sector. Also appears that existing tools are complementary and the results provide a basis for future discussions and the development of sustainability assessments in systems and bioenergy-related projects.

Sustainable winegrowing: current perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariani A

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Angela Mariani,1 Antonella Vastola2 1Department of Economic and Legal Studies, University Parthenope, Naples, 2School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy Abstract: The winegrowing sector worldwide is strongly committed to improving environmental and social sustainability. The aim of this work, based on a literature review, is to highlight current sustainability perspectives and the related main issues. There is a broad consensus that the challenge to achieve a greater spread of sustainable practices is to enhance environmental and social sustainability while maintaining economic viability. From the producers' point of view, the priority is to bridge the still substantial knowledge gaps in terms of perceived environmental benefits, economic benefits, and costs. Thus, an increased research effort focusing on the costs and benefits of different winegrowing practices and technical assistance with implementation might support their diffusion. Moreover, targeted marketing strategies are needed to: enhance consumers' involvement and their attitude toward sustainable wine; improve understanding and use of sustainable labels and claims; and raise awareness of some environmental credentials of wine packaging, mainly with reference to lightweight glass bottles. Keywords: winegrower, sustainability, wine, consumer, marketing strategies

From consumer to energy producer. Financing of decentral energy production with the participation of citizens as consumer by means of the Consumer Stock Ownership Plans (CSOP); Vom Verbraucher zum Energieproduzenten. Finanzierung dezentraler Energieproduktion unter Beteiligung von Buergern als Konsumenten mittels sog. Consumer Stock Ownership Plans (CSOPs)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lowitzsch, Jens; Goebel, Katarzyna [Europa-Universitaet Viadrina, Frankfurt an der Oder (Germany). Osteuropaeisches Wirtschaftsrecht und Europaeische Rechtspolitik

2013-06-15

Sustainable growth? A paradoxical term in order to sell sustainability as a logical consequence of a continuous policy of controlled growth. In the context of sustainable energy today there is a lot of talk about growth. However, sustainability is not continuous growth, but at worst shrinkage and at best intelligent growth. The decentralization of the production of renewable energy with consumers as producers is as a way to sustainability.

GREEN COSTS IN CONTEXT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TRENDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ZEFINESCU CARMEN-VERONICA

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The paper aims an analysis of the role of the information provided by the accounting of environmental resources in the context of sustainable development. The impact of economic organizations on the natural environment and society tends to become increasingly important to managers, generating a number of risks which a company must face, the necessary information in substantiation of managerial decisions which must be included in the financial reporting. In the present circumstances consumers show a higher interest in products and services which take into account the environmental protection. Thus, economic organizations are determined to report information about such characteristics of their products and services. It is estimated that green accounting must take into account the consequences of company activities on the natural environment accounting, as well as management actions taken by the company to avoid such incidents. Green accounting involves the aggregation of information in order to assess the costs and risks of natural disasters. Thus, criteria which allow to establish costs belonging to the natural environment must be found. Anti-pollution investments involve the restructuring of the entire production process, in order to avoid antipoluate emissions during the production process. Accounting takes into account resource consumption which has a price. Consumption of natural resources is considered to be free and is not included in the production cost. The policy pursued by some enterprises to reduce consumption of natural resources considered free is noticed. The existence of a conceptual framework for accounting for the environmental accounting becomes necessary in the current economic context. Thus, the accountants will have support for developing an environmental accounting. The UN has developed a conceptual framework and methods of assessing and accounting consequences of the activities of companies upon the natural environment. The

SUSTAINABILITY, GLOBALIZATION, CULTURE AND WORK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Almeida Santos

2013-11-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the development process and the influence of globalization on culture and behavior of society seen on reflexes in the consumer market and how they participate or interfere in sustainability. Whereas globalization as a process of interaction between people in general originated in trade and political relations, reflections on the culture and behavior of society are inevitable from the point of view of consumption of products that are offered for new consumers in these markets that are in the process of globalization. Considering this necessity, it is important to consider the sustainable use of resources and by-products. This article is a reflection on sustainability, globalization, culture and work, and can be summarized in: a identifying the consequences of globalization on employment from the use of technology, b the consequences of globalization on culture are positive or negative for both involved, c benefits globalization and society have with new, better and cheaper products to meet the population needs and d how sustainability is in this consuming-producing context.

Envisioning Agricultural Sustainability from Field to Plate: Comparing Producer and Consumer Attitudes and Practices toward "Environmentally Friendly" Food and Farming in Washington State, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Selfa, Theresa; Jussaume, Raymond A., Jr.; Winter, Michael

2008-01-01

A substantial body of sociological research has examined the relationship between farmers' environmental attitudes and their conservation behaviors, but little research has compared the attitudes of producers and consumers toward the environment with their behaviors or practices in support of sustainable agri-food systems. This paper addresses…

Trend report on Market Process and Consumers' Trust in the Energy Market. Second half-year 2011; Trendrapportage Marktwerking en Consumentenvertrouwen in de energiemarkt. Tweede halfjaar 2011

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2012-03-15

This report addresses the trends of knowledge indicators on the energy market for consumers. It offers a brief overview of the factual state of affairs. The report observes that the market share of the largest three energy companies is decreasing slightly; the potential saving by switching can be up to 480 euro; consumers indicate more interest in switching compared to the previous year (11% between 1 July 2011 - 1 July 2012); and the price threshold for consumers to switch has lowered [Dutch] Deze rapportage bevat trends van kernindicatoren over de energiemarkt voor consumenten. Het is een beknopte weergave van de feitelijke stand van zaken. In de rapportage wordt geconstateerd dat: het marktaandeel van de grootste drie energiebedrijven licht daalt; er de mogelijkheid is tot besparen bij een overstap tot 480 euro; consumenten aangeven meer interesse te hebben om te gaan overstappen; consumenten dat ook daadwerkelijk meer doen dan voorgaand jaar (11% tussen 1 juli 2011 - 1 juli 2012); en de prijsdrempel voor consumenten om over te stappen is gedaald.

Trend report on Market Process and Consumers' Trust in the Energy Market. First half-year 2012; Trendrapportage Marktwerking en Consumentenvertrouwen in de energiemarkt. Eerste halfjaar 2012

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2012-03-15

This report addresses the trends of knowledge indicators on the energy market for consumers. It offers a brief overview of the factual state of affairs. The report observes that the market share of the largest three energy companies is decreasing slightly; the potential saving by switching can be up to 480 euro; consumers indicate more interest in switching compared to the previous year (11% between 1 July 2011 - 1 July 2012); and the price threshold for consumers to switch has lowered [Dutch] Deze rapportage bevat trends van kernindicatoren over de energiemarkt voor consumenten. Het is een beknopte weergave van de feitelijke stand van zaken. In de rapportage wordt geconstateerd dat (a) het marktaandeel van de grootste drie energiebedrijven licht daalt; (b) er de mogelijkheid is tot besparen bij een overstap: tot 480 euro; (c) consumenten aangeven meer interesse te hebben om te gaan overstappen; (d) consumenten dat ook daadwerkelijk meer doen dan voorgaand jaar (11% tussen 1 juli 2011 - 1 juli 2012); de prijsdrempel voor consumenten om over te stappen is gedaald.

Sustainable Universities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grindsted, Thomas Skou

2011-01-01

Declarations on Sustainability in Higher Education (SHE) can be viewed as a piece of international regulation. Over the past 30 years research at universities has produced convincing data to warn about deterioration of the environment, resource scarcity and the need for sustainability. This in turn....... Declarations tend to have impact on three trends. Firstly, there is emerging international consensus on the university’s role and function in relation to sustainable development; secondly, the emergence of national legislation, and thirdly, an emerging international competition to be leader in sustainable...

Sustainable food consumption. Product choice or curtailment?

Science.gov (United States)

Verain, Muriel C D; Dagevos, Hans; Antonides, Gerrit

2015-08-01

Food consumption is an important factor in shaping the sustainability of our food supply. The present paper empirically explores different types of sustainable food behaviors. A distinction between sustainable product choices and curtailment behavior has been investigated empirically and predictors of the two types of behavior have been identified. Respondents were classified into four segments based on their sustainable food behaviors: unsustainers, curtailers, product-oriented consumers, and sustainers. Significant differences between the segments were found with regard to food choice motives, personal and social norms, food involvement, subjective knowledge on sustainable food, ability to judge how sustainably a product has been produced and socio-demographics. It is concluded that distinguishing between behavioral strategies toward sustainable food consumption is important as consumer segments can be identified that differ both in their level of sustainable food consumption and in the type of behavior they employ. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On the economics of sustainability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wagner, Jeffrey

2006-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to work toward reconciliation of the neoclassical consumer choice axiom that 'more is better' and the ecological concern that 'more is not sustainable.' The key is to divide the desired 'more' into its rival and nonrival components, for it is the consumption of rival goods (such as plastic) that strains the ecosystem. In contrast, the consumption of nonrival goods (such as bird-watching) leaves little to no footprint. While sustainability can be enhanced through changing preferences, a menu of taxes, subsidies and/or vouchers can also motivate greater nonrival consumption - and therefore sustainability - without reducing consumer welfare. (author)

Children as Consumers: Advertising and Marketing

Science.gov (United States)

Calvert, Sandra L.

2008-01-01

Marketing and advertising support the U.S. economy by promoting the sale of goods and services to consumers, both adults and children. Sandra Calvert addresses product marketing to children and shows that although marketers have targeted children for decades, two recent trends have increased their interest in child consumers. First, both the…

Emerging market for sustainable food in Bangkok

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Oosterveer

2012-09-01

Full Text Available More and more food is traded all over the world, changing the general pattern of food production and consumption dramatically. This transformation includes increasing consumer demand for safe and environmentally friendly produced food. Food is no longer produced only by farmers in the vicinity where consumers can easily observe how they produce their food. Nowadays, food can be produced in Asia and presented on a supermarket’s shelf in Europe, this unknown origin makes consumers more concerned about the safety of their food. Food scandals such as mad cow disease, bird flu, and GMOs make consumers concerned, uncertain and worried about their food. In response to these concerns, modern retailers in many countries improve their sustainable development policy and actively increase the provision of sustainable food. As a newly industrialized country in Southeast Asia, Thailand can be expected to witness a similar increasing domestic demand for sustainable food products, particularly in its urban areas. The general patterns of global change affect Thailand as well, but the specific processes of change differ due to specific conditions of urban Thailand. This paper analyzes the process of change towards sustainable food provision in Bangkok by investigating how consumers and the system of provision interact in retail outlets.

Design for Sustainability: Current Trends in Sustainable Product Design and Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcel Crul

2009-08-01

Full Text Available The Design for Sustainability (D4S concept outlines methodologies for making sustainable improvements (social, economic and environmental to products by applying elements of life cycle thinking. D4S builds on the work of ecodesign to include economic and social concerns, and its methodology includes both incremental and radical innovation. The United Nations Environment Programme and the Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands, in concert with key partners, work to support, illustrate, and diffuse targeted D4S demonstration efforts, including the European Commission-funded Cleaner Production for Better Products project in Vietnam, that are needed to change unsustainable consumption and production patterns.

Postmodern consumers' consciousness of climate change and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Postmodern consumers' consciousness of climate change and actions that could mitigate unsustainable consumption. ... This is believed to be due to consumers experiencing a deficit of adequate knowledge, skills and/or access to possible avenues that could assist them in being more sustainable, which is often a result of ...

Consumer Acceptance of Eco-Labeled Fish: A Mexican Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mónica Pérez-Ramírez

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Fish eco-labeling is a market-based incentive program for sustainable fisheries. This paper examines consumers’ acceptance of eco-labeled fish by using data from a pilot study conducted in a coastal area of northwestern Mexico. An ordered probit model was applied, using 364 observations. The results show that most respondents favor the idea of eco-labeled fish as a sustainable option and know that this is a costlier option. Income level, consumers’ occupation and frequency of fish consumption are factors taken into account in the buying decision. Price was not a statistically significant factor affecting purchase decision. The study suggests that employed consumers with knowledge of labels may prioritize their demand for eco-labeled fish. Thus, providing a clear definition of sustainability that increases consumer awareness might be a promising strategy in developing the market for eco-labeled fish. The results and their implications could be employed as an element for future development of consumer policies related to fish sustainability.

Future trends and consumer lifestyles with regard to meat consumption

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grunert, Klaus G.

2006-01-01

Using the food-related lifestyle model as a conceptual framework, one possible trend each is discussed for the following four components of food-related lifestyle: quality aspects, ways of shopping, cooking methods, and purchase motives. These trends refer to the increasing use of extrinsic cues...... in quality perception, shopping fast and easy vs. shopping in specialized outlets, the role of convenience and meat avoidance in cooking, and the role of concerns about the meat production process in purchasing. Indicators for each of these trends are discussed....

Future trends and consumer lifestyles with regard to meat consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Grunert, Klaus G

2006-09-01

Using the food-related lifestyle model as a conceptual framework, one possible trend each is discussed for the following four components of food-related lifestyle: quality aspects, ways of shopping, cooking methods, and purchase motives. These trends refer to the increasing use of extrinsic cues in quality perception, shopping fast and easy vs. shopping in specialized outlets, the role of convenience and meat avoidance in cooking, and the role of concerns about the meat production process in purchasing. Indicators for each of these trends are discussed.

Supporting Sustainability and Personalization with Product Architecture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kjeld; Jørgensen, Kaj Asbjørn; Taps, Stig B.

2011-01-01

Mass Customization, Personalization and Co-creation (MCPC) are continuously being adopted as a competitive business strategy. Consumers as well as governments are at the same time applying pressure on companies to adopt a more sustainable strategy, consumers request greener products and governments...... is a driver for MCPC and earlier research within product architecture has indicated that modularization could support sustainability. In this paper, work on the drivers for modularization with focus on sustainability and MCPC, will be presented. Several modularization methods and drivers are analyzed...

Problematising development in sustainability: epistemic justice ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The paper draws on the work of Wolfgang Sachs (1999) who asserts that the notion of sustainability has been consumed by development, presenting a view of sustainability which challenges the current and dominant economically driven hegemonic development discourse in which sustainability has become embedded.

Consumer Attitudes toward Sustainable Development and Risk to Brand Loyalty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel G. J. Kuchinka

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The present study reveals the importance of understanding how business decisions focused on sustainability can impact companies, due to the risks associated with brand loyalty. The relationship between brand loyalty and consumers’ environmental viewpoint is investigated, including how consumers’ brand loyalty would be impacted after environmental-based expansion decisions are announced. College students from the USA and Romania (N = 92 were asked to voluntarily participate in a survey. The Brand Loyalty Scale (BLS is used to assess brand loyalty before and after a fictitious expansion announcement was made and the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP scale is utilized to assess attitudes toward sustainability. A paired samples t-test analysis reveals a significant positive correlation between NEP scores (attitudes toward sustainability and brand loyalty. No significant differences are found in attitudes toward sustainability regarding region (Romania and USA or gender. These results indicate that individuals who generally show concern towards the environment will stay loyal to their favorite companies after sustainability is introduced. Results also indicate that the gap regarding region and gender is slowly closing in attitudes toward sustainability; individuals in developing countries are also showing a major concern toward environmental issues. Males indicate just as much concern toward the environment as females, which is confirmed by other findings in previous literature.

The energy policy and sustainability of the subsidy mechanism for retail petroleum products consumed in Trinidad and Tobago

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baksh, Timmy

2010-09-15

In 1974 the Petroleum Production Levy and Subsidy Act gave effect to legislation which detailed a mechanism to implement a subsidy on all fuel consumed within, and in the territorial waters of, Trinidad and Tobago. This paper will analyse the underlying principles of this energy policy, follow how the mechanism has evolved over the years and propose new iterations to the existing model in order to reduce the Governments liability. The sustainability of the subsidy will be examined and as well as an in-depth analysis on the possible impact on inflation if this mechanism is removed.

Consumer segmentation based on food-category attribute importance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verain, M.C.D.; Sijtsema, Siet J.; Antonides, Gerrit

2016-01-01

Sustainability issues pose an important challenge to contemporary dietary patterns. Scientists more and more emphasize the importance of consumers shifting their dietary patterns towards consumption levels that are not only healthy but simultaneously consider sustainability. Therefore, the aim of

Cork for sustainable product design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mestre, A.C.; Gil, L.

2011-01-01

Sustainable Product Design is currently accepted as one of the most promising trends in the “Sustainable Development” movement. It is often seen as a facilitation tool to implement Sustainability in practice, by improving the life cycle and eco-efficiency of products, by promoting dematerialization

Can collusion promote sustainable consumption and production?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schinkel, M.P.; Spiegel, Y.

2016-01-01

Several competition authorities have taken public interest considerations, such as promoting sustainable consumption and production, into account in cartel proceedings.We show that when consumers value sustainable products and firms choose investments in sustainability before choosing output,

Progress towards Sustainable Utilisation and Management of Food Wastes in the Global Economy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Purabi R; Fawcett, Derek; Sharma, Shashi B; Poinern, Gerrard Eddy Jai

2016-01-01

In recent years, the problem of food waste has attracted considerable interest from food producers, processors, retailers, and consumers alike. Food waste is considered not only a sustainability problem related to food security, but also an economic problem since it directly impacts the profitability of the whole food supply chain. In developed countries, consumers are one of the main contributors to food waste and ultimately pay for all wastes produced throughout the food supply chain. To secure food and reduce food waste, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of the various sources of food wastes throughout the food supply chain. The present review examines various reports currently in the literature and quantifies waste levels and examines the trends in wastage for various food sectors such as fruit and vegetable, fisheries, meat and poultry, grain, milk, and dairy. Factors contributing to food waste, effective cost/benefit food waste utilisation methods, sustainability and environment considerations, and public acceptance are identified as hurdles in preventing large-scale food waste processing. Thus, we highlight the need for further research to identify and report food waste so that government regulators and food supply chain stakeholders can actively develop effective waste utilisation practices.

At Home with Sustainability: From Green Default Rules to Sustainable Consumption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lara Anne Hale

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Although it is often assumed that default rules affect change without awareness, this paper suggests that contrast with the default and transition into conscious adoption of the default design may be the starting point to establish long-term changes in consumer behavior. Despite the rooting of default rules in subconscious decision-making, this research finds that, ultimately, awareness drives the demand necessary for the creation of sustainable consumption. Whereas direct appeal to individuals has a disappointing level of influence on sustainability choices, it is understood that green consumers do come from somewhere. Green default rules offer interesting prospects for sidestepping the drawbacks of direct marketing to individuals. Under green default rules, behavior is guided by a default, such as utilities automatically sending customers renewables-sourced instead of fossil-fuel-based energy. To act otherwise requires additional effort and is less likely. Motivated by a need to understand how defaults might bridge standards and sustainable consumption, I investigate how organizational processes potentially lead from standardized green default rules to individual awareness that can spread and facilitate sustainable consumption. This paper examines the Active House sustainable building demonstrations in Europe in order to understand how (1 communications and market creation and (2 responsible, user-centered experimentation are organized to move from defaults to sustainable consumption.

From Consumerism to the Empowerment of Consumers: The Case of Consumer Oriented Movements in France

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sophie Dubuisson-Quellier

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Political consumerism was developed during the 19th century and expanded at the turn of the century through social movements aimed at empowering civil society in the market. Many of these movements succeeded in building power on the consumption side. Today, we still witness several forms of political consumerism. This contribution explores the possibilities and limits of consumer involvement in sustainable consumption. The main finding of this study of the political organization of consumers is that the market may not be the only arena for changing consumer behavior. Instead, social constraint and political empowerment seem to be rather more efficient.

Sustainable Product Indexing: Navigating the Challenge of Ecolabeling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jay S. Golden

2010-09-01

Full Text Available There is growing scientific evidence that improving the sustainability of consumer products can lead to significant gains in global sustainability. Historically, environmental policy has been managed by bureaucracies and institutions in a mechanistic manner; this had led to many early successes. However, we believe that if policy concerning product sustainability is also managed in this way, negative unintended consequences are likely to occur. Thus, we propose a social-ecological systems approach to policy making concerning product sustainability that will lead to more rapid and meaningful progress toward improving the environmental and social impacts of consumer products.

Current technological trends in development of NPP systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Florescu, Gheorghe; Panaitescu, Valeriu

2010-01-01

The recent nuclear research issues look for new technologies and continuous progress in finding different and efficient solutions for sustained and upraising energy demand. The trend of increasing energy consumption and occurring of new and large consumers, especially from Asian countries, imposes finding of new means for clean, large scale and sustained energy production. NPPs availability was continuously monitored and improved; at the same time the safety of the nuclear energy production was under surveillance. The present development of the new technologies, the discoveries of new materials and development of efficient technological processes offer the opportunities for their appropriate implementation and use in the NPP system configurations and functioning/operation. The new technologies and scientific discoveries, and also the international cooperation, offer the opportunities to mitigate the actual barriers in order to cumulate and use advanced energy production, to find new energy sources and to build improved, reliable and safe power plants. The monitoring systems, intelligent sensors and SSCs, nanotechnologies and new/intelligent materials constitute the main ways for improvement of the NPP systems configuration and processes. The paper presents: - The state of the art in the level of the currently applied technologies for nuclear power systems development; - The actual technological limits that need to be over passed for improving the NPP systems ; - The main systems that need improvement and reconfiguration for development of currently operating NPPs as well as raising the operation efficiency, availability and total safety; - The actual energy production issues; - The key arguments in sustaining the R and D new NPP systems development; - Future trends in NPP development; - The limitations in industrial processes knowledge and use. Appropriate R and D in the field of NPP systems have specific characteristics that were considered in paper completion

Survey Results on Fashion Consumption and Sustainability among Young Swedes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gwozdz, Wencke; Netter, Sarah; Bjartmarz, Thordis

Sustainable choices and behaviours are becoming ever more important in our daily lives in all consumption domains. This report focuses specifically on the consumption of textile fashion of young Swedish consumers. The purpose of this report is twofold: a) To describe current fashion consumption...... of young consumers and sustainability related attitudes and knowledge and b) to compare attitudes, knowledge and behaviour between consumers with different levels of awareness and commitment towards sustainability. The survey was conducted among 1,175 young Swedish consumers (aged 16-30) in 2012....... The average age of respondents is 23.5 years, with 48.7% females and 51.3% males. The report focuses on three consumption phases: purchase (including pre-purchase), use & maintenance and discarding....

Profiling Consumer Trend-setters in the Canadian Healthy-foods Market

OpenAIRE

West, Gale E.; Larue, Bruno

2004-01-01

The agri-food industry faces new challenges as consumer demand for new, healthier foods increases. Media headlines frequently mention health benefits from certain foods and food components, and consumers are more health conscious because they are aging. They realize their food choices can reduce their risk of developing chronic illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. The competitive advantages for firms who are the first to bring their food innovations to market will depend in part on the...

Policy Instruments for Sustainable Food Consumption

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reisch, Lucia; Lorek, Sylvia; Bietz, Sabine

The food policy domain highlights the complexity of the sustainability of food consumption. In addition to the ecological, social and economic aspects of food consumption, public health concerns are an integral factor in efforts to ensure the sustainable development of the food sector (Reisch et ...... with recommendations on actions that consumers (in their role as market actors and consumer citizens), NGOs, the media, the food industry, retailers and governments can take in a shared pursuit of more sustainable food consumption and production.......The food policy domain highlights the complexity of the sustainability of food consumption. In addition to the ecological, social and economic aspects of food consumption, public health concerns are an integral factor in efforts to ensure the sustainable development of the food sector (Reisch et al...... of the CORPUS project on sustainable food consumption. In general, governments trying to influence the sustainability of food systems have informationbased, market-based and regulatory instruments in their toolbox (Lorek et al., 2008). Their goal is to build a policy framework for appropriate action...

Post-Purchase Consumer Behaviour, Sustainability and its Influence on Fashion Identity

OpenAIRE

Marciniak, R.; Gad Mohsen, Marwa

2016-01-01

The paper aims to explore how sustainability may be used as a form of self-expression, and whether it can endow individuals with an identity associated with ethical consumption at the post purchase consumption stage. Exploratory research was undertaken to investigate sustaining decisions and sustainability practices. It\\ud draws upon Jacoby et al.’s disposition model to explore factors extrinsic and intrinsic to the product in relation to fashion clothing sustainability and identity\\ud format...

Sustainability on-the-go

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kampf, Constance Elizabeth

on sustainability-- The Good Guide, Carrotmob and Colalife. Each organization demonstrates a web presence through social media that are available on mobile devices. This paper examines the mobile space as a space for examining the potential impacts of a technology mediated interaction focused on sustainability...... as an extension of consumer identity and conscience. Using Gee’s focus on the connection between language use, technology and context as part of identities in interaction, this paper also explores the potential and implications of mobile technologies for the communication of sustainable values. Technology...... is approached through the tension between McLuhan’s notion of physical extension and as E.T Hall’s description of technology as an extension of cultural practice. (Rogers 2000). Conclusions include understanding the shift to mobile technology as offering a space in which consumer identity plays an active role...

Trends that FCS Education Should Address: A Delphi Study Reveals Top 16

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Karen L.; Davis, Kimberlee

2011-01-01

This study used the Delphi method to identify trends of importance to family and consumer sciences (FCS) education. A panel of 21 FCS education experts identified 16 trends and evaluated them by importance, desirability, feasibility, and confidence in validity of the trend. Nutrition appeared as a top priority, followed by consumer economics. The…

Tourists consuming distance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Gunvor Riber

The environmental impact of tourism mobility is linked to the distances travelled in order to reach a holiday destination, and with tourists travelling more and further than previously, an understanding of how the tourists view the distance they travel across becomes relevant. Based on interviews...... contribute to an understanding of how it is possible to change tourism travel behaviour towards becoming more sustainable. How tourists 'consume distance' is discussed, from the practical level of actually driving the car or sitting in the air plane, to the symbolic consumption of distance that occurs when...... travelling on holiday becomes part of a lifestyle and a social positioning game. Further, different types of tourist distance consumers are identified, ranging from the reluctant to the deliberate and nonchalant distance consumers, who display very differing attitudes towards the distance they all travel...

Towards a sustainable development of retailing in Romania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viorel Coca

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Sustainable development becomes increasingly important in the design of development policies. The economic field, due to the businesses it involves, is regarded as a tool capable of generating social well-being by caring for resource conservation. The retailing is part of this process, playing an important role due to the connection it provides between producers and consumers. The objectives of this study were to highlight the extent to which retailing developed in Romania, to measure the efficiency of firms in the industry and to identify sustainable development practices these firms used. In developing our approach a sample of 12 firms were selected, which were defined as constituting a reference framework based on their size and turnover. Further on, the descriptive research method was used, based on secondary sources of data investigation. After analyzing the data, it was concluded that the retailing sector in Romania is a powerful one, with a market slightly increasing, dominated by trends of concentration and with efficiency in line with the European average. The use of the principles of sustainable development into trade business companies in Romania is low. There is no urge to see these principles as business opportunities and sources of competitiveness.

Consumers’ Sense of Farmers’ Markets: Tasting Sustainability or Just Purchasing Food?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisa Giampietri

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Sustainable food consumption has attracted widespread attention over the last decades by scholars, policy makers and consumers. In line with this, farmers’ markets (FMs have the potential to encourage sustainable agricultural production and consumption. By reducing the number of actors and distances along the food chain, these alternative food systems foster the reconnection between farmers and consumers and contribute to different social, economic and environmentally sustainable goals. This paper provides insights into how consumers’ sustainability concerns are related to their motivation for shopping at FMs. By means of a choice experiment, we analyze the determinants of consumers’ preferences for buying apples at FMs. We are particularly interested in understanding how attitudes towards the three sustainability dimensions are related to consumer preferences in this context. We find that consumer attitudes towards direct contact with producers, contributing to farmers’ income, and environmental benefits, can be directly related to product characteristics that are specific to FMs.

Sustainable diets within sustainable food systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Meybeck, Alexandre; Gitz, Vincent

2017-02-01

Sustainable diets and sustainable food systems are increasingly explored by diverse scientific disciplines. They are also recognised by the international community and called upon to orient action towards the eradication of hunger and malnutrition and the fulfilment of sustainable development goals. The aim of the present paper is to briefly consider some of the links between these two notions in order to facilitate the operationalisation of the concept of sustainable diet. The concept of sustainable diet was defined in 2010 combining two totally different perspectives: a nutrition perspective, focused on individuals, and a global sustainability perspective, in all its dimensions: environmental, economic and social. The nutrition perspective can be easily related to health outcomes. The global sustainability perspective is more difficult to analyse directly. We propose that it be measured as the contribution of a diet to the sustainability of food systems. Such an approach, covering the three dimensions of sustainability, enables identification of interactions and interrelations between food systems and diets. It provides opportunities to find levers of change towards sustainability. Diets are both the results and the drivers of food systems. The drivers of change for those variously involved, consumers and private individuals, are different, and can be triggered by different dimensions (heath, environment, social and cultural). Combining different dimensions and reasons for change can help facilitate the transition to sustainable diets, recognising the food system's specificities. The adoption of sustainable diets can be facilitated and enabled by food systems, and by appropriate policies and incentives.

Sustainable Concrete Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sim J.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The growing concern over global warming and significant ecological changes requires sustainable development in all fields of science and technology. Concrete not only consumes huge amount of energy and natural sources, but also emits large amount of CO2, mainly due to the production of cement. It is evident that such large amount of concrete production has put significant impact on the energy, resource, environment, and ecology of the society. Hence, how to develop the concrete technology in a sustainable way has become a significant issue. In this paper, some of Korean researches for sustainable development of concrete are presented. These are sustainable strengthening for deteriorated concrete structure, sustainable reinforcement of new concrete structure, sustainable concrete using recycled aggregate and supplementary cementing materials and finally application of each technique to precast concrete.

Consumer response to packaging design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steenis, Nigel D.; Herpen, van Erica; Lans, van der Ivo A.; Ligthart, Tom N.; Trijp, van Hans C.M.

2017-01-01

Building on theories of cue utilization, this paper investigates whether and how packaging sustainability influences consumer perceptions, inferences and attitudes towards packaged products. A framework is tested in an empirical study among 249 students using soup products varying in packaging

Transition to Sustainable Buildings: Strategies and Opportunities to 2050

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-06-01

Buildings are the largest energy consuming sector in the world, and account for over one-third of total final energy consumption and an equally important source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Achieving significant energy and emissions reduction in the buildings sector is a challenging but achievable policy goal. Transition to Sustainable Buildings presents detailed scenarios and strategies to 2050, and demonstrates how to reach deep energy and emissions reduction through a combination of best available technologies and intelligent public policy. This IEA study is an indispensible guide for decision makers, providing informative insights on: cost-effective options, key technologies and opportunities in the buildings sector; solutions for reducing electricity demand growth and flattening peak demand; effective energy efficiency policies and lessons learned from different countries; future trends and priorities for ASEAN, Brazil, China, the European Union, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and the United States; implementing a systems approach using innovative products in a cost effective manner; and pursuing whole-building (e.g. zero energy buildings) and advanced-component policies to initiate a fundamental shift in the way energy is consumed.

Novel trends in engineered milk products.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandrapala, Jayani; Zisu, Bogdan

2016-08-01

Food engineering within the dairy sector is an ever developing field of study purely based on the application of engineering principles and concepts to any aspect of dairy product manufacturing and operations. The last 25 years of science and technology devoted to milk and milk products have led to major advances. The purpose of this paper is to review the history and current status of some engineered milk products and to speculate regarding future trends. Much of the advancement has been directed towards production capacity, mechanisation, automation, hygiene within the processing plant, safety, extensions in shelf life, and new product introductions that bring variety and convenience for the consumer. Significant advancements in product quality have been made, many of these arising from improved knowledge of the functional properties of ingredients and their impact on structure and texture. In addition, further improvements focused on energy efficiency and environmental sustainability have been made and will be needed in the future.

Global sustainable timber supply and demand

Science.gov (United States)

Peter J. Ince

2010-01-01

Industrial timber use has provided timber revenue that has helped make timber supply and demand more sustainable in the leading timber producing regions of the world. Sustainable development implies not consuming more resources today than we can replace tomorrow, but sustainable forest management implies more than merely a non-declining supply of timber. Forests as a...

Sustainability in health care by allocating resources effectively (SHARE) 4: exploring opportunities and methods for consumer engagement in resource allocation in a local healthcare setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Claire; Ko, Henry; Waller, Cara; Sloss, Pamela; Williams, Pamela

2017-05-05

This is the fourth in a series of papers reporting a program of Sustainability in Health care by Allocating Resources Effectively (SHARE) in a local healthcare setting. Healthcare decision-makers have sought to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of services through removal or restriction of practices that are unsafe or of little benefit, often referred to as 'disinvestment'. A systematic, integrated, evidence-based program for disinvestment was being established within a large Australian health service network. Consumer engagement was acknowledged as integral to this process. This paper reports the process of developing a model to integrate consumer views and preferences into an organisation-wide approach to resource allocation. A literature search was conducted and interviews and workshops were undertaken with health service consumers and staff. Findings were drafted into a model for consumer engagement in resource allocation which was workshopped and refined. Although consumer engagement is increasingly becoming a requirement of publicly-funded health services and documented in standards and policies, participation in organisational decision-making is not widespread. Several consistent messages for consumer engagement in this context emerged from the literature and consumer responses. Opportunities, settings and activities for consumer engagement through communication, consultation and participation were identified within the resource allocation process. Sources of information regarding consumer values and perspectives in publications and locally-collected data, and methods to use them in health service decision-making, were identified. A model bringing these elements together was developed. The proposed model presents potential opportunities and activities for consumer engagement in the context of resource allocation.

CURRENT TRENDS IN HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivica Batinić

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Hospitality industry is a complex product-service economic activity which besides accommodation, food and beverages offers a variety of complementary and ancillary services in order to meet modern needs, demands and desires of tourists consumers. Contemporary needs, demands and desires of tourists consumers (increased need for security and preservation of health; emphasis on ecology and healthy food; pure nature stay; growing demand for adventure activities and excitement; convention facilities and incentive offerings; visits to towns, big sports, cultural, religious, business events; new travel motivation have led to the emergence of new trends in hospitality offering design. Wellness and spa hotels, boutique hotels, all inclusive hotels, slow-food restaurants, and wine and lounge bars are just some of the main trends, and successful hoteliers and caterers will examine each of the trends and devise development politics in accordance with the new requirements and global market needs.

Consumer responses to ecolabels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thøgersen, John; Haugaard, Pernille; Olesen, Anja

2010-01-01

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to develop and apply a framework for understanding consumer responses to ecolabelling. Design/methodology/approach - From a consumer perspective, ecolabels are tools for supporting decision making with regard to environmentally significant products. The paper...... process. Starting the adoption process depends on both motivation (intention to buy sustainable fish products) and ability (issue-relevant knowledge). Whether and how quickly the consumer completes the adoption depends on his or her motivation, past experience with using ecolabels, and trust...... scoring highly on both issue-relevant knowledge and motivation are the most likely innovators and early adopters. Their high level of expertise means that they do not need a lot of explanation for understanding the label and its self-relevance and their strong motivation means that they will search...

Sustainable healthy eating behaviour of young adults: towards a novel methodological approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Pieniak, Zuzanna; Żakowska-Biemans, Sylwia; Kostyra, Eliza; Raats, Monique

2016-07-15

Food, nutrition and health policy makers are poised with two pertinent issues more than any other: obesity and climate change. Consumer research has focused primarily on specific areas of sustainable food, such as organic food, local or traditional food, meat substitution and/or reduction. More holistic view of sustainable healthy eating behaviour has received less attention, albeit that more research is emerging in this area. This study protocol that aims to investigate young consumers' attitudes and behaviour towards sustainable and healthy eating by applying a multidisciplinary approach, taking into account economical, marketing, public health and environmental related issues. In order to achieve this goal, consumers' reactions on interactive tailored informational messages about sustainable from social, environmental and economical point of view, as well as healthy eating behaviour in a group of young adults will be investigated using randomized controlled trial. To undertake the objective, the empirical research is divided into three studies: 1) Qualitative longitudinal research to explore openness to adopting sustainable healthy eating behaviour; 2) Qualitative research with the objective to develop a sustainable healthy eating behaviour index; and 3) Randomised controlled trial to describe consumers' reactions on interactive tailored messages about sustainable healthy eating in young consumers. To our knowledge, this is the first randomised controlled trial to test the young adults reactions to interactive tailor made messages on sustainable healthy eating using mobile smartphone app. Mobile applications designed to deliver intervention offer new possibilities to influence young adults behaviour in relation to diet and sustainability. Therefore, the study will provide valuable insights into drivers of change towards more environmentally sustainable and healthy eating behaviours. NCT02776410 registered May 16, 2016.

Does race matters in consumers' stated preferences for water and carbon footprints labelled food products? Insights from black and white South Africans

Science.gov (United States)

Owusu-Sekyere, Enoch; Jordaan, Henry

2017-04-01

In recent years, governments, policy-makers, and managers of private food companies and agribusinesses are interested in understanding how consumers will react to environmentally sustainable attributes and information on food product labels. This study examines consumers' stated preferences for water and carbon footprints labelled food products from the viewpoint of black and white South Africans. Discrete choice experimental data was collected from black and white consumers to possibly assess cross-ethnic variations in preferences for environmentally sustainable products. Two widely purchased livestock products were chosen for the choice experiment. We found that consumers' preferences for environmentally sustainable attributes vary significantly between black and white South Africans. Our findings revealed that there are profound heterogeneous consumer segments within black and white respondents. The heterogeneity within both sub-samples is better explained at the segment level, rather than at individual level. For both product categories, the findings revealed that there are more distinct consumer segments among black respondents, relative to white respondents. The black respondents consist of water sustainability advocates, carbon reduction advocates, keen environmentalist and environmental neutrals. The white respondents entail keen environmentalist, environmental cynics, and environmental neutrals. The inherent significant variations in preferences for environmentally sustainable attributes across segments and racial groups would help in formulating feasible, and segment-specific environmental sustainability policies and marketing strategies aimed at changing consumers' attitude towards environmentally sustainable products. Demographic targeting of consumer segments, sustainability awareness and segment-specific educational campaigns meant to enhance subjective and objective knowledge on environmental sustainability are important tools for food companies and

Consumer expectations of the quality of pork produced in sustainable outdoor systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scholderer, Joachim; Bredahl, Lone; Magnussen, Maria

, most Swedish consumers bought fresh pork at the traditional butcher's. Although large segments of consumers (30-50%) stated higher purchase intentions for pork from outdoor systems than for conventional pork, results should be interpreted with caution. Since intention-behaviour consistency was found...... to be extremely low for pork in general, stated purchase intentions should also be discounted in the case of pork from outdoor production systems. The most striking result in the present research was observed in relation to consumers' quality expectations. Respondents had been asked to state their quality...... to those of conventional pork. Finally, consumers prefer as much information as possible on the label of pork products. Since influences at the point of sale, including the information on product labels, appear to be the major determinants of consumers' pork purchases, the development of clear and credible...

Innovative strategies to help Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans (CO-OPs) compete in new insurance marketplaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Gardiner, Terry; Neece, Roger; Mendelevitz, Michael

2012-04-01

The Affordable Care Act paves the way for groups to develop innovative, affordable health insurance and care options known as Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans (CO-OPs). These CO-OPs will be nonprofit, consumer-controlled entities that are designed to serve individuals and small businesses, especially in noncompetitive markets. The CO-OP provision was included in the Affordable Care Act to address the lack of affordable health plan alternatives in many state and regional markets and to counter a trend toward market concentration. Despite their promise, CO-OPs face a number of business challenges that go beyond typical start-up hurdles. This issue brief lays out a number of innovative strategies CO-OP organizers are developing to increase the odds of long-term sustainability and economic success. These strategies--aimed at building market share, creating integrated provider networks, and achieving cost savings through payment reform--could establish CO-OPs as a viable new entrant in the health care field.

Sustainable Lifestyles. Today's Facts and Tomorrow's Trends. D1.1 Sustainable lifestyles baseline report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Backhaus, J.; Breukers, S.; Paukovic, M.; Mourik, R.; Mont, O.

2012-01-01

This final version of the baseline report provides a synthesis of research, leading policy and practice, and stakeholder views on potential pathways toward sustainable lifestyles. The purpose of this report is to provide the necessary background information to support the SPREAD social platform participants in creating a holistic vision of sustainable lifestyles in 2050 and recommendations for a plan of action.

Sustainable Development of Food Safety

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fabech, B.; Georgsson, F.; Gry, Jørn

to food safety - Strengthen efforts against zoonoses and pathogenic microorganisms - Strengthen safe food handling and food production in industry and with consumers - Restrict the occurrence of chemical contaminants and ensure that only well-examined production aids, food additives and flavours are used...... - Strengthen scientific knowledge of food safety - Strengthen consumer knowledge The goals for sustainable development of food safety are listed from farm to fork". All of the steps and areas are important for food safety and consumer protection. Initiatives are needed in all areas. Many of the goals...... in other areas. It should be emphasized that an indicator will be an excellent tool to assess the efficacy of initiatives started to achieve a goal. Conclusions from the project are: - Sustainable development in food safety is important for humanity - Focus on the crucial goals would optimize the efforts...

Risks and opportunities for plastic surgeons in a widening cosmetic medicine market: future demand, consumer preferences, and trends in practitioners' services.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Amico, Richard A; Saltz, Renato; Rohrich, Rod J; Kinney, Brian; Haeck, Phillip; Gold, Alan H; Singer, Robert; Jewell, Mark L; Eaves, Felmont

2008-05-01

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery launched a joint Cosmetic Medicine Task Force to address the growing trend of non-plastic surgeons entering the cosmetic medicine field. The task force commissioned two surveys in 2007 to determine consumer attitudes about choosing cosmetic medicine providers and to learn about the cosmetic services that plastic surgeons offer. The first survey obtained responses from 1015 women who had undergone a cosmetic procedure or were considering having one within 2 years. The second survey obtained responses from 260 members of the two societies. Compared with other practitioners, plastic surgeons enjoy higher rates of satisfaction among their patients who undergo noninvasive procedures. Injectables present a particularly promising market for plastic surgeons. Half of consumers surveyed said they were very concerned about complications associated with injectables, and generally, the higher the perceived risk of the procedure, the higher the likelihood that a patient would choose a plastic surgeon to perform it. In addition, injectables were among the noninvasive treatments most frequently being considered by consumers. However, almost half of consumers said that if they had a positive experience with a non-plastic surgeon core provider for a noninvasive procedure, that physician would likely be their first choice for a surgical procedure. These findings suggest that plastic surgeons, and especially those who are building young practices, must expand their offerings of nonsurgical cosmetic services to remain at the core of the cosmetic medicine field.

Trends and Design Relating literature to industry practice

OpenAIRE

Muir Wood, Andrew; Moultrie, James; Eckert, Claudia

2009-01-01

In a crowded market place, where technology and functionality are not enough to differentiate a product from its competitors, the product’s appearance is a major driver of consumer preference. But preferences change over time, and product forms need to reflect this in order to stay relevant. This paper addresses the usage of trends by designers to inform the design and evolution of their products. Published theory regarding trends in product form exists in the fashion and consumer behaviour ...

COMPANION ANIMALS SYMPOSIUM: Future aspects and perceptions of companion animal nutrition and sustainability.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, P; Swanson, K S

2015-03-01

Companion animals play an important role in our lives and are now considered to be and treated as family members in a majority of households in the United States. Because of the high number of pets that now exist, an increasingly stronger pet-human bond, and the importance placed on health and longevity, the pet food industry has realized steady growth over the last few decades. Despite past successes and opportunities that exist in the future, there are also challenges that must be considered. This review will present a brief overview of the current pet food industry and address some of the key issues moving forward. In regards to companion animal research, recent advances and future needs in the areas of canine and feline metabolism, aging, clinical disease, and the gut microbiome using molecular and high-throughput assays; chemical, in vitro, and in vivo testing of feed ingredients; and innovative pet food processing methods is discussed. Training the future workforce for the pet food industry is also of great importance. Recent trends on student demographics and their species and careers of interest, changing animal science department curricula, and technology's impact on instruction are provided. Finally, the sustainability of the pet food industry is discussed. Focus was primarily placed on the disconnect that exists between opinions and trends of consumers and the nutrient recommendations for dogs and cats, the desire for increasing use of animal-based and human-grade products, the overfeeding of pets and the pet obesity crisis, and the issues that involve the evaluation of primary vs. secondary products in terms of sustainability. Moving forward, the pet food industry will need to anticipate and address challenges that arise, especially those pertaining to consumer expectations, the regulatory environment, and sustainability. Given the already strong and increasingly dynamic market for pet foods and supplies, an academic environment primed to supply a

The Critical Factors Of Corporate Social Responsibility CSR That Contribute Towards Consumer Behavior In The Ready-Made Garments RMG Industry Of Bangladesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zoebur Rahman

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Ethical gaps in the Ready-Made Garment industry of Bangladesh has emerged as a growing concern for the nation and the economy. The industry that is regarded as the backbone of the economy has come under global criticism for negligence in the fields of Corporate Social Responsibility. Although recent catastrophes has led to improvements in compliance there needs to be further understanding of what areas of CSR needs to addressed intensely with regard to sustaining the industry in the competitive global markets. This paper analyses the relationship of the critical factors of internal and external factors of CSR linked to consumer behavior in the RMG industry of Bangladesh. The study has been developed using a myriad of supporting information gathered from consumers at notable stores located at Dhaka Bangladesh. A vast pool of publications has been reviewed and evaluated to identify the key CSR factors that impact consumer behavior and a survey has been conducted with 110 respondents to accumulate realistic insights regarding the consumer trends in the industry with correspondence to CSR initiatives of the firms.

Progress towards Sustainable Utilisation and Management of Food Wastes in the Global Economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Purabi R. Ghosh

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the problem of food waste has attracted considerable interest from food producers, processors, retailers, and consumers alike. Food waste is considered not only a sustainability problem related to food security, but also an economic problem since it directly impacts the profitability of the whole food supply chain. In developed countries, consumers are one of the main contributors to food waste and ultimately pay for all wastes produced throughout the food supply chain. To secure food and reduce food waste, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of the various sources of food wastes throughout the food supply chain. The present review examines various reports currently in the literature and quantifies waste levels and examines the trends in wastage for various food sectors such as fruit and vegetable, fisheries, meat and poultry, grain, milk, and dairy. Factors contributing to food waste, effective cost/benefit food waste utilisation methods, sustainability and environment considerations, and public acceptance are identified as hurdles in preventing large-scale food waste processing. Thus, we highlight the need for further research to identify and report food waste so that government regulators and food supply chain stakeholders can actively develop effective waste utilisation practices.

Progress towards Sustainable Utilisation and Management of Food Wastes in the Global Economy

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Purabi R.; Fawcett, Derek; Sharma, Shashi B.

2016-01-01

In recent years, the problem of food waste has attracted considerable interest from food producers, processors, retailers, and consumers alike. Food waste is considered not only a sustainability problem related to food security, but also an economic problem since it directly impacts the profitability of the whole food supply chain. In developed countries, consumers are one of the main contributors to food waste and ultimately pay for all wastes produced throughout the food supply chain. To secure food and reduce food waste, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of the various sources of food wastes throughout the food supply chain. The present review examines various reports currently in the literature and quantifies waste levels and examines the trends in wastage for various food sectors such as fruit and vegetable, fisheries, meat and poultry, grain, milk, and dairy. Factors contributing to food waste, effective cost/benefit food waste utilisation methods, sustainability and environment considerations, and public acceptance are identified as hurdles in preventing large-scale food waste processing. Thus, we highlight the need for further research to identify and report food waste so that government regulators and food supply chain stakeholders can actively develop effective waste utilisation practices. PMID:27847805

Consumer-Involved Participatory Research to Address General Medical Health and Wellness in a Community Mental Health Setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Iyer, Sharat P; Pancake, Laura S; Dandino, Elizabeth S; Wells, Kenneth B

2015-12-01

Barriers to sustainably implementing general medical interventions in community mental health (CMH) settings include role uncertainty, consumer engagement, workforce limitations, and sustainable reimbursement. To address these barriers, this project used a community-partnered participatory research framework to create a stakeholder-based general medical and wellness intervention in a large CMH organization, with consumers involved in all decision-making processes. Consumers faced practical barriers to participating in organizational decision making, but their narratives were critical in establishing priorities and ensuring sustainability. Addressing baseline knowledge and readiness of stakeholders and functional challenges to consumer involvement can aid stakeholder-based approaches to implementing general medical interventions in CMH settings.

SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING BEHAVIOR: WHAT IS THE DEGREE OF INFLUENCE OF ITS ANTECEDENTS ?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Henrique Oliveira de Aguiar

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In recent years concerns have been expressed about the impact of products on the environment. Consumers and manufacturers have directed their attention to environmentally friendly products, energy-saving actions, organic food products, lead-free inks, recyclable paper, non-phosphate detergents, among others. This survey provides a brief review of environmental issues and identifies consumers' sustainable purchasing behavior, their level of awareness about environmental issues and green products according to the variables accessibility, sustainable awareness, brand, price and quality. The data collection was performed with an electronic questionnaire, obtaining 302 respondents. Results revealed that brand is the factor with the greatest influence on sustainable purchasing behavior, not having a concern with price and quality. Accessibility to sustainable products and sustainable consumer awareness also influence their product acquisition practices.

Education – Determinant of Consumer`s Conditions in an Era of Technological Change

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Burghelea

2014-05-01

Full Text Available In the era of technological change, consumers face an environment increasingly complex, leading to significant challenges regarding buying and consuming choices and consumer protection. The most important and most influential technological changes in terms of the impact on the consumer, are iduced by internet, digitization and globalization. However, the era of technological change also means developing biotechnologies, nanotechnologies, new materials and new energy sources, all these changing people`s lives, living conditions, their needs and their behaviour as consumers. The literature highlights the factors that influence purchasing behaviour and changes manifested in terms of values, stressing the importance of promoting and protecting consumer`s rights and interests, The new responsible consumer can become a key driving force of sustainable development only if it is able to capitalize on new opportunities and to counter new risks of modern marketing technologies based on the Internet and mobile communications. This involves the assimilation of new knowledge throughout life to keep up with the accelerating pace of technological innovation and diffusion of e-commerce solutions and mobile commerce. We study the correlation between the composite index of consumer conditions and the level of participation in lifelong learning programmes in some Member States, based on secondary analysis of the data available at EU level,. The results confirm that the consumer`s situation is better in countries where the level of participation in lifelong learning programmes is higher. At the same time, however, the correlation is not linear. This shows that the consumer`s situation does not depend exclusively on formal continuing education but also other factors such as timeliness and severity of legal and institutional framework of consumer protection, the acquisition of knowledge through informal means, the requirement of different customers in different

Consuming nostalgia? The appreciation of authenticity in local food production

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Autio, M.; Collins, R.; Wahlen, S.; Anttila, M.

2013-01-01

Many consumers consider local food a more sustainable choice than conventional food because of the shorter transport distances involved as well as the support provided to local economies. In addition, consumers value the perceived safety benefits, ethical associations and improved taste of local

Housing in a sustainable consumption perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gram-Hanssen, Kirsten

2015-01-01

In a global perspective, sustainability includes a social, an economic and an environmental perspective (United Nations 1987). In this chapter I focus on the environmental perspective from a North-Western point of view, and in this context sustainable consumption is mainly about reducing the use ......-third of all energy consumed (Danish Energy Authority 2010). Thus irrespective of whether one approaches the topic from above or from below, housing is important when dealing with sustainable consumption.......In a global perspective, sustainability includes a social, an economic and an environmental perspective (United Nations 1987). In this chapter I focus on the environmental perspective from a North-Western point of view, and in this context sustainable consumption is mainly about reducing the use...... of non-renewable resources as well as avoiding environmental pollution and waste. Resource consumption, emissions and waste related to housing can be assessed either from ‘above’ or from ‘below’. When counting from below, from the point of the individual consumer, three main consumption areas are usually...

Consumers’ Competences as a Stimulant of Sustainable Consumption

OpenAIRE

Kiełczewski Dariusz; Bylok Felicjan; Dąbrowska Anna; Janoś-Kresło Mirosława; Ozimek Irena

2017-01-01

The paper contains considerations on the issue of sustainable consumption whose stimulator may be consumer competences. The problem can be examined in the cognitive, emotional and behavioural dimensions. Besides the theoretical approach, the authors have presented findings of the research carried out for the purposes of the project “Consumer Competences as a Stimulant of Innovative Behaviours and Sustainable Consumption” (2011/03/B/HS4/04417) financed from resources provided by the National S...

Sustainable Practices Innovation

Science.gov (United States)

Better sustainability means more environmentally conscious and efficient businesses and communities. EPA helps modify the way we consume energy, deal with waste, and grow our economy through programs such as Energy Star, E3, Smart Growth, and WaterSense.

Consumers’ Competences as a Stimulant of Sustainable Consumption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kiełczewski Dariusz

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The paper contains considerations on the issue of sustainable consumption whose stimulator may be consumer competences. The problem can be examined in the cognitive, emotional and behavioural dimensions. Besides the theoretical approach, the authors have presented findings of the research carried out for the purposes of the project “Consumer Competences as a Stimulant of Innovative Behaviours and Sustainable Consumption” (2011/03/B/HS4/04417 financed from resources provided by the National Science Centre. The research involved a research sample of 1,000 Poles meeting specific criteria established by the authors. The obtained empirical material allowed for the construction of the consumer competence index which took into account the following variables: Knowledge of the consumer’s rights and ways of use thereof (Knowledge, Planning measured with the following variables (Planning, Making rational consumption choices measured with the following variables (Rationality, Autonomy of choices measured with the following variables (Sovereignty. Three groups of consumers were singled out and characterised in the study, namely: highly competent consumers, consumers with a medium level of competences, and consumers with low competences.

Co-creation of a sustainable image on social media : the case of five food brands

OpenAIRE

Smallegange, Cornelia

2017-01-01

The food industry causes large environmental impacts globally. Different actors such as governments, brands and consumers however, are actively working on creating a sustainable society. In this study I investigate how brands and consumers co-create a sustainable image and which sustainable images they create. A multiple case study is conducted under five Dutch sustainable food brands by using content analysis of sustainability hashtags ...

CONSTRUCTING THE GREEN CONSUMER: BEYOND THE OBVIOUS

OpenAIRE

Caroline Burr

2013-01-01

Customers, through their purchases, play a central role in sustainable development. As public concern for the environment increases, opportunities emerge for marketers to produce the green products that consumers desire. However, there is growing skepticism about green claims, and despite many consumers being pro-environmental, most do not translate this into purchases. These factors pose problems for organisations, therefore in order to take advantage of the available opportunities, companie...

Can Collusion Promote Sustainable Consumption and Production?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schinkel, M.P.; Spiegel, Y.

Several competition authorities consider the exemption of horizontal agreements among firms from antitrust liability if the agreements sufficiently promote public interest objectives such as sustainable consumption and production. We show that when consumers value sustainable products and firms

Daily and seasonal trends of electricity and water use on pasture-based automatic milking dairy farms.

Science.gov (United States)

Shortall, J; O'Brien, B; Sleator, R D; Upton, J

2018-02-01

The objective of this study was to identify the major electricity and water-consuming components of a pasture-based automatic milking (AM) system and to establish the daily and seasonal consumption trends. Electricity and water meters were installed on 7 seasonal calving pasture-based AM farms across Ireland. Electricity-consuming processes and equipment that were metered for consumption included milk cooling components, air compressors, AM unit(s), auxiliary water heaters, water pumps, lights, sockets, automatic manure scrapers, and so on. On-farm direct water-consuming processes and equipment were metered and included AM unit(s), auxiliary water heaters, tubular coolers, wash-down water pumps, livestock drinking water supply, and miscellaneous water taps. Data were collected and analyzed for the 12-mo period of 2015. The average AM farm examined had 114 cows, milking with 1.85 robots, performing a total of 105 milkings/AM unit per day. Total electricity consumption and costs were 62.6 Wh/L of milk produced and 0.91 cents/L, respectively. Milking (vacuum and milk pumping, within-AM unit water heating) had the largest electrical consumption at 33%, followed by air compressing (26%), milk cooling (18%), auxiliary water heating (8%), water pumping (4%), and other electricity-consuming processes (11%). Electricity costs followed a similar trend to that of consumption, with the milking process and water pumping accounting for the highest and lowest cost, respectively. The pattern of daily electricity consumption was similar across the lactation periods, with peak consumption occurring at 0100, 0800, and between 1300 and 1600 h. The trends in seasonal electricity consumption followed the seasonal milk production curve. Total water consumption was 3.7 L of water/L of milk produced. Water consumption associated with the dairy herd at the milking shed represented 42% of total water consumed on the farm. Daily water consumption trends indicated consumption to be lowest in

Consumer health consciousness and the organic foods boom: Fact or fiction?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brunsø, Karen; Scholderer, Joachim

2001-01-01

scales (three items each) assessed the importance of organic foods, healthiness, freshness, novelty, and the price/quality relation to consumers' food choices. Trends in the importance of these aspects were modeled using multi-sample confirmatory factor analysis with structured means. Results indicate...... that, contrary to widespread expectations, the importance of healthy/unprocessed foods, organic foods, and fresh foods has been declining in all three countries since the early 1990s. The pattern suggests that the actual consumer trend to organic foods already peaked several years ago......Sales of organic foods have tremendously increased over the last years. The conclusion seems obvious: European consumers have become more health-conscious. Or have they? In fact, it is not quite clear from previous research whether rising market shares reflect changes in consumer attitudes, changes...

Consumer health consciousness and the organic foods boom: Fact or fiction?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brunsø, Karen; Scholderer, Joachim

scales (three items each) assessed the importance of organic foods, healthiness, freshness, novelty, and the price/quality relation to consumers' food choices. Trends in the importance of these aspects were modeled using multi-sample confirmatory factor analysis with structured means. Results indicate...... that, contrary to widespread expectations, the importance of healthy/unprocessed foods, organic foods, and fresh foods has been declining in all three countries since the early 1990s. The pattern suggests that the actual consumer trend to organic foods already peaked several years ago......Sales of organic foods have tremendously increased over the last years. The conclusion seems obvious: European consumers have become more health-conscious. Or have they? In fact, it is not quite clear from previous research whether rising market shares reflect changes in consumer attitudes, changes...

Providing Sustainable Food in Urban Thailand

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kantamaturapoj, K.; Oosterveer, P.J.M.; Spaargaren, G.

2013-01-01

Increasing demand for sustainable foods can be a driver for environmental improvements along the food-supply chain as a whole. Research in Western Europe has confirmed the importance of distribution channel s in supplying sustainable food and particularly in how they are able to combine consumer

Consumer-orientated development of hybrid beef burger and sausage analogues.

Science.gov (United States)

Neville, Michelle; Tarrega, Amparo; Hewson, Louise; Foster, Tim

2017-07-01

Hybrid meat analogues, whereby a proportion of meat has been partially replaced by more sustainable protein sources, have been proposed to provide a means for more sustainable diets in the future. Consumer testing was conducted to determine consumer acceptability of different formulations of Hybrid beef burgers and pork sausages in comparison with both meat and meat-free commercial products. Acceptability data were generated using the 9-point hedonic scale. Check-all-that-apply (CATA) questioning was used to determine the sensory attributes perceived in each product as well as information on the attributes of consumers' ideal products. It was identified that Hybrid products were generally well liked among consumers and no significant differences in consumer acceptability (p > .05) were identified between Hybrid and full meat products, whereas meat-free products were found to be less accepted. However, Hybrid sausages received higher acceptability scores (6.00-6.51) than Hybrid burgers (5.84-5.92) suggesting that format may have a large impact on consumer acceptability of Hybrid products. Correspondence Analysis (CA) indicated that Hybrid products were grouped with meat products in their sensory attributes. Penalty analysis found that a "meaty flavor" was the largest factor driving consumer acceptability in both burgers and sausages. Cluster analysis of consumer acceptability data identified key differences in overall acceptability between different consumer groups (consumers who only eat meat products and consumers who eat both meat and meat-free products). The Hybrid concept was found to bridge the acceptability gap between meat and meat-free products; however, further product reformulation is required to optimize consumer acceptability.

Sustainable-energy managment practices in an energy economy

Science.gov (United States)

Darkwa, K.

2001-10-01

The economic survival of any nation depends upon its ability to produce and manage sufficient supplies of low-cost safe energy. The world's consumption of fossil fuel resources currently increasing at 3% per annum is found to be unsustainable. Projections of this trend show that mankind will exhaust all known reserves in the second half of the coming century. Governments, industrialists, commercial organizations, public sector departments and the general public have now become aware of the urgent requirements for the efficient management of resources and energy-consuming activities. Most organizations in the materials, manufacturing and retail sectors and in the service industries have also created energy management departments, or have employed consultants, to monitor energy consumption and to reduce wastage. Conversely, any sustained attempt to reduce rates of energy consumption even by as little as 0.1% per annum ensures relatively an eternal future supply as well as reduction on environmental and ecological effect. Thus, there is no long- term solution to energy flow problem other than systematic and effective energy management and the continuous application of the techniques of energy management. Essential energy management strategies in support of a sustainable energy- economy are discussed.

Trends in Internet Marketing

OpenAIRE

Panchanathan, Nitin

2005-01-01

Internet marketing involves the usage of the Internet to market and sell goods or services. In this thesis we wished to seek answers for the following questions with the help of web, email surveys taking into consideration consumer perspective, company perspective and 3rd party internet marketing agency perspective. Our survey sample was based on a small set of companies, consumers and internet marketing agencies. The survey results helped us in predicting the trends in internet marketing. We...

Sustainable Enterprise Excellence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Edgeman, Rick

2013-01-01

Structured Abstract Purpose: Sustainable Enterprise Excellence (SEE) is defined and developed through integration and expansion of business excellence modeling and sustainability thought. The intent is to enable simple yet reliable enterprise assessment of triple bottom line (TBL) performance...... and produce actionable enterprise foresight that can enable next best practices and sources of sustainable competitive advantage through innovation. Methodology: Key elements of SEE are identified from various business excellence and sustainability reporting sources, including the Global Reporting Initiative...... assessment approach similar in structure to those behind established excellence awards are developed that enable enterprise assessment of progress toward SEE. The resulting assessment is delivered in a highly consumable, combined narrative and graphic format referred to as a SEE NEWS Report. Practical...

Consumer-oriented Sustainable Energy Concepts; Consumentgerichte Duurzame Energieconcepten

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuiper, H.J. [Universiteit Twente UT, Enschede (Netherlands)

2009-10-15

A study on the willingness of potential buyers of newly built houses to invest in energy efficient systems in order to realize a sustainable dwelling [Dutch] Een onder zoek naar de bereidheid van potentiele kopers van nieuwbouw woningen tot het investeren in energetische systemen om te komen tot een duurzame woning.

Conceptual basis for the european sustainability footprint

OpenAIRE

PELLETIER NATHANIEL; MAAS Rob; GORALCZYK MALGORZATA; WOLF Marc-Andree

2012-01-01

Sustainability is central to the policy objectives of the European Commission (EC), but a widely accepted integrated sustainability assessment framework in support of policy analysis and development is currently lacking. Here, we describe the conceptual basis for the proposed European Sustainability Footprint (ESF) - an integrated sustainability assessment framework for establishing a baseline and tracking trends with respect to the sustainability of European production and consumption. This ...

e-Purchase Intention of Taiwanese Consumers: Sustainable Mediation of Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Massoud Moslehpour

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This study proposes a new model by partially combining personality traits (PT and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM attributes to examine the influences of personality characteristics (conscientiousness, openness and perception of technology (perceived usefulness, perceives ease of use on e-purchase intention. We use truncate sampling technique and survey questionnaire to target the sample of Taiwanese online consumers and collect data. We find that consciousness (CON (personality attribute significantly influences perceived usefulness (PU (technology perception attributes, perceived ease of use (PEOU (technology perception attributes and openness to experience (OPE (personality attribute. PU, PEOU and OPE have significant impacts on e-purchase intention (INT. PEOU has the strongest positive impact on (INT. In addition, PU, PEOU and OPE combined together mediate the relationship between CON and INT. Further post hoc analysis of the mediation shows that both PU and PEOU are sustainable mediators. However, OPE is not a significant mediator.

Behavioral Targeting—Consumer Tracking

Science.gov (United States)

Srimani, P. K.; Srinivas, A.

2011-12-01

Behavioral targeting is an online marketing method that collects data on the browsing activities of consumers, in order to `target' more relevant online advertising. Behavioral targeting enables marketers to reach in-market consumers and increases the value of publisher inventory. At the heart of behavioral targeting is a learning-based investigation of consumer behaviors. It helps marketers understand consumers' purchase patterns over time, mapping out a customer's activities based not only on a single purchase but also on an annual or even lifetime basis. As marketers increasingly appreciate the importance of customer lifetime value, behavioral targeting can be a foundation for creating a continuous analytical study of consumer trends and patterns. But as behavioural-targeting systems become more sophisticated and invasive, it is vital that the companies behind them are open with users about what is going on, and give them control over their personal information. The aim of this paper is to explore the various tools and techniques of behavioral targeting and its benefits to online marketing. A multiple—case study approach was used for exploring the effectiveness and acceptance of online marketing in the area of the online marketing.

New Trends in the Chinese Diet: Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour

Science.gov (United States)

Cicia, Gianni; Grunert, Klaus G.; Krystallis, Athanasios K.; Zhou, Yanfeng; Cembalo, Luigi; Verneau, Fabio; Caracciolo, Francesco

2016-01-01

China is one of the most dynamic regions in the world in terms of economic growth and development. Such development has inevitably influenced the structure and habits of Chinese society. Whilst the economic condition of the middle class and high-income segment has steadily improved, cultural changes are also under way: ancient Chinese traditions now include major elements from other cultures, most notably the West. The above scenario is the background to this paper. A structured research-administered survey was developed to investigate the changes in the Chinese consumer food culture: 500 urban participants were randomly selected from six reference cities, covering geographically almost the whole country. This study aims not only to analyze the propensity of consumers to include food products from other countries in their ancient Chinese culinary culture, but also represents an initial attempt to perform a market segmentation of Chinese consumers according to their degree of cultural openness towards non-Chinese food, taking into account socio-demographic, cognitive and psychographic variables. PMID:27800438

New Trends in the Chinese Diet: Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Del Giudice, Teresa; Cicia, Gianni; Grunert, Klaus G; Krystallis, Athanasios K; Zhou, Yanfeng; Cembalo, Luigi; Verneau, Fabio; Caracciolo, Francesco

2016-04-19

China is one of the most dynamic regions in the world in terms of economic growth and development. Such development has inevitably influenced the structure and habits of Chinese society. Whilst the economic condition of the middle class and high-income segment has steadily improved, cultural changes are also under way: ancient Chinese traditions now include major elements from other cultures, most notably the West. The above scenario is the background to this paper. A structured research-administered survey was developed to investigate the changes in the Chinese consumer food culture: 500 urban participants were randomly selected from six reference cities, covering geographically almost the whole country. This study aims not only to analyze the propensity of consumers to include food products from other countries in their ancient Chinese culinary culture, but also represents an initial attempt to perform a market segmentation of Chinese consumers according to their degree of cultural openness towards non-Chinese food, taking into account socio-demographic, cognitive and psychographic variables.

Understanding Consumer Buying Behavior in Africa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kuada, John Ernest; Bujac, Andreea Ioana

2017-01-01

Recent economic growth trends in Africa have raised awareness among businesses about the attractiveness of its market potential. There is therefore an increasing academic interest in understanding the attitudes, preferences and behavior of African consumers. This chapter reviews some...

Corporate Social Responsibility for Sustainability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wojciech Przychodzeń

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to is to provide insights on implementing corporate social responsibility for sustainability (CSRS concept and show how it differs from basic corporate social responsibility (CSR. Methodology: The paper discusses major issues with references to existing literature and real business cases from S&P500 consumer discretionary sector. Findings: The main fi nding of this paper is that CSRS could provide the company with a competitive advantage as a growing number of consumers become more sustainable conscious. It could also help to overcome the increasing consumers’ skepticism towards corporate social responsibility practices. Finally, it can also be seen as a step forward in defi ning what types of corporate activities are associated with desirable social and environmental gains. Research limitations: Our sample was restricted to the U.S. fi rms from the consumer discretionary sector. Therefore, conclusions should not be generalized to other markets. Our study is based on the analysis of environmental and social responsibility statements and assumes that they accurately represent corporate commitment in majority of the cases. Practical implications: CSRS offers corporations the opportunity to use their unique skills, culture, values, resources, and management capabilities to lead social progress by making sustainability part of its internal corporate logic. Originality: The paper raises the importance of the different conditions necessary for making sustainable development concept an important part of corporate strategy.

How changes in consumer behaviour and retailing affect competence requirements for food producers and processors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grunert, Klaus G.

2006-01-01

are singled out as especially important: consumer understanding, relationship management, and new product development. The development of market-related competencies aimed at exploiting trends in consumer behaviour and retailing will also entail changing forms of cooperation among members of the value chain......This paper analyses the changing competence requirements which members of the food chain face in their pursuit of competitive advantage. Two groups of trends serve as point of departure: more dynamic and heterogeneous consumer demands, which can be analysed in terms of consumer demands for sensory......, which favour both new ways of adding value but also new ways of matching consumer heterogeneity with heterogeneity in agricultural raw materials....

How changes in consumer behaviour and retailing affect competence requirements for food producers and processors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grunert, Klaus G.

are singled out as especially important: consumer understanding, relationship management, and new product development. The development of market-related competencies aimed at exploiting trends in consumer behaviour and retailing will also entail changing forms of cooperation among members of the value chain......This paper analyses the changing competence requirements which members of the food chain face in their pursuit of competitive advantage. Two groups of trends serve as point of departure: more dynamic and heterogeneous consumer demands, which can be analysed in terms of consumer demands for sensory......, which favour both new ways of adding value but also new ways of matching consumer heterogeneity with heterogeneity in agricultural raw materials....

A food recall case study in Australia – Towards the development of food safety applications for consumers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adeola Bamgboje-Ayodele

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Changes in consumer attitudes, behaviours and purchasing preferences towards different types of food highlight the increased demand for better quality information on safety, quality and provenance of food products and on sustainability of food production processes. These changes offer both new opportunities and risks for food producers who require mechanisms to better understand and respond to changing consumers’ decision-making trends on food.  In the area of food safety, investigation of consumer and producer responses during recall incidents provide an opportunity to holistically understand existing information flows and elicit user requirements necessary for the development of more effective consumer food safety applications.This paper reports on a case study conducted with an Australian premium manufacturing company that experienced a food recall in 2014. The investigation confirms that current Australian food recall response mechanisms do not guarantee a closed loop of communication with all purchasers of a recalled product. It also highlights that producers still face difficulties in understanding how best to effectively understand and respond to different types of consumers. It emerges that recovery from a food incident relies on many factors including pre-existing brand reputation, effective information management, control mechanisms and supply chain partner response. From a consumer perspective, it is evident that consumers’ responses are influenced by various factors that require sensitivity around the choice of information modality and information platform adopted to enhance communications during food recall. The paper highlights the need for further research into understanding consumer food safety behaviours post-purchase to improve the development of consumer food safety applications.

Frontiers in sustainable consumption research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reisch, Lucia A.; Cohen, Maurie J.; Thøgersen, John

2016-01-01

While the field of sustainable consumption research is relatively young, it has already attracted scholars from all corners of the social sciences. The time has come to identify a new research agenda as trends in sustainable consumption research seem to suggest the dawning of a new phase. Not only...

The new consumer - Implications for pharmacy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morgall, Janine M.; Almarsdóttir, Anna B.

1999-01-01

In this article, we argue that the extended role of the pharmacy profession appears to be driven more by professional interests than by the interests of the consumer. We believe that a better understanding of market trends in general, as well as research into consumer needs, will ultimately give...... the best results for the profession. We focus on the rise of consumerism and what is referred to as the 'new' or 'aggressive' consumer. We argue that unless the pharmacy profession understands this widespread phenomenon, it will continue to shoot wide of its goal to increase public support and to develop...... an appreciation of the pharmacist's professional skills. We propose that pharmacy practice research should analyse the current situation from the consumer perspective within the context of changes in society, specifically within the health care system....

Changes in seafood consumer preference patterns and associated changes in risk exposure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jensen, Helen H. [Iowa State University, Department of Economics, 578 Heady Hall, Ames, IA 50011 (United States)]. E-mail hhjensen@iastate.edu

2006-07-01

Consumers world-wide are driving changes in the agriculture and food sector. Rising consumer income, changing demographics and lifestyles, and shifting preferences due to new information about the links between diet and health all contribute to new demands for foods. At the same time, technological changes in production, processing and distribution, growth in large-scale retailing, and changes in product availability, as well as expansion of trade world wide, have contributed to a rapidly changing market for food products. Changes in seafood consumption reflect these changes. The changes in consumer consumption patterns, new technologies and trade in product offer both expanded markets as well as new challenges to consumer exposure to food-borne risks. The strict quality control requirements of retail brokers, growth of private labels, and development of value-protecting marketing channels have become increasingly important in food markets. This paper addresses major trends that affect seafood consumption and the market for seafood products and the implications of these changes for consumer risk exposure to food safety hazards. The current economic environment highlights similarities and differences between the developed and developing countries, as well as diversity worldwide in consumption of seafood. Within this context, four major trends affect consumer consumption of foods, including seafood and fish products today: rising income; changing demographics; changing markets for food; and an increasingly global market for food products. Changes in consumer risk exposure to food safety problems are addressed in the context of these trends.

Changes in seafood consumer preference patterns and associated changes in risk exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jensen, Helen H. . E-mail hhjensen@iastate.edu

2006-01-01

Consumers world-wide are driving changes in the agriculture and food sector. Rising consumer income, changing demographics and lifestyles, and shifting preferences due to new information about the links between diet and health all contribute to new demands for foods. At the same time, technological changes in production, processing and distribution, growth in large-scale retailing, and changes in product availability, as well as expansion of trade world wide, have contributed to a rapidly changing market for food products. Changes in seafood consumption reflect these changes. The changes in consumer consumption patterns, new technologies and trade in product offer both expanded markets as well as new challenges to consumer exposure to food-borne risks. The strict quality control requirements of retail brokers, growth of private labels, and development of value-protecting marketing channels have become increasingly important in food markets. This paper addresses major trends that affect seafood consumption and the market for seafood products and the implications of these changes for consumer risk exposure to food safety hazards. The current economic environment highlights similarities and differences between the developed and developing countries, as well as diversity worldwide in consumption of seafood. Within this context, four major trends affect consumer consumption of foods, including seafood and fish products today: rising income; changing demographics; changing markets for food; and an increasingly global market for food products. Changes in consumer risk exposure to food safety problems are addressed in the context of these trends

Changes in seafood consumer preference patterns and associated changes in risk exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Helen H

2006-01-01

Consumers world-wide are driving changes in the agriculture and food sector. Rising consumer income, changing demographics and lifestyles, and shifting preferences due to new information about the links between diet and health all contribute to new demands for foods. At the same time, technological changes in production, processing and distribution, growth in large-scale retailing, and changes in product availability, as well as expansion of trade world wide, have contributed to a rapidly changing market for food products. Changes in seafood consumption reflect these changes. The changes in consumer consumption patterns, new technologies and trade in product offer both expanded markets as well as new challenges to consumer exposure to food-borne risks. The strict quality control requirements of retail brokers, growth of private labels, and development of value-protecting marketing channels have become increasingly important in food markets. This paper addresses major trends that affect seafood consumption and the market for seafood products and the implications of these changes for consumer risk exposure to food safety hazards. The current economic environment highlights similarities and differences between the developed and developing countries, as well as diversity worldwide in consumption of seafood. Within this context, four major trends affect consumer consumption of foods, including seafood and fish products today: rising income; changing demographics; changing markets for food; and an increasingly global market for food products. Changes in consumer risk exposure to food safety problems are addressed in the context of these trends.

The Electrification of Energy: Long-Term Trends and Opportunities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsao, Jeffrey Y. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Fouquet, Roger [London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom); Schubert, E. Fred [Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States)

2017-11-01

Here, we present and analyze three powerful long-term historical trends in energy, particularly electrical energy, as well as the opportunities and challenges associated with these trends. The first trend is from a world containing a diversity of energy currencies to one whose predominant currency is electricity, driven by electricity’s transportability, exchangeability, and steadily decreasing cost. The second trend is from electricity generated from a diversity of sources to electricity generated predominantly by free-fuel sources, driven by their steadily decreasing cost and long-term abundance. These trends necessitate a just-emerging third trend: from a grid in which electricity is transported uni-directionally, traded at near-static prices, and consumed under direct human control; to a grid in which electricity is transported bi-directionally, traded at dynamic prices, and consumed under human-tailored agential control. Early acceptance and appreciation of these trends will accelerate their remaking of humanity’s energy landscape into one in which energy is much more affordable, abundant and efficiently deployed than it is today; with major economic, geo-political, and environmental benefits to human society.

Trends in sustainable landfilling in Malaysia, a developing country.

Science.gov (United States)

Fauziah, S H; Agamuthu, P

2012-07-01

In Malaysia, landfills are being filled up rapidly due to the current daily generation of approximately 30,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste. This situation creates the crucial need for improved landfilling practices, as sustainable landfilling technology is yet to be achieved here. The objective of this paper is to identify and evaluate the development and trends in landfilling practices in Malaysia. In 1970, the disposal sites in Malaysia were small and prevailing waste disposal practices was mere open-dumping. This network of relatively small dumps, typically located close to population centres, was considered acceptable for a relatively low population of 10 million in Malaysia. In the 1980s, a national programme was developed to manage municipal and industrial wastes more systematically and to reduce adverse environmental impacts. The early 1990s saw the privatization of waste management in many parts of Malaysia, and the establishment of the first sanitary landfills for MSW and an engineered landfill (called 'secure landfill' in Malaysia) for hazardous waste. A public uproar in 2007 due to contamination of a drinking water source from improper landfilling practices led to some significant changes in the government's policy regarding the country's waste management strategy. Parliament passed the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management (SWPCM) Act 2007 in August 2007. Even though the Act is yet to be implemented, the government has taken big steps to improve waste management system further. The future of the waste management in Malaysia seems somewhat brighter with a clear waste management policy in place. There is now a foundation upon which to build a sound and sustainble waste management and disposal system in Malaysia.

Aesthetic Sustainability - Product Design and Sustainable Usage, by Kristine H. Harper

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Galle, Per

2017-01-01

As the window for action against irreversible climate changes is narrowing, Harper offers timely and practical advice on how, as designers and consumers, we can take responsibility for creating a sustainable future. Though informed by a deep understanding of the complexities of aesthetics...

Enacting Green Consumers: The Case of the Scandinavian Preppies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Fuentes

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to develop and illustrate an analytic approach that brings the active making and makings of green consumer images to the fore. Efforts to "know" the green consumers have generated multiple representations. Enactments of the green consumer are not innocent but also play a role in shaping how we understand and approach sustainable consumption. Because of this it is important to examine and critically discuss how green consumers are enacted today. This paper develops an approach that allows us to examine how green consumers are enacted and discuss the consequences these constructions might have for sustainability. Theoretically, a performativity approach drawing on theories from Science and Technology Studies (STS and economic sociology is used to discuss the enactment of green consumers. Empirically, focus is on Boomerang � a Swedish fashion retailer, brand, and producer � and its marketing practices. The analysis shows how the marketing work of the Boomerang Company leads to the enactment of the Green Scandinavian Preppy. This specific version of the green consumer is a combination of the knowledgeable green connoisseur - a consumer that knows quality when he/she sees it - and the green hedonist in search of the good life. The Green Scandinavian Preppy wants to enjoy nature, go sailing, and do so wearing fashionable quality clothes. This is a consumer that knows quality, appreciates design, and has the means to pay for both. While this is a version of the green consumer that might be appealing and thus have the potential to pro-mote a version of green consumption, it is also a green consumer image that has lost much of its political power as green consumption is framed as simply another source of pleasure and identity-making.

Urban Land Use Planning Trend and Sustainable Challenges in Socio-Economic Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Yousif Mangi

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Land use planning is a technical approach for developing and managing the land into various public interests to endorse sustainable socio-economic development. This paper focuses on socio-economic problems by improper allocations of urban land uses particularly in vertical development (High rise buildings. Taluka Qasimabad Town was selected as a case study to observe the existing urban land use trends. Spatial and Quantitative data were collected through detailed land use survey and formal interviews. The ArcGIS and SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science online software were used to analyze spatial and quantitative data. LRM (Linear Regression Model was used for predicting urban land use change particularly in vertical development by the year 2050. In this context, yearly code and land use change variables were applied in LRM to predict land use change since 2007. The results were found that rapid change in land uses occurred in the study area, by which inhabitants are facing problems like privacy, insecurity, property devaluation, and orientation nearby their accommodations. This research can lead to suggest several ways to improve and enhance urban land use planning approaches for betterment of urban communities.

Sustainability in Fashion Business Operations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsan-Ming Choi

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Under the global trend of sustainability, many companies selling fashion products have to reshape their operational strategies. Over the past few years, we have witnessed many fashion companies going green by re-engineering their business processes and establishing their formal sustainability programs. Many important topics, such as closed-loop supply chain management, corporate social responsibility, and economic sustainability, are all related to sustainable fashion business operations management. This paper provides a brief review of these critical topics, introduces the special issue, and proposes future research areas to achieve sustainable operations management in the fashion business.

Sustainable consumption and greenhouse gas mitigation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michaelis, Laurie [Sustainable Futures Programme, University of Oxford Environmental Change Institute, 1a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ (United Kingdom)

2003-11-01

The international discourses on climate change and sustainable development represent different cultures. The sustainable development process has sought to build agreement among competing discourse coalitions. The climate change process focuses on designing cost-effective measures based on expert analysis. Sustainable consumption presents a challenge to both communities. The challenge has been taken up within the sustainable development process but little progress has been made. High consuming lifestyles seem 'locked-in' by the economic, technological and cultural context. Nevertheless, there are several reasons for optimism that sustainable consumption patterns might develop. One is the diversity of current consumption patterns and the growing minority concerned with ethical consumption. Another is the growing understanding of innovation processes, developed to address technological change, but applicable to social innovation. A third reason is the growing reflexivity of communities and institutions. Government policies that seek to manage or control consumption, or persuade consumers to change their behaviour, are important but unlikely to be sufficient to bring about sustainable consumption. A complementary strategy would establish partnerships with the public and stakeholders, developing shared visions and approaches, supporting innovation and experimentation, and learning from outcomes. Changes are also needed in policies throughout government, from employment law to trade.

Sustainable leadership : Towards a workable definition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tideman, S.G.; Arts, M.; Zandee, D.P.

2013-01-01

This paper offers a definition of the type of leadership that is necessary for creating sustainable organisations: sustainable leadership. After exploring shifts in economic and organisational theory caused by new insights from fields such as (social) neuroscience, and mega-trends in the

New trends in the Chinese diet: cultural influences on consumer behaviour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teresa Del Giudice

2016-04-01

Full Text Available China is one of the most dynamic regions in the world in terms of economic growth and development. Such development has inevitably influenced the structure and habits of Chinese society. Whilst the economic condition of the middle class and high-income segment has steadily improved, cultural changes are also under way: ancient Chinese traditions now include major elements from other cultures, most notably the West. The above scenario is the background to this paper. A structured research-administered survey was developed to investigate the changes in the Chinese consumer food culture: 500 urban participants were randomly selected from six reference cities, covering geographically almost the whole country. This study aims not only to analyze the propensity of consumers to include food products from other countries in their ancient Chinese culinary culture, but also represents an initial attempt to perform a market segmentation of Chinese consumers according to their degree of cultural openness towards non-Chinese food, taking into account socio-demographic, cognitive and psychographic variables.

Environmental Sustainability In The Thai Hotel Industry

OpenAIRE

Jirawat Anuwichanont; Panisa Mechinda; Sirivan Serirat; Aurathai Lertwannawit; Nongluck Popaijit

2011-01-01

Nowadays, the growing concern of environmental sustainability does not only influence consumers demand but also how companies run their own business. Consumers are more conscious about the environment and demanding environmental friendly products and services. Consequently, the tourism industry currently faces increasing demands from consumers to achieve levels of environmental responsiveness. Thus, companies strive to implement environmentally friendly and socially responsible practices to g...

DEVELOPMENT TRENDS IN THE GLOBAL DENTAL MARKET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veronica BULAT

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The paper analyses the key trends of the market, and segments the global dental equipment and consumables market by components and into various geographic regions in way of market size. It discusses the key market drivers, main players, restraints and opportunities of the global dental equipment and consumables market.

Organizing Consumers for a Decarbonized Electricity System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pallesen, Trine; Jenle, Rasmus Ploug

2018-01-01

This paper studies a Danish smart grid experiment, EcoGrid EU, designed to sustain the increase of wind power in the electricity system. EcoGrid EU is designed as a real-time market, through which engineers seek to realize price responsive electricity consumers through the introduction of smart...... meters, variable short-term price signals and training users. Based on observations and interviews with scientist, consumers and technicians, this paper analyses the attempt to produce a new kind of electricity consumer. Drawing on social studies of markets, we argue that the project entails constructing...... a new form of calculative agency. We illustrate the extensive work put into the creation of a new, reconfigured electricity consumer, as well as the challenges associated with the construction of consumers willing and able to act in accordance with the EcoGrid script. On one hand, this study adds...

Exploring global consumer attitudes toward nutrition information on food labels.

Science.gov (United States)

Wills, Josephine M; Schmidt, David B; Pillo-Blocka, Francy; Cairns, Georgina

2009-05-01

In many parts of the world, food companies, consumers, and governments are re-examining the provision of nutrition information on food labels. It is important that the nutrition information provided be appropriate and understandable to the consumer and that it impact food-choice behaviors. Potentially, food labeling represents a valuable tool to help consumers make informed decisions about their diet and lifestyle. Food information organizations worldwide have been following consumer trends in the use of this information as well as consumer attitudes about food, nutrition, and health. This paper summarizes a workshop that examined consumer attitudes gathered regionally with the aim of establishing commonalities and differences.

Understanding Consumer Purchase of Free-of Cosmetics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Torben; Risborg, Marie Søndergaard; Steen, Christina Donslund

2012-01-01

consumers' personal values and their attitude and behaviour associated with purchasing free-of cosmetics. A quantitative online survey of 250 Danish female consumers was conducted using self-administering questionnaires. The findings indicate that consumers' willingness to purchase free-of cosmetics (R......This study concerns the free-of trend on the cosmetics market as expressed by a tendency among consumers to prefer cosmetics that are free of certain ingredients. Combining the Theory of Reasoned Action with a value-driven approach, this study empirically investigates the association between......² = .48) is both influenced by attitude (β = .65) and perceived subjective norm (β = .21) with attitude having the largest predictive power. Moreover, consumers' attitude towards willingness to purchase free-of cosmetics seems to be value driven. Our results indicate that two values, self-transcendence (β...

Consumer perception and the role of science in the meat industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Troy, D J; Kerry, J P

2010-09-01

The relationship between consumer perception of quality and the food industry's drive to satisfy consumer needs is complex and involves many different components. Science and innovation play a major role in equipping the industry to respond to consumer concerns and expectations. This paper examines the main elements of consumer perception of meat with focus on the red meat sector. Emphasis is placed on perception at point of sale particularly the intrinsic quality cues of colour, packaging and degree of visual fat. The state of the art developments in increasing consumers' perception at this point are discussed. Experienced quality cues such as tenderness and flavour are well known as being of immense importance to consumers at point of consumption. The latest technological developments to enhance the quality experienced by consumers are discussed. The use of pre-rigor restraining techniques offers the industry a method for changing its conventional procedures of processing beef for instance. Background cues of safety, nutrition, animal welfare and sustainability are also discussed. Finally opportunities and challenges facing the industry are outlined. It is concluded that the meat industry needs to invest in and embrace an innovation agenda in order to be sustainable. It must utilise emerging scientific knowledge and take a more proactive role in setting out a research agenda.

Is there sustainable entrepreneurship in the wine industry? Exploring Sicilian wineries participating in the SOStain program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emanuele Schimmenti

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Global climate change and the accelerating depletion of natural resources have contributed to increase discussions about the role of private enterprises in reversing negative environmental trends. Rather than focusing on profit maximization, policy makers and consumers pressure groups expect firms to meet a triple-bottom line of economic, environmental and social value creation. Hence sustainable entrepreneurship has received recently increasing interest as a phenomenon and a research topic. More recently, the concept of sustainability has been taken seriously in the Italian wine industry. The organizational challenge for entrepreneurship is to better integrate social and environmental performance into the economic business logic. The aim of this manuscript is to illustrate, through a descriptive approach, the adaptation of the wine industry to the new scenario of sustainable entrepreneurship. To reach this goal we carried out an explorative analysis of 3 Sicilian wineries involved in the SOStain program, which aims at the improvement of sustainability in the wine industry. The findings of the analysis show the existence of sustainability-driven entrepreneurship, in which the wineries undertake to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life for the workforce, their families, the local and global community as well as future generations.

Sustainable seafood consumption in action: Relevant behaviours and their predictors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Richter, Isabel; Thøgersen, John; Klöckner, Christian A.

2017-01-01

The current dominance of unsustainable seafood consumption threatens future food security. To preserve marine food resources over the long term more sustainable ways to consume seafood have to be promoted. This paper discusses consumer actions that represent the sustainable consumption of seafood...... in Norway. The predictive power of intention, social norms, trust and general pro-environmental attitudes are theoretically discussed and statistically tested in regards to (a) using sustainable seafood labels, and (b) using sustainable seafood guides. Data analysis (N=1190 Norwegian adults) shows that both...... behaviors are related to social norms, intentions and trust. This pattern also turns out to be stable over time as a second data collection on the same sample four weeks later shows. Causal relationships have been identified by applying a cross-lagged panel analysis between intentions and sustainable...

Dynamic Sustainability. Sustainability Window Analysis of Chinese Poverty-Environment Nexus Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jyrki Luukkanen

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Sustainability Window is a new analysis tool for assessing the sustainability of development simultaneously in all of its three dimensions (environmental, economic, and social. The analysis method provides information of the maximum and minimum economic development that is required to maintain the direction of social and environmental development towards more sustainable targets. With the Sustainability Window method it is possible to easily analyze the sustainability using different indicators and different time periods making comparative analyses easy. The new method makes it also possible to analyze the dynamics of the sustainability and the changes over time in the width of the window. This provides a new perspective for analyzing the trends of sustainability and the impacts of underlying sustainability policies. As an illustration of the method, we have carried out an analysis of Chinese development using CO2 and SO2 emissions as indicators of the environmental dimension, number of non-poor people as an indicator of the social dimension and GDP as an indicator of the economic dimension.

Energy and sustainability: a global view

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldemberg, J.

1995-01-01

A discussion is made of the conflicting concepts of sustainable development, focusing primarily on energy resources, as viewed by economists and environmentalists. According to the 'preservationist' view we 'borrow' the Earth from generations to come and have no right to use exhaustible resources. According to 'developmentalists' natural resources are either infinite or can be substituted by alternatives so there is no real problem of exhaustion of resources. It is shown that a compromise between such extreme positions is being forced by the heightened concerns for environmental protection. Outstanding among them are the problems of climate changes resulting from CO 2 (carbon dioxide) emissions from fossil fuel combustion. The energy consumed at present by industrialized and developing countries, and their projections to the year 2020 will be presented as well as the serious environmental consequences of a 'business-as-usual' scenario. These consequences will be much harder to cope with in the developing countries. Carbon emissions will be shown to increase with population, GDP and the 'energy intensity' of the economy. The 'decarbonization' trends of the present economies will be related to the decrease in total fertility rate and 'energy intensity' which is linked to technological advances in energy conservation and structural changes. Mechanisms to accelerate such trends will be discussed as well as financial mechanisms to pay for it, such as carbon taxes. (author) figs., tabs., refs

1. Dimensions of sustainable development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Repetto, R.

1992-01-01

This chapter discusses the following topics: the concept of sustainable development; envisioning sustainable development (economic dimensions, human dimensions, environmental dimensions, technological dimensions); policy implications (economic policies, people-oriented policies, environmental policies, creating sustainable systems); and global issues (effect of war on development and the environment and the debt burden). This chapter also introduces the case studies by discussing the levels of economic development and comparing key trends (economic growth, human development, population growth, and energy use)

The Psychology of Sustainable Seafood Consumption: A Comprehensive Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Richter, Isabel G M; Klöckner, Christian A

2017-09-28

This paper discusses conceptual confusions of sustainable seafood consumption, practical challenges, and potential anchors from where this behaviour can be fostered. The main focus lies on psychological variables. The resulting framework comprises (1) a definition of sustainable seafood consumption, (2) suggestions for corresponding behaviours, (3) the identification of facilitating and hindering factors, (4) an assemblage of these factors into a theoretical model, and (5) a short discussion of how the model adds up value to the current state of the art in marine resource conservation. Behavioural models significantly contribute to behavioural change research. The originality and value of this research are that it tackles the so far relatively neglected field of sustainable seafood consumption as important part of sustainable development and marine conservation in the future. From an interventional perspective, the developed model facilitates the identification of contact points to approach consumers and disseminate sustainable seafood consumption among modern Western consumers.

Community Gardening Project: Meredith College Students Explore Sustainability, Organics

Science.gov (United States)

Roubanis, Jody L.; Landis, William

2007-01-01

Consuming locally grown foods promotes sustainable development and individual wellness (Waters, 2006). In the United States, the average food product travels 2,000 miles before reaching the consumer (Schlosser, 2001). This distance between producer and consumer is one reason that today's youth lack an understanding of the origin of the food they…

The Shifting Politics of Sustainable Seafood Consumerism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bush, S.R.; Roheim, C.A.

2018-01-01

Seafood has emerged as a key testing ground for understanding the role of different value chain actors in driving sustainability. The conventional view, developed in the late 1990s, is that sustainable seafood is driven by the choices and practices of consumers in major importing markets, such as

SUSTAINABILITY AS A PART OF BALANCED SCORECARD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LUCIE SARA ZAVODNA

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Sustainability is a trend, which is more seriously discussed on the international and national level. But also companies in the local level are pushed to have strategies and visions, which enable better future for society, our planet and local economy. Sustainability is one of the conditions – it allows companies to implicate social, economic and environmental pillars to the company´s strategy and management. The question, which remains today is, how to measure social, economic and environmental impact on society? And more – how to enable future generations to have the same conditions as we have today? The paper provides format for a possible bridge between current strategic Balanced Scorecard system and future trend of sustainability. One of the special tools, which can be used for measuring sustainability, is Balanced Scorecard (by Kaplan and Norton in 1990s with the complement of sustainable metrics. The paper introduces three possible methods, which can be used by implementing sustainability into the Balanced Scorecard. One of these methods is described in detail. There is a focus on the sustainable indicators included as the fifth area in Balanced Scorecard model.

Sustainability as a part of balanced scorecard

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucie Sara Zavodna

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Sustainability is a trend, which is more seriously discussed on the international and national level. But also companies in the local level are pushed to have strategies and visions, which enable better future for society, our planet and local economy. Sustainability is one of the conditions – it allows companies to implicate social, economic and environmental pillars to the company´s strategy and management. The question, which remains today is, how to measure social, economic and environmental impact on society? And more – how to enable future generations to have the same conditions as we have today? The paper provides format for a possible bridge between current strategic Balanced Scorecard system and future trend of sustainability. One of the special tools, which can be used for measuring sustainability, is Balanced Scorecard (by Kaplan and Norton in 1990s with the complement of sustainable metrics. The paper introduces three possible methods, which can be used by implementing sustainability into the Balanced Scorecard. One of these methods is described in detail. There is a focus on the sustainable indicators included as the fifth area in Balanced Scorecard model.

Natural gas 1995: Issues and trends

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-11-01

Natural Gas 1995: Issues and Trends addresses current issues affecting the natural gas industry and markets. Highlights of recent trends include: Natural gas wellhead prices generally declined throughout 1994 and for 1995 averages 22% below the year-earlier level; Seasonal patterns of natural gas production and wellhead prices have been significantly reduced during the past three year; Natural gas production rose 15% from 1985 through 1994, reaching 18.8 trillion cubic feet; Increasing amounts of natural gas have been imported; Since 1985, lower costs of producing and transporting natural gas have benefitted consumers; Consumers may see additional benefits as States examine regulatory changes aimed at increasing efficiency; and, The electric industry is being restructured in a fashion similar to the recent restructuring of the natural gas industry.

Moving towards Sustainability in Food Chains: Dealing with Costs and Benefits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gerhard Schiefer

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Sustainability concerns are receiving increasingly attention by society and in turn, the food sector and consumers as the food sector’s final customers. Investments towards improvements in sustainability along the chain are usually not evenly distributed along the chain which affects the balance in the distribution of costs and returns. Transparency is a means for supporting an appropriate link between costs and returns. Various alternatives are being discussed. The chapter utilizes a case study approach for elaborating on the possibilities of regaining costs through price premiums, the communication of sustainability to consumers and the cooperation through horizontal and vertical networking alternatives that could support developments towards sustainability through gains in efficiency and concerted engagements in dealing with sustainability, costs and returns along the chain

What Motivate Muslim Consumer to Patronage Islamic Based–Retail Store?

OpenAIRE

Fauzi, Waida Irani Mohd; Muhammad, Nazlida; Mokhtar, Sany Sanuri Mohd; Yusoff, Rushamie Zain

2016-01-01

There is a significant trend among Muslim consumers in reverting to Islamic way of life. The phenomenon somehow affected the Malaysian retail industry with specialty Islamic stores mushrooming, and retailers customizing retail elements to win the Muslim consumers segment. As the mainstream studies on retailing acknowledges the adaptation of retail elements to suit consumers’ segment, there are less report on customizing retail elements to religious consumer group such as Muslim consumers’ seg...

Are Green Jobs Sustainable for Sri Lankan Economy?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Jayaweera

2012-10-01

Full Text Available It is imperative that Sri Lanka grasps the concepts of green jobs to meet the most vital but intricatechallenge of the 21st Century, which is the transformation to a sustainable and a low-carbon economy.Such a transformation or a paradigm shift, which can be gradual or rapid depending on the circumstances,will undoubtedly have a considerable positive effect on the way we produce and/or consume goods andservices. The speed at which this transformation would occur is likely to accelerate in the near future asthere is a trend of global transition from a traditional to a low-carbon economy, in order to attainsustainable economies. Such trends will help create an array of different forms of green jobs across manysectors, and most probably can become a catalyst for further development. The International LabourOrganization (ILO has defined green jobs as “Jobs created when they help in reducing the negativeenvironmental impacts ultimately leading to environmentally, economically and socially sustainableenterprises and economies”. Green jobs, in general, stand on two pillars: decent work and environmentalsustainability. Thus, green jobs can be defined as decent work that contributes to environmentalsustainability. In a broader sense decent work needs to address the core of international labour standardssuch as freedom of association and effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining, eliminationof all forms of forced or compulsory labour, effective abolition of child labour, elimination ofdiscrimination in respect of employment and occupation, occupational health and safety, etc. whilstaligning to laws applicable to Sri Lanka. Environmental sustainability addresses issues such as effectivelycombating climate change, pollution prevention and control, conservation of eco-systems and biodiversityetc. (ILO, 2007.

Hapiness and Environmental Awareness – Factors of Sustainable Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anita Frajman Jakšić

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Economic growth was long perceived as the key goal of economic development. But as the capitalist economies got richer and as negative consequences of the growth spurt became more obvious, the development paradigm began to change course towards sustainability, which encompasses economic, environmental and social dimensions. The purpose of the article is to link the value system in the society and the possibility of the society to embrace the sustainable development model. We first provide the theoretical framework, followed by an empirical analysis of Croatia. The stress is on the environmental component of sustainability. The article builds from the popular stream of economic theory, i.e. economic analysis of happiness, which claims that happiness results not solely from economic factors, but also personal and broader social elements. These can also include environmental variables. In economic analysis of happiness, the consumer is not a standard utility maximizing consumer, who directly links utility and consumption of goods. His happiness is largely determined also by environmental elements. The existence of such consumers is consequently a prerequisite for the establishment of the sustainable economy. Empirical results show that: (1 consumers in general are at the moment not well educated about ecological problems, but (2 those that are give a lot of attention to environmental aspects. It is also important to note that future sustainability depends primarily on the attitude of current young cohorts (15 to 24 years, which, unfortunately, are least environmentally conscious. The role of the government and public institutions in preparing broader educational campaigns can therefore be significant.

Visitors’ Experience, Place Attachment and Sustainable Behaviour at Cultural Heritage Sites: A Conceptual Framework

OpenAIRE

Piera Buonincontri; Alessandra Marasco; Haywantee Ramkissoon

2017-01-01

Sustainable tourism research has attracted wide interest from scholars and practitioners. While several heritage sites are mandated to provide optimum visitor satisfaction with increasing competition in the market, managers of heritage sites face growing challenges in striking a balance between consumption and conservation. This calls for promoting more sustainable behaviours among consumers of heritage. This study proposes a conceptualization of sustainable behaviour for heritage consumers. ...

The Influence of the Principle of Sustainable Consumption over the Combat against Planned Obsolescence, the Guarantee of ‘Durable Products’ and the Right to Information of Consumers in Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorena Vanina Bianchi

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This article is aimed to explain the problems related to the planned obsolescence, by means of describing their impacts on the consumption and on the environment. From a legal perspective, it can be analysed how the new principle of sustainable consumption, which has been recently acknowledged as a new principle of the Consumer Law in Argentina, allows us to reconsider the functioning of two classic tools to protect consumers. These two tools can be useful to combat or mitigate the negative effects of planned obsolescence: the right to information and the legal guarantee of products.

The emergence of diverse organic consumers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Thomas Bøker; Andersen, Laura Mørch; Jensen, Katherine O'Doherty

2013-01-01

as positively oriented segments that differ in their food involvement, shopping behaviour and levels of ethical concern have appeared, while marketing and distribution strategies have co-developed with these trends. We discuss our findings in the light of the attitude-behaviour gap that is said to exist......This study uses qualitative and quantitative data as well as household panel data regarding actual purchases of organic food in order to make a psychographic profiling of organic consumers and examine recent developments of organic demand in Denmark. It is shown that contemporary organic consumers...... in regard to organic consumption and the consequences that are thought to follow from the detachment of consumers from organic producers according to the much debated conventionalisation thesis....

Perceptions of the Slow Food Cultural Trend among the Youth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lelia Voinea

2016-11-01

Full Text Available As they become increasingly aware of the importance of healthy eating and of the serious food imbalance caused by the overconsumption of industrial, ultra-processed and superorganoleptic food, consumers are now beginning to turn their attention to food choices guaranteeing both individual health and also of the environment . Thus, in recent years we are witnessing the rise of a cultural trend ‒ Slow Food. Slow Food has become an international movement that advocates for satisfying culinary pleasure, protects biological and cultural diversity, spread taste education, links "green" producers to consumers and believes that gastronomy intersects with politics, agriculture and ecology. Slow Food proposes a holistic approach to food problem, where the economic, sociocultural and environmental aspects are interlinked, being pursued as part of an overall strategy. In order to highlight the manner in which the principles of this cultural trend are perceived by the representatives of the new generation of consumers in Romania, exploratory research marketing was conducted among the students in the second year of the master’s program Quality Management, Expertise and Consumer Protection, from the Faculty of Business and Tourism from the Buchares t University of Economic Studies . The results of this research have shown an insufficient knowledge of Slow Food phenomenon and, especially, the Slow Food network activity in Romania. To show that the Slow Food type of food is a healthier option towards which the future consumer demand should be guided, especially those belonging to the younger generation, an antithetical comparative analysis of the nutritional value of two menus was performed: a suggestive one for the Slow Food feeding style and other one, specific to the fast food style. Slow Food style was considered antithetical to the fast food because many previous studies have shown a preference of the young for the fast-food type products, despite the

Agroforestry trends in Punjab, Pakistan

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

The main objectives of the study pertain to agro forestry trend in Punjab, ... further increase it, if the government revives financial/technical incentives and marketing facilities. ...... their socioeconomics, land ownership and sustainable life.

THE ROMANIAN CONSUMER UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE GLOBAL CRISIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SAVU MIHAELA

2015-03-01

Full Text Available At present, consumers focus on meeting their higher needs, as opposed to previously meeting the base ones. However this trend is not among priorities for the Romanian consumer. He/she uses almost 43% of the total consumption expenditures for the purchase of food, being restricted in his/her choices by the income and the price of products. The food products analysed in the period 2001 – 2012 have an upward trend, but with no substantial differences. The only product category that has a downward trend is represented by wine and wine products. Consumption in Romania was negatively influenced by the effects of the global crisis for the products analysed, except for meat and meat products. Despite the fact that we are far from the average annual meat consumption, however, the highest quantity recorded in our country was in 2009.

Determinants influencing consumer behaviour in organic food market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Frýdlová

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This is a treatise of consumer behaviour in the Czech foods market, respectively, organic food market. This concerns comprehensive analysis of consumer behaviour, which places great emphasis on the motivating factors and barriers, which substantially influence the individual consumers when deciding between conventional foods and organic foods and are operationally broken down into a set of empirical indicators. The database comes from a questionnaire survey to ascertain the trends in the development of the consumption of conventional foods and organic foods including the shopping behaviour of the individual consumers. The results of the questionnaire survey were evaluated by analysis of the qualitative features and other sophisticated statistical methods were also used. Based on the results obtained, the influence of the individual factors on the decision-making behaviour of the consumers when purchasing foods. The main factors that influence consumer behaviour were considered to be the income of the consumers, price of the foods, attitudes that influence the purchase of foods.

Consumer perceptions on sustainable practices implemented in foodservice organizations in Korea

OpenAIRE

Ju, Seyoung; Chang, Hyeja

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Sustainable practices in foodservice organizations including commercial and noncommercial ones are critical to ensure the protection of the environment for the future. With the rapid growth of the foodservice industry, wiser usage of input sources such as food, utilities, and single use packaging should be reconsidered for future generations. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the customer's perceptions on sustainable practices and to identify the relationship amo...

Paying for sustainability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grebitus, Carola; Steiner, Bodo; Veeman, Michele

2016-01-01

Increasing environmental concerns of consumers and global supply chains center on the impacts of carbon dioxide emissions and water usage. This study analyzes consumers’ preferences for sustainable products as indicated by water and carbon footprint labels, enabling a rare cross-cultural comparison...... and policy stakeholders in designing targeted footprint labeling initiatives....

Sustainable Seafood Consumption in Action: Relevant Behaviors and their Predictors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabel Richter

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Within the discussion around sustainable diets, seafood consumption is still a relatively neglected field. This article discusses relevant behaviours consumers can perform to consume seafood sustainably. The predictive power of intention, descriptive social norms, trust, awareness and pro-environmental attitudes are theoretically discussed and statistically tested across two studies in regards to (a using sustainable seafood labels, and (b using sustainable seafood guides. Data analysis (N1 = 309, N2 = 881 Norwegian adults shows that intentions, social norms and trust predict seafood label use across studies. The variables predicting seafood guide use are less stable which might be due to this behaviour being performed by a very small fraction of consumers only. Causal relationships have been identified in study 2 by applying cross-lagged panel analyses between intentions, trust and social norms and seafood label use. Further causal relationships were found between intentions, trust and awareness and seafood guide use. A bidirectional relationship was confirmed between descriptive social norms and seafood guide use. Potential strategies to promote seafood label- and seafood guide use, are discussed based on these results.

Evaluation of carbon fluxes and trends (2000-2008) in the Greater Platte River Basin: a sustainability study on the potential biofuel feedstock development

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Yingxin; Wylie, Bruce K.; Zhang, Li; Gilmanov, Tagir G.

2012-01-01

This study evaluates the carbon fluxes and trends and examines the environmental sustainability (e.g., carbon budget, source or sink) of the potential biofuel feedstock sites identified in the Greater Platte River Basin (GPRB). A 9-year (2000–2008) time series of net ecosystem production (NEP), a measure of net carbon absorption or emission by ecosystems, was used to assess the historical trends and budgets of carbon flux for grasslands in the GPRB. The spatially averaged annual NEP (ANEP) for grassland areas that are possibly suitable for biofuel expansion (productive grasslands) was 71–169 g C m−2 year−1 during 2000–2008, indicating a carbon sink (more carbon is absorbed than released) in these areas. The spatially averaged ANEP for areas not suitable for biofuel feedstock development (less productive or degraded grasslands) was −47 to 69 g C m−2 year−1 during 2000–2008, showing a weak carbon source or a weak carbon sink (carbon emitted is nearly equal to carbon absorbed). The 9-year pre-harvest cumulative ANEP was 1166 g C m−2 for the suitable areas (a strong carbon sink) and 200 g C m−2 for the non-suitable areas (a weak carbon sink). Results demonstrate and confirm that our method of dynamic modeling of ecosystem performance can successfully identify areas desirable and sustainable for future biofuel feedstock development. This study provides useful information for land managers and decision makers to make optimal land use decisions regarding biofuel feedstock development and sustainability.

The origins of the consumer society: socio-philosophical analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. O. Serdyuk

2014-05-01

Full Text Available This article investigates the prerequisites of the consumer society and the theories of «consumer revolution». According to these theories, the formation of consumer society began long before the industrial age, consumerism revolution is represented by a consequence of economic development of production and markets at the end of the eighteenth century, which contributed to a significant expansion of public participation in the consumption and the changing of role of things in social life. It is shown that in this time consumption becomes more demonstrative, the status of things, is changing which is beginning to be appreciated not its durability, utility, and compliance with the latest fashion trends and prestige. The author believes that in the eighteenth century consumption only began to emerge and was not spread to the in public general, was part of a private rather than public life, being limited practice of general population. Concepts of consumer revolution are retrospective theories aimed to study of the origins of the trends of development of the society acquired relevance in our time. The author concludes that in traditional and premodern societies consumption due to objective reasons could not be widespread.

Consumer involvement in the health technology assessment program.

Science.gov (United States)

Royle, Jane; Oliver, Sandy

2004-01-01

This study aims to describe a cycle of development leading to sustainable methods for involving consumers in the management of a program commissioning health technology assessment. Staff time was dedicated to developing procedures for recruiting and briefing consumers to participate in prioritizing, commissioning, and reporting research. Resources and support were developed in light of early feedback from consumers and those working with them. These were piloted and amended before being used routinely. Over 4 years, procedures and resources have been developed to support six consumers attending seven to eight prioritization meetings a year; thirty to forty-five consumers each year commenting on research need for particular topics; thirty consumers a year commenting on research proposals, and twenty a year commenting on research reports. The procedures include clear job descriptions, induction and development days, clear briefing materials, payment for substantial tasks, and regularly seeking feedback to improve procedures. Explicit, inclusive, and reproducible methods for supporting consumer involvement that satisfy National Health Service policy recommendations for involving consumers in research require dedicated staff time to support a cycle of organizational development.

The adoption of sustainable innovations : Driven by symbolic and environmental motives

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Noppers, Ernst H.; Keizer, Kees; Bolderdijk, Jan Willem; Steg, Linda

Critical to the environmental success of sustainable innovations is the adoption by consumers. The consensus is that instrumental shortcomings of sustainable innovations inhibit their adoption. However, we argue that the adoption of sustainable innovations does not exclusively depend on their

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING IN CHINA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Udo Braendle

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Sustainability reports contain important information for the stakeholders. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of recent developments in the area of sustainability reporting in China. The paper presents useful insights into sustainability reporting in China and helps to better navigate the future trends in sustainability reporting practices. The sustainability reporting rules in China should not rely on a basis of broad standards but on legally enforced binding rules.

Towards sustainable household energy use in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Wal, J; Moll, H.C.

2001-01-01

Households consume direct energy, using natural gas, heating oil, gasoline and electricity, and consume indirect energy, the energy related to the production of goods and the delivery of services for the households. Past trends and present-day household energy use (direct and indirect) are analysed

The (ineffectiveness of green seals on consumer behavior: a experimental study [doi: 10.21529/RECADM.2017003

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taís Pasquotto Andreoli

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The objective of the study was to analyze consumers' perceptions about green seals, according to how well known these seals are and to their own profile of green consumption. Therefore, a theoretical reference was made on sustainable consumption, as well as on the application of green seals in the perspective of green marketing. The method adopted was a hypothetical-deductive approach, carried out through two experiments (one online and the other face-to-face, both with factorial design 2 (true and well-known green seal versus false seal and nothing known x 2 very sustainable versus low sustainable consumer profile. In view of the results obtained, four main discussions could be made, such as the possibility of greenwashing due to the clear mention of environmental aspects, either in relation to the seal itself or to the statements underlying it, the ineffectiveness of adopting green seals and influence of this ineffectiveness even in consumers who reported having a more sustainable consumption profile.   Keywords Sustainable consumption; Green marketing; Green seals; Experimental research; Greenwashing.

Sustainable outsourcing : Trends in the clothing industry

OpenAIRE

Backelin, Diana; Welchermill, Patrik

2013-01-01

Globalization has led to freedom of trade between countries and allowed people to accessitems that were previously unavailable to them. This has in turn also lead to competitive pricing, making it possible for businesses to access much wider markets. Firms are able to optimize their resources more easily, thus increasing profits by working toward a more sustainable economy. But globalization is not only positive. There are disadvantages too. Globalization has increased the level of unemployme...

Sustainable food consumption in China and India

OpenAIRE

von Meyer-Höfer, Marie; Juarez Tijerino, Andrea Maria; Spiller, Achim

2015-01-01

This study examines sustainable food consumption in China and India, based on online consumer survey data. It explores which factors influence sustainable food consumption in these countries, based upon a model related to the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Structural equation modelling is used for the analysis and comparison of both countries. Among the similarities found are the significant influence of subjective norms on intention towards sustainable food consumption and the influence of per...

National strategy for sustainable development: 5. report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

After an introduction on the assessment and perspectives of the French national strategy for a sustainable development, this report presents actions which are associated with different themes: social dimension of the sustainable development, the citizen as an actor of sustainable development, territories, economic activities, companies and consumers, climate change and energy, transports, agriculture and fishery, prevention of risks, pollutions and other hazards for health and the environment, an exemplary State, research and innovation, international action

Influencing sustainable product choice through anticipated pride and guilt: the role of self-accountability and recalled emotions

OpenAIRE

Rowe, Zoe

2017-01-01

Consumption choices are significant in determining sustainability outcomes. Therefore, an area of particular interest for both scholars and practitioners is that of consumer behaviour and the challenge of encouraging sustainable consumption habits. Sustainable consumer behaviour is important, yet slow to change, with many individuals stating that they care about being sustainable, yet not demonstrating this in their actual behaviour choices. This research proposes two related n...

Energy efficiency versus gains in consumer amenities—An example from new cars sold in Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sprei, Frances; Karlsson, Sten

2013-01-01

Technological developments that increase energy efficiency result in net energy-saving benefits, provided the increased efficiency is not offset by enhanced consumer amenities. This paper analyzes the technology development/consumer amenities trade-off for new cars sold in Sweden between 1975 and 2010. We combine lessons learned from the policies in place and interviews with key actors in the car-purchasing process with statistical modeling of trends in vehicle attributes and technological development. Until 2007, consumer amenities were continuously enhanced, offsetting most of the efficiency gains of technological development; there was no strong policy push toward energy efficiency. In recent years, two major shifts have occurred. First, there has been a shift in the majority of new cars sold, from gasoline-powered engines to diesel engines. Flex-fuel vehicles have also contributed to a decline in the sales-share of pure gasoline engines. The observed shift of fuels, especially to flex-fuels, has been encouraged by policies. Second, after 2007 there have been major technological improvements, while attributes related to consumer amenities have remained flat, reversing the trends so that 77% of the technological development resulted in actual reduction of specific fuel consumption. EU targets, tax reforms, and consumer awareness have contributed to this trend change. - Highlights: ► Trade-offs between consumer amenities and fuel consumption of new cars in Sweden. ► Methods: Statistical modeling, policy analysis and interviews. ► Until 2007 a majority of technological development is offset by consumer amenities. ► After 2005 a shift from gasoline to diesel and flex-fuels takes place. ► Policy change and environmental awareness result in a reversion of trends.

Home drinking in the UK: trends and causes.

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, John H; Ferguson, Colin S

2012-01-01

To explore the trend in the UK to consume alcohol at home rather than at licensed premises. A Medline search entering the terms 'home drinking', 'alcohol' and 'adult' covering the period 2000-2011 yielded 48 articles, of which 6 met the criteria to be included in the review. Grey literature including survey and market research data were reviewed. In the UK, since 1970 there has been trend for beer to be consumed at home more often than in licensed premises and that the overall trend towards greater home drinking has increased since 2000. The main reasons given are convenience, cost, safety, autonomy and stress relief. There has also been an increase in the practice known as 'pre-loading' (drinking before going out). Adults who drink mainly at home report that they are aware that they run a risk of higher overall alcohol consumption but tend to play down the possibility that increased consumption may lead to longer-term harm. Home drinking trends may have long-term public health consequences. Greater understanding of the drivers of this trend will help policy-makers to respond to these societal changes.

Emerging Global Trends in Advanced Manufacturing

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-01

facility. Such distributed manufacturing could be made accessible to large masses even in remote areas (Ehmann 2011). For example, Zara is a Spanish...consumers. It has tightened its supply-chain management so that the consumer “pulls” the design. Zara uses state-of-the-art IT and distribution...systems to collect data daily on trends so they can quickly turn out new designs. Zara keeps costs down by using existing materials in stock and through

Dilemma's of sustainable consumption. A study of public support for making consumption more sustainable; Dilemma's rond duurzame consumptie. Een onderzoek naar het draagvlak voor verduurzaming van consumptie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vringer, K.; Vollebergh, H.; Dietz, F. [Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving PBL, Den Haag (Netherlands); Van Soest, D. [VU University, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Van der Heijden, E. [Tilburg University, Tilburg (Netherlands)

2013-02-15

Dutch consumers choose sustainable products only sparsely. But at the same time, Dutch consumers indicate that they find sustainability important and that the government should take measures. A frequently heard explanation is the social dilemma in which everyone is better off if all decide to consume more sustainable, whereas for every individual it is even better to not do this themselves. The question that rises is: do consumers truly want to become more sustainable? To answer this question, the social support for enhancing the sustainability of consumption and corresponding dilemmas have been examined by means of an economic behavioural experiment. The study confirms that a large group of consumers deem sustainability important, but do not always act on their beliefs. As people do not always match their behaviour with what they deem important, the currently limited market shares of more sustainable product variants are not reliable predictors of the social support for government policy. To encourage more sustainable consumption, it therefore seems useful if the Dutch government emphasizes the pleasure of individually contributing to sustainability, ensuring the consumer's awareness of other people also buying the more sustainable product variants. Consumers prefer soft persuasion through for example subsidies, even if this is more expensive for them than mandatory measures [Dutch] Consumenten kiezen maar mondjesmaat voor duurzame producten. Tegelijk geven zij aan verduurzaming belangrijk te vinden en ook dat de overheid maatregelen moet nemen. Een veel gehoorde verklaring is het sociaal dilemma waarin iedereen beter af is als allen duurzamer gaan consumeren, maar het voor elk individu nóg beter is om dat zelf niet te doen. De vraag is: Willen consumenten wel echt verduurzamen? Om deze vraag te kunnen beantwoorden, is het draagvlak voor de verduurzaming van consumptie en de bijbehorende dilemma's met behulp van een economisch gedragsexperiment nader

The economic impact of more sustainable water use in agriculture: A computable general equilibrium analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Calzadilla, Alvaro; Rehdanz, Katrin; Tol, Richard S. J.

2010-04-01

SummaryAgriculture is the largest consumer of freshwater resources - around 70 percent of all freshwater withdrawals are used for food production. These agricultural products are traded internationally. A full understanding of water use is, therefore, impossible without understanding the international market for food and related products, such as textiles. Based on the global general equilibrium model GTAP-W, we offer a method for investigating the role of green (rain) and blue (irrigation) water resources in agriculture and within the context of international trade. We use future projections of allowable water withdrawals for surface water and groundwater to define two alternative water management scenarios. The first scenario explores a deterioration of current trends and policies in the water sector (water crisis scenario). The second scenario assumes an improvement in policies and trends in the water sector and eliminates groundwater overdraft world-wide, increasing water allocation for the environment (sustainable water use scenario). In both scenarios, welfare gains or losses are not only associated with changes in agricultural water consumption. Under the water crisis scenario, welfare not only rises for regions where water consumption increases (China, South East Asia and the USA). Welfare gains are considerable for Japan and South Korea, Southeast Asia and Western Europe as well. These regions benefit from higher levels of irrigated production and lower food prices. Alternatively, under the sustainable water use scenario, welfare losses not only affect regions where overdrafting is occurring. Welfare decreases in other regions as well. These results indicate that, for water use, there is a clear trade-off between economic welfare and environmental sustainability.

75 FR 56528 - EPA's Role in Advancing Sustainable Products

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-16

... action if you manufacture, distribute, label, certify, verify, and purchase or use consumer, commercial... particular, how do you see EPA's role in: Assembling information and databases. Identifying sustainability ``hotspots'' and setting product sustainability priorities. Evaluating the multiple impacts of products...

Sustainability performances of AEX quoted businesses. Trends for the period 2002-2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pechtold, F.J.L.; Zoeteman, B.C.J.

2009-01-01

AEX quoted businesses in the Netherlands have shown an almost continuously increasing tendency towards sustainability in the period 2002-2006. Leaders are the chemical industry, the oil and gas sector, the financial sector and food companies. Little attention for sustainability is yet to be detected in business houses and publishing houses, although the topic is gaining interest. The assertion that sustainability translates into a higher market value of shares cannot be confirmed. A statistical correlation has been noticed, though, between sustainability attitude and environmental performance [mk] [nl

Retail sector responses to changing consumer preferences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Codron, Jean-Marie; Grunert, Klaus G.; Giraud-Heraud, Eric

2005-01-01

, more healthful, or produced in ways that are more beneficial to the environment and take animal welfare and equitable labor concerns into consideration. For example, 80 percent of the consumers in the European Union (EU) indicate a concern for animal welfare (Blandford and Fulponi, 1999), and European...... consumers are increasingly demanding organic food products and a wider selection of such products (Lohr, 2001). The social concerns for equitable income distribution and sustainable development are reflected in the growth of sales of products marketed under Fair Trade labels. The European Fair Trade market...

Sustainable development at tax-deductible costs or how to assure sustainable development by one’s way of living

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Willem Adrianus de Bruijn

2006-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that an imperative demand for an existence in harmony with Nature is created when the costs incurred for such an existence can be deducted from taxable income. All reasonable consumers who pay income taxes will then be driven to buy tax-deductible products. Producers will have to satisfy this demand. They will also have to justify their products’ characteristics, which assure sustainable development and to identify the costs which are associated with these qualities. The consumer needs to know which percentage of the purchase price he paid corresponds with the environmental cost free quality of the merchandise, in order for him to deduct the consequent amount from his taxable income. The theory underlying the deductibility of costs of living from taxable income is based on the following three assumptions: The goal of development is constantly determined by the purchases of consumers. Currently, the only goal with which consumers spend their income seems to be the one of consuming more. The recurring ecological crises reveal that it is impossible to continue to consume more of limited resources without eventually exhausting them. One of the functions of the consumer in the economy is to maintain a way of living which assures sustainable development. The principle of efficiency of economy, according to which the efficient place to manage any cost is at the source of the revenues which costs sustain. This paper also presents a practical and feasible application of our ideas. The creation of a way of living qualifies as research if it is achieved within the context of a scientific project with the cooperation of, in particular, academic institutions. Such a project could be operated within the context of the UNECE 1998 Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, signed by Romania on 25 June 1998 and already ratified

Consumer-perceived quality in 'traditional' food chains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krystallis, Athanasios; Chryssochoidis, George; Scholderer, Joachim

2007-01-01

pressing yet? The present paper seeks to answer this question based on a survey conducted in the Athens area, involving a sample of 268 participants responsible for food purchasing decisions. The survey mainly aims to develop an integrated model of factors that affect consumer-perceived meat quality...... as efforts to decrease risk of the purchasing decision. Moreover, consumers with such behaviour seem to relate domestic country of origin of meat mostly with perceptions of general safety. Finally, a small, but promising trend with substantial marketing implications of frequent purchases of chicken and pork...... and to develop the profile of different consumer segments in relation to these perceptions. The substantial findings of the survey include the fact that, despite their enormous per capita consumption, the majority of consumers are not particularly involved in the meat-purchasing process. Rather they attach...

Core Indicators of Japan's Consumer Price Index

OpenAIRE

Shigenori Shiratsuka

2006-01-01

The primary objective of the Bank of Japan (BOJ) in conducting monetary policy is to promote sustainable growth by achieving price stability. The price stability that needs to be achieved is regarded as not just short-term and temporary, but sustainable in the medium to long term, which is the common understanding among major central banks. To fulfill this mandate, the BOJ is required to identify the underlying trend of inflation by excluding various idiosyncratic disturbances from measured p...

[Trends in the utilization of food additives].

Science.gov (United States)

Szűcs, Viktória; Bánáti, Diána

2013-11-17

The frequent media reports on food additives weakened consumers' trust in food producers and food control authorities as well. Furthermore, consumers' uncertainty is also raised by the fact that they obtain their information from inadequate, mistrustful sources and, therefore, consumers might avoid the consumption of certain foodstuffs. While food producers may react by replacing artificial components by natural ones, they try to emphasize the favourable characteristics of their products. The authors describe the main trends and efforts related to food additives. On the basis of the overview it can be concluded that - besides taking into consideration consumers' needs - product development and research directions are promising. Food producers' efforts may help to restore consumer confidence and trust and they may help them to have informed choice.

Attitudes of Consumers Towards the Green Plastic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Elnecave Kruter

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The demands regarding sustainable production and consumption are growing increasingly, the market is opening doors for companies to innovate in products and processes that present themselves as a solution to social and environmental problems facing society today. To this end, in 2010, a Brazilian company began producing the "green" polyethylene, or green plastic, which differs from conventional polyethylene because it is produced from the ethanol from cane sugar and not from naphtha oil. Because it is a new product on the market and little known, this study aims to understand consumer attitudes towards green plastic. Environmental concerns, ecologically conscious consumer behavior, purchase intention and previous knowledge of green plastic were also assessed. Were conducted initially in-depth interviews, which helped quantitative stage, an online survey, applied to a sample of 300 individuals. Results indicate that surveyed consumers have positive attitudes towards green plastic and intention to purchase products made ​​with this material. Despite exhibiting a high degree of environmental awareness, they show only moderate attitudes in relation to sustainable consumption in practice. We can conclude that there is still much to be done by companies and society so that a greater degree of maturity and respect for the environment can be achieved.

Pharmaceutical advertising as a consumer empowerment device.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubin, P H

2001-01-01

Pharmaceutical companies have greatly increased their level of "direct-to-consumer" (DTC) advertising in recent years. For 1998, estimates are that over $1.1 billion was spent on this form of advertising, increased from $850 million in 1997 and $600 million in 1996. In 1998, 84 separate drugs were advertised to consumers. The impetus was a decision in August of 1997 by the Food and Drug Administration to reduce the restrictions on DTC advertising on television. As a result, such ads have become very common on TV, and 32 products were advertised on TV in 1998. Pharmaceutical companies advertise because they think that advertising will make money for them. But how will this make money? It will make money by providing consumers with the information they need to make proper decisions about medication. That is, DTC advertising is profitable exactly because it empowers consumers and enables them to purchase useful drugs. The goals of advertising companies and consumers are both for consumers to have information about the most beneficial drug for particular conditions, and so advertising is beneficial both to manufacturers and to consumers. This article describes emerging trends in DTC within the context of the life sciences sector.

Consumer-Mediated Health Information Exchanges: The 2012 ACMI Debate

Science.gov (United States)

Cimino, James J.; Frisse, Mark; Halamka, John; Sweeney, Latanya; Yasnoff, William

2017-01-01

The American College of Medical Informatics (ACMI) sponsors periodic debates during the American Medical Informatics Fall Symposium to highlight important informatics issues of broad interest. In 2012, a panel debated the following topic: “Resolved: Health Information Exchange Organizations Should Shift Their Principal Focus to Consumer-Mediated Exchange in Order to Facilitate the Rapid Development of Effective, Scalable, and Sustainable Health Information Infrastructure.” Those supporting the proposition emphasized the need for consumer-controlled community repositories of electronic health records (health record banks) to address privacy, stakeholder cooperation, scalability, and sustainability. Those opposing the proposition emphasized that the current healthcare environment is so complex that development of consumer control will take time and that even then, consumers may not be able to mediate their information effectively. While privately, each discussant recognizes that there are many sides to this complex issue, each followed the debater’s tradition of taking an extreme position in order emphasize some of the polarizing aspects in the short time allotted them. In preparing this summary, we sought to convey the substance and spirit of the debate in printed form. Transcripts of the actual debate were edited for clarity, and appropriate supporting citations were added for the further edification of the reader. PMID:24561078

Consumer-mediated health information exchanges: the 2012 ACMI debate.

Science.gov (United States)

Cimino, James J; Frisse, Mark E; Halamka, John; Sweeney, Latanya; Yasnoff, William

2014-04-01

The American College of Medical Informatics (ACMI) sponsors periodic debates during the American Medical Informatics Fall Symposium to highlight important informatics issues of broad interest. In 2012, a panel debated the following topic: "Resolved: Health Information Exchange Organizations Should Shift Their Principal Focus to Consumer-Mediated Exchange in Order to Facilitate the Rapid Development of Effective, Scalable, and Sustainable Health Information Infrastructure." Those supporting the proposition emphasized the need for consumer-controlled community repositories of electronic health records (health record banks) to address privacy, stakeholder cooperation, scalability, and sustainability. Those opposing the proposition emphasized that the current healthcare environment is so complex that development of consumer control will take time and that even then, consumers may not be able to mediate their information effectively. While privately each discussant recognizes that there are many sides to this complex issue, each followed the debater's tradition of taking an extreme position in order emphasize some of the polarizing aspects in the short time allotted them. In preparing this summary, we sought to convey the substance and spirit of the debate in printed form. Transcripts of the actual debate were edited for clarity, and appropriate supporting citations were added for the further edification of the reader. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Towards sustainable energy planning and management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Poul Alberg; Sperling, Karl

2014-01-01

Rising energy costs, anthropogenic climate change, and fossil fuel depletion calls for a concerted effort within energy planning to ensure a sustainable energy future. This article presents an overview of global energy trends focusing on energy costs, energy use and carbon dioxide emissions....... Secondly, a review of contemporary work is presented focusing on national energy pathways with cases from Ireland, Denmark and Jordan, spatial issues within sustainable energy planning and policy means to advance a sustainable energy future....

Perceived sustainability initiatives: retail managers’ intrinsic and extrinsic motives

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bartels, J.; Reinders, M. J.; Van Haaster-de Winter, M. A.

2015-01-01

Purpose – Although awareness of environmental sustainability has increased over the past few decades, the current market share of sustainable products remains low. Because of their market position, large-scale and high-volume consumer interactions, food retailers are appropriate venues to entice

Perceived sustainability initiatives: retail managers’ intrinsic and extrinsic motives

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bartels, J.; Reinders, M.J.; Haaster-de Winter, van M.A.

2015-01-01

Purpose
– Although awareness of environmental sustainability has increased over the past few decades, the current market share of sustainable products remains low. Because of their market position, large-scale and high-volume consumer interactions, food retailers are appropriate venues to entice

Consumer Culture, Sustainability and Business Practice: How Companies can Promote the Symbolic Value of Sustainability in Consumption Activities?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Verônica Macário de Oliveira

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Discussions on sustainability began recently to focus on the consumption patterns of contemporary society as a major causative factors of social and environmental problems. Thus, the aim of this paper is to discuss some opportunities that companies have to influence these changes consumption patterns towards sustainability, taking as a basis the view discussed in studies of Rindova and Ravasi (2008 who consider firms as producers of culture. To this end, we performed a theoretical essay. The results show that companies can influence the formation of specific cultures with the symbolic construction of sustainable practices, contributing to the formation of a culture of sustainable consumption. This occurs from innovation in their ways of working, considering that evoke meanings that products appear to be influenced by strategic choices of producers, such as the concepts and philosophies of design (Ravasi; Rindova, 2008, which includes the development new technologies and practices (Michaelis, 2003 based on the principles of eco-efficiency (Barber, 2008; Clark, 2008, as well as changes in values and discourses that shape the cultures of business, government, media and civil society (Michaelis, 2003, also aligned with the ethical principles and shared environmental responsibility (Tukkeret al, 2008.

Towards Sustainable Clothing Disposition: Exploring the Consumer Choice to Use Trash as a Disposal Option

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pamela S. Norum

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The textile and apparel supply chain plays an integral role in providing consumers with a continuous supply of apparel that must ultimately be discarded. Viewing the consumer as a player in the process between the supply chain and the post-consumer textile waste stream, this study was designed to explore the consumer apparel disposition process with an eye towards understanding how both supply chain members and post-consumer waste entities can interact with consumers to reduce the amount of apparel discarded in landfills. Hanson’s Consumer Product Disposition Process framework was used to help guide the research. Using a qualitative research approach, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with twenty-four female consumers in the United States to address three main research questions. The findings revealed several themes: use of both “compensatory” and “non-compensatory” choice heuristics in decision making; a “usable life” and the “personal nature” of garments as barriers to non-trash disposal options; and the need to “create awareness” and “provide assurance” to encourage alternative disposal modes. Implications for apparel producers and retailers, secondhand stores and textile recyclers are discussed.

Valuations of ‘Sustainably Produced’ Labels on Beef, Tomato, and Apple Products

OpenAIRE

Tonsor, Glynn T.; Shupp, Robert S.

2009-01-01

This study evaluates consumer perceptions of what “sustainably produced†food labels imply and estimates corresponding demand for products carrying these labels. Results suggest that the typical U.S. consumer is not willing to pay a positive premium for beef, tomatoes, or apple products labeled as “sustainably produced.†Demand is particularly sensitive to inferences consumers make regarding what a “sustainably produced†food label implies. Suggestions for future work and implication...

The wine market – an empicrical examination of in-store consumer behaviour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bartłomiej Pierański

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Business success in the current highly competitive environment determines primarily the ability to understand the customer and his needs and identify the factors that influence consumer behavior. Therefore, the examination of consumer behavior and obtaining feedback on the development and state of the market as well as identifying current trends is an essential part of any successful business. Producers and traders are increasingly forced to adapt to the rapid development and changes in the market. This is especially important with food products, given the wide range of assortment, substitutability of particular groceries and strengthening competitive pressure of manufacturers and retailers. In general, consumer decision-making related to food is influenced by a number of different factors that are changing under the influence of new trends (greater emphasis on quality, country of origin etc.. Even more specific category is the wine market, which is subject to specific criteria of consumer choice, since from a consumer perspective, it is not a product of daily consumption. The world wine market is increasing; new producers as well as new groups of customers are emerging on the market. The distribution channels are becoming more diversified and wine is offered in both specialty stores and self-service outlets; hypermarkets, supermarkets and discount stores. Due to this trend the investigation of in-store consumer behavior becomes crucial. The aim of the paper is to discuss the usefulness of eye tracking based research for examining perceptions of people shelf displays. The research integrates measurements with a mobile eye camera (Eye tracker glasses in real conditions of a wine shop in order to reveal the impact of merchandising (display of domestic and foreign wines on the visual attention of the consumer. The results of qualitative research carried out in March 2015 will be presented.

Sustainable Development and Sustainable Growth: Conceptual Plane or Points on a Conceptual Plain?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ulhøi, John Parm; Madsen, Henning

The world's natural resources are being battered on all fronts. Human activities which consume such resources need to be reconsidered in a way which will allow the regenerative capacity of these assets to function. In view of the potential danger of the concept of sustainable development (SD...

Advertising to Early Trend Propagators: Evidence from Twitter

OpenAIRE

Lambrecht, A.; Tucker, C. M.; Wiertz, C.

2018-01-01

In the digital economy, influencing and controlling the spread of information is a key concern for firms. One way firms try to achieve this is to target firm communications to consumers who embrace and propagate the spread of new information on emerging and `trending' topics on social media. However, little is known about whether early trend propagators are indeed responsive to firm-sponsored messages. To explore whether early propagators of trending topics respond to advertising messages, we...

Advertising to early trend propagators: evidence from Twitter

OpenAIRE

Lambrecht, A; Tucker, C; Wiertz, C

2018-01-01

In the digital economy, influencing and controlling the spread of information is a key concern for firms. One way firms try to achieve this is to target firm communications to consumers who embrace and propagate the spread of new information on emerging and `trending' topics on social media. However, little is known about whether early trend propagators are indeed responsive to firm-sponsored messages. To explore whether early propagators of trending topics respond to advertising messages, we...

Water Footprints and Sustainable Water Allocation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arjen Y. Hoekstra

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Water Footprint Assessment (WFA is a quickly growing research field. This Special Issue contains a selection of papers advancing the field or showing innovative applications. The first seven papers are geographic WFA studies, from an urban to a continental scale; the next five papers have a global scope; the final five papers focus on water sustainability from the business point of view. The collection of papers shows that the historical picture of a town relying on its hinterland for its supply of water and food is no longer true: the water footprint of urban consumers is global. It has become clear that wise water governance is no longer the exclusive domain of government, even though water is and will remain a public resource with government in a primary role. With most water being used for producing our food and other consumer goods, and with product supply chains becoming increasingly complex and global, there is a growing awareness that consumers, companies and investors also have a key role. The interest in sustainable water use grows quickly, in both civil society and business communities, but the poor state of transparency of companies regarding their direct and indirect water use implies that there is still a long way to go before we can expect that companies effectively contribute to making water footprints more sustainable at a relevant scale.

Environmental considerations influencing dietary choices: exploring consumer attitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Introduction: With increasing focus on anthropogenic causes of climate change, more attention is on the contribution of food systems. Public discourse on sustainability leads consumers to consider how they may reduce environmental damage with personal dietary decisions. US-based studies evaluating p...

Consumer Attitude and Behavior towards Bio-products in Slovak Republic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jana Chovancova

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Bio-product market is very challenging and developing rapidly. Consumers have raised great interest in healthy and tasty diet with high nutritional compounds, confidence in food safety, environmental and animal welfare concern and also sustainability. The aim of this paper is to analyze consumer attitude and behavior as well as the factors influencing purchasing behavior when deciding to buy bio-products or their substitutes. The essential part of the article presents the partial results of the research, which was directed to consumers buying bio-products in Slovakia.

Nanotechnologies for sustainable construction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Geiker, Mette Rica; Andersen, Maj Munch

2009-01-01

This chapter aims to highlight key aspects and recent trends in the development and application of nanotechnology to facilitate sustainable construction, use and demolition of buildings and infrastructure structures, ‘nanoconstruction’. Nanotechnology is not a technology but a very diverse...

Optimal Pollution, Optimal Population, and Sustainability

OpenAIRE

Ulla Lehmijoki

2012-01-01

This paper develops a long-run consumer optimization model with endogenous pollution and endogenous population. The positive check increases mortality if pollution increases. The optimal path is sustainable if it provides non-decreasing consumption for a non-decreasing population. As usually, optimality and sustainability may conflict; with population endogenous to pollution, this conflict may ultimately lead the human species toward self-imposed extinction. Not even technical progress can wa...

Market Analysis and Consumer Impacts Source Document. Part II. Review of Motor Vehicle Market and Consumer Expenditures on Motor Vehicle Transportation

Science.gov (United States)

1980-12-01

This source document on motor vehicle market analysis and consumer impacts consists of three parts. Part II consists of studies and review on: motor vehicle sales trends; motor vehicle fleet life and fleet composition; car buying patterns of the busi...

Local and Sustainable Food Supply: The Role of European Retail Consumer Co-operatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Hingley

2012-03-01

Full Text Available  This paper investigates the rationale for local and sustainable food systems and retailer co-operatives as their entry points within local conditions. Emphasis is on localised food networks and connection between socially as well as environmentally sustainable production, distribution and consumption. Investigated is the premise that co-operative organisational structures, for reasons of their long-term socially responsible origins are at the forefront of development of local and sustainable food systems and are thereby in a position to offer a specific contribution to market development. Two key research questions are proposed: Firstly, is there a pre-determination of co-operatives to issues of sustainable and local food sourcing given the historical and practical context of their ethical/socially responsible and stakeholder-based business model? Secondly, do co-ops express support for re-localising food systems and what contribution do they make concerning sustainable food and their relationships with local food suppliers? The method of investigation is through a two country retailer co-operative sector analysis and comparison (Finland and Italy. The enquiry is qualitative and exploratory in nature in the form of an embedded, multiple case design. The paper makes practical and theoretical contribution to knowledge concerning interpretation of ‘localness’ in food, the role of co-operatives and the co-operative ethos in sustainable food systems and the development of the local food economy. Results of the study show a positive relationship between co-operative ethos and (social sustainability in local food, but the de-centralised nature of retailer co-operation also provides a barrier to replication of good practice.

The emergence of diverse organic consumers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Thomas Bøker; Andersen, Laura Mørch; Jensen, Katherine

polarised. It can also be said to have matured insofar as positively oriented segments that differ in their food involvement, shopping behaviour and levels of ethical concern have appeared, while marketing and distribution strategies have co-developed with these trends. We discuss the current relevance......This study uses qualitative and quantitative data as well as household panel data regarding actual purchases of organic food in order to examine organic consumer profiles and recent developments of organic demand in Denmark. Six different segments of Danish households are identified, of which three...... of segmenting organic consumers in mature markets with a view to improving strategies of production, distribution and marketing of organic foods....

Consumer demands: Major problems facing industry in a consumer-driven society.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrington, G

1994-01-01

Demand is driven by conventional market forces over much of the world among consumers with strong positive attitudes to meat as a nutritious, tasty and premium food; price in relation to income, availability, quality (including leanness) and relevance to life-style remain the dominant forces operating. But in the developed world, there are emerging concerns about how meat is produced, which are likely to have negative effects on demand, particularly that of the current younger generation, and which may well begin to affect Government policies towards the meat industry. The industry needs to establish strong information and education programmes, but also to examine its procedures to provide greater consumer assurance about practises and controls. Also the scientists and technologists serving the industry need to help it move towards sustainable lower input, less environmentally damaging systems, less reliance on drugs, stimulants and additives, sensitive exploitation of the new genetics and with more consideration for the animals involved. Copyright © 1993. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Consumers` Attitude towards Consumer Protection in the Digital Single Market, as Reflected by European Barometers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doru Alexandru Pleşea

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The European Single Market is an ongoing project that will continue to further develop and adapt to changing realities. Traditional economic activities, and the administrative rules governing them, face the challenge of adapting to developments that blur the dividing lines, for example, between shop and online sales or between traditional media and Internet communication. Convergence of this type will lead to a European Digital Single Market. A genuine Digital Single Market would generate new types of growth and also sustainable economic and social benefits for all European citizens. There are still a number of barriers which impose obstacles for the development of the digital market in Europe. Obstacles which can be identified include national differences regarding data protection rules, e-commerce rules, consumer protection rules and other legislation pertaining to information flows. The paper brings in discussion the advantages of a Digital Single Market, the obstacles in developing it in connection with e-commerce regulations, consumer protection and information flows legislation and also the premises for implementing a Digital Single Market. Consumers’ trust in on-line commerce results as one of the driving factors in implementing a Digital Single Market. These are some of the main obstacles for the boosting consumers’ confidence in the European Single Market. Improving consumer confidence in cross-border shopping online by taking appropriate policy action could provide a major boost to economic growth in Europe. Empowered and confident consumers can drive forward the European economy. Starting from the results of the Flash Euro-barometer survey „Consumer attitudes towards cross-border trade and consumer protection this study analyzes consumer`s readiness for the European Digital Single Market

Country differences in sustainable consumption

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thøgersen, John

2010-01-01

In a sustainability perspective, consumption research has an unfortunate individualizing bias, which means that macro and structural causes of unsustainable consumption tend to be ignored. Hence, a comprehensive model of determinants of the sustainability of consumption is developed and applied...... on a specific case: organic food consumption. The analyzed data are published research on why consumer purchase of organic food products differs between countries. As expected, organic food's share of total food consumption depends heavily on political regulation, including legal definitions and standards...

Sustainable urban development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jesper Ole; Christensen, Toke Haunstrup; Gram-Hanssen, Kirsten

Sustainability in urban planning has a long history and it has been a widespread solution to build high and compact in order to minimise the need for transportation, land use and heating. Recent research, however, points towards the need for a supplementary approach which includes the consumer...... behaviour of the household. This approach necessarily has to work from below and include the citizens, as it is their daily practices that have to be challenged. This article reviews the literature of to what extent compact cities are the most sustainable and it use lifestyle interpretations of urbane forms...... to challenge the compact cities approach. As an alternative or supplementary approach the article introduce practice theory as a way to understand consumption and it gives examples on how this approach can be used to inspire local authorities to alternative and supplementary strategies of achieving sustainable...

A pathway for sustainable conversion of sunlight to hydrogen using proposed compact CPV system

KAUST Repository

Burhan, Muhammad; Shahzad, Muhammad Wakil; Oh, Seung Jin; Ng, Kim Choon

2018-01-01

Solar energy being intermittent in nature, can provide a sustainable, steady and high density energy source when converted into electrolytic hydrogen. However, in current photovoltaic market trend with 99% conventional single junction PV panels, this cannot be achieved efficiently and economically. The advent of the multi-junction solar cells (MJCs), with cell-efficiency exceeding 46%, has yet to receive wide spread acceptance in the current PV market in form of concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system, because of its system design complexity, limiting its application scope and customers. The objective of this paper is to develop a low cost compact CPV system that will not only eliminate its application and installation related restrictions but it is also introducing a highly efficient and sustainable photovoltaic system for common consumer, to convert intermittent sunlight into green hydrogen. The developed CPV system negates the common conviction by showing two times more power output than the flat plate PV, in tropical region. In addition, sunlight to hydrogen conversion efficiency of 18% is recorded for CPV, which is two times higher than alone electricity production efficiency of flat plate PV.

A pathway for sustainable conversion of sunlight to hydrogen using proposed compact CPV system

KAUST Repository

Burhan, Muhammad

2018-03-22

Solar energy being intermittent in nature, can provide a sustainable, steady and high density energy source when converted into electrolytic hydrogen. However, in current photovoltaic market trend with 99% conventional single junction PV panels, this cannot be achieved efficiently and economically. The advent of the multi-junction solar cells (MJCs), with cell-efficiency exceeding 46%, has yet to receive wide spread acceptance in the current PV market in form of concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system, because of its system design complexity, limiting its application scope and customers. The objective of this paper is to develop a low cost compact CPV system that will not only eliminate its application and installation related restrictions but it is also introducing a highly efficient and sustainable photovoltaic system for common consumer, to convert intermittent sunlight into green hydrogen. The developed CPV system negates the common conviction by showing two times more power output than the flat plate PV, in tropical region. In addition, sunlight to hydrogen conversion efficiency of 18% is recorded for CPV, which is two times higher than alone electricity production efficiency of flat plate PV.

Turning shopping habits of young consumers into green

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bialkova, Svetlana; van 't Erve, Sanne; van Hoof, Joris Jasper; Pruyn, Adriaan T.H.; Bigné, Enrique

2014-01-01

Consumers have strong shopping habits, and although being aware of sustainable issues, they hardly do green shopping. Therefore, a challenging question is: how to break the old shopping habits and turn those into green? The current study addresses this question looking at barriers and potential

Quality, efficiency, and sustainability in the foodservice supply chain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Yang; Grunow, Martin

Consumers have become more and more demanding with regards to food quality, food safety, sustainability, and associated product attributes. Looking at food supply chains from an integrated point of view has therefore become an industry paradigm. The overall aim of this thesis is to contribute...... to the literature with regards to the development of efficient, high-quality, and sustainable food supply chains; especially focusing on integrated methodologies. In this thesis, research is presented on the inclusion of the specifics of the food industry, food engineering related knowledge, and sustainability...... manufacturers, and wholesalers with consumers and provides prepared food and drinks ready for consumption away from home. This industry has grown significantly in the past years. The thesis starts with a further introduction to the food service industry and a discussion of the research questions dealt...

Key Concepts of Environmental Sustainability in Family and Consumer Sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Nancy E.; Harden, Amy J.; Clauss, Barbara; Fox, Wanda S.; Wild, Peggy

2012-01-01

It is the vision of the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences to be "recognized as the driving force in bringing people together to improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities" (AAFCS, 2010). Because of this focus on individuals and families and its well-established presence in American schools, family and consumer…

Family and Consumer Sciences: A Facility Planning and Design Guide for School Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Maryland State Dept. of Education, Baltimore.

This document presents design concepts and considerations for planning and developing middle and high school family and consumer sciences education facilities. It includes discussions on family and consumer sciences education trends and the facility planning process. Design concepts explore multipurpose laboratories and spaces for food/nutrition…

The Illinois Community College Sustainability Network--A Successful Model

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobson, Bert

2010-01-01

In 2008, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), Bureau of Energy and Recycling, funded a pilot project creating a network of Sustainability Centers. The pilot project demonstrated that networked campus sustainability centers are an efficient mechanism to reach consumers, business, and industry. All 48 community…

A consumption value-gap analysis for sustainable consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Aindrila

2017-03-01

Recent studies on consumption behavior have depicted environmental apprehension resulting from across wide consumer segments. However, this has not been widely reflected upon the growth in the market shares for green or environment-friendly products mostly because gaps exist between consumers' expectations and perceptions for those products. Previous studies have highlighted the impact of perceived value on potential demand, consumer satisfaction and behavioral intentions. The necessity to understand the effects of gaps in expected and perceived values on consumers' behavioral intention and potential demand for green products cannot be undermined as it shapes the consumers' inclination to repeated purchase and consumption and thus foster potential market demand. Pertaining to this reason, the study aims to adopt a consumption value-gap model based on the theory of consumption values to assess their impact on sustainable consumption behavior and market demand of green products. Consumption value refers to the level of fulfillment of consumer needs by assessment of net utility derived after effective comparison between the benefits (financial or emotional) and the gives (money, time, or energy). The larger the gaps the higher will be the adversarial impact on behavioral intentions. A structural equation modeling was applied to assess data collected through questionnaire survey. The results indicate that functional value-gap and environmental value-gap has the most adversarial impact on sustainable consumption behavior and market demand for green products.

Workplace Trends In HVAC/R

Science.gov (United States)

Strang, Lynn; Todd, CeCe

2013-01-01

This article presents trends in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC/R) industry, with an emphasis on the importance of technician training programs as exemplified at the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) in Mesa, Arizona. The article states that HVAC workers are increasingly helping their consumers "go…

Developing sustainable food supply chains.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, B Gail

2008-02-27

This paper reviews the opportunities available for food businesses to encourage consumers to eat healthier and more nutritious diets, to invest in more sustainable manufacturing and distribution systems and to develop procurement systems based on more sustainable forms of agriculture. The important factors in developing more sustainable supply chains are identified as the type of supply chain involved and the individual business attitude to extending responsibility for product quality into social and environmental performance within their own supply chains. Interpersonal trust and working to standards are both important to build more sustainable local and many conserved food supply chains, but inadequate to transform mainstream agriculture and raw material supplies to the manufactured and commodity food markets. Cooperation among food manufacturers, retailers, NGOs, governmental and farmers' organizations is vital in order to raise standards for some supply chains and to enable farmers to adopt more sustainable agricultural practices.

Sustainable Offering Practices Through Stakeholders Engagement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bijay Prasad Kushwaha

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Sustainable development is achieved by satisfying the current ends without shrinking the existing means which can serve as needs for the society in the future. It has become global motive and responsibility of present community to utilize resources in an optimum way with minimum environmental damage. The objective of this paper is to study theoretical framework and practical approaches on sustainable offering practices through customer engagement. The study has also examined the opportunities and challenges of sustainable offering practices in India. The study is based on a previous study and secondary data has been used for analysis. The outcome revealed the process for successful sustainable offering practices in context of Indian consumers. The analysis has helped to understand different practices of sustainable offering through engaging stakeholders.

Intellectual capital and relational capital: The role of sustainability in developing corporate reputation Intellectual capital and relational capital: The role of sustainability in developing corporate reputation Intellectual capital and relational capital: The role of sustainability in developing corporate reputation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ignacio Rodríguez del Bosque

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Intellectual capital offers a potential source of sustainable competitive advantage and is believed to be the source from which economic growth may sprout. However, not many papers analyze the effect of sustainability in the elements involving intellectual capital. This paper seeks to highlight the key role played by corporate sustainability on corporate reputation as one of the key components of relational capital based on the knowledge-based theory.Design/methodology/approach: Authors develop a structural equation model to test the hypothesis. The study was tested using data collected from a sample of 400 Spanish consumers.Findings: The structural equation model shows that sustainability plays a vital role as antecedent of corporate reputation and relational capital. Findings suggest that economic, social and environmental domains of sustainability have a positive direct effect on corporate reputation. Additionally, this study shows that economic sustainability is considered to be the most important dimension to enhance corporate reputation.Research limitations/implications: The complicated economic environment currently experienced worldwide may affect the perceptions of Spanish consumers and their ratings. The crosscutting nature of this research inhibits an understanding of the variations in the perceptions of the customers surveyed over time, suggesting that this research could be expanded by a longitudinal study. Finally, the current study has been conducted with consumers of hotel companies in Spain and it is not clear in how far the findings can be generalized to other industries, stakeholders or countries.Practical implications: This research allows managers to identify the activities in which companies can devote resources to in order to increase firm´s reputation. By knowing these specific economic, social and environmental activities, companies can understand, analyze and make decisions in a better way about its sector and

Assessment of the US Department of Energy's Sustainable Energy Resources for Consumers Grant Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lenahan, Tim [APPRISE, Inc., Princeton, NJ (United States); Bausch, Daniel [APPRISE, Inc., Princeton, NJ (United States); Carroll, David [APPRISE, Inc., Princeton, NJ (United States); Tonn, Bruce Edward [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Rose, Erin M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Hawkins, Beth A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-10-01

This report presents the results of an assessment of the Sustainable Energy Resources for Consumers (SERC) grant program that was administered by the US Department of Energy Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program Office. Grants totaling $90 million were awarded to 101 local weatherization agencies located in 27 states. More than 15,000 housing units were touched by the SERC program. Close to 29,000 SERC technologies were installed and/or services delivered. The report summarizes the results of site visits to 27 agencies in which the following 14 technologies were observed: solar photovoltaic panels, solar hot water heaters, solar thermal air panels for space heating, tankless water heaters, heat pump water heaters, geothermal heat pumps, super-evaporative cooling systems, combination boilers and indirect water heaters, small-scale residential wind systems, cool roofs, masonry spray foam insulation, attic radiant barriers, mini-split heat pumps, and in-home energy monitors. The evaluation found that the national weatherization network is capable of installing and delivering a wide range of new and innovative technologies, but the usability and adoptability of some technologies may prove impractical for the weatherization network and the demographic for which it serves.

What drives Greek consumer preferences for cask wine?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chrysochou, Polymeros; Corsi, A. M.; Krystallis Krontalis, Athanasios

2012-01-01

Purpose – Cask wine (bag-in-box, soft pack) has not received considerable attention in wine marketing research, but interest among winemakers and consumers has been increasing steadily. However, little is known about what drives consumer preferences for cask wine and, furthermore, what the profile...... a sustainable eco-friendly positioning. Originality/value – This study contributes to the understanding of what drives consumers’ preferences for cask wine, something that few studies have done until now. Moreover, this is the first study to use the BWS method for this type of product....

Sustainability marketing: An emancipatory critical realist perspective

OpenAIRE

Thomas, Nicola

2017-01-01

Sustainability marketing largely focuses on consumer behaviour, organisational marketing strategies and macromarketing perspectives. These approaches are guided by either positivism or interpretivism to address the so-called ‘wicked problems’ that arise from a myriad of unsustainable practices. Yet despite significant achievements in understanding (un)sustainability, the field alongside other disciplines has failed to systematically deliver the social changes necessary to halt and reverse the...

Sustainability. An economic perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elliott, Steven R.

2005-01-01

The economic perspective of sustainability focuses on the trade off of current consumption for future consumption. This was the question that faced the economists of the late 19th century such as Malthus who noticed growth in the population outpaced that of food. Yet, Malthusian prediction of famine and disaster did not come to pass due to technological innovation. There was a substitution of created capital (machines) for natural capital (labor and land). Thus, whether created- and natural capital are substitute or complementary goods is key to sustainability. Many economists believe we can maintain current consumption and that technological innovation will take care of the needs of future generations. However other economists believe that created capital and natural capital are complementary goods; as we consume more created capital, we will also have to consume more natural capital. The relationship between natural and created capital has an impact on what policies and incentives we consider for the preservation of opportunities for future generations. If they are substitutes, current efforts need to focus on development of new technologies which will allow us to do more with less. If they are complements we need to consider efforts of preservation and conservation. We understand that we cannot have our cake and eat it too. The debate is whether we emphasize finding a new way to bake more cake, or carefully consume the cake we have

Consumer-Related Food Waste: Causes and Potential for Action

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aschemann-Witzel, Jessica; Hooge, Ilona de; Amani, Pegah

2015-01-01

behaviors. We identify actions that governments, societal stakeholders and retailers can undertake to reduce consumer-related food waste, highlighting that synergistic actions between all parties are most promising. Further research should focus on exploring specific food waste contexts and interactions......In the past decade, food waste has received increased attention on both academic and societal levels. As a cause of negative economic, environmental and social effects, food waste is considered to be one of the sustainability issues that needs to be addressed. In developed countries, consumers...... are one of the biggest sources of food waste. To successfully reduce consumer-related food waste, it is necessary to have a clear understanding of the factors influencing food waste-related consumer perceptions and behaviors. The present paper presents the results of a literature review and expert...

STUDY AND ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOR IN RETAIL MARKET

OpenAIRE

Manish Dubey; Dr. Siddharth Saini; Dr. Srishti Umekar

2016-01-01

The aim of this study are determining the impact of the most used tools of sales promotion in retail sector such as coupons, sample, price discount and buy one get one free on consumer buying behavior from two aspects are brand switching and customer loyalty. Consumer promotions should stimulate purchases, sustain brand-name recognition, and gain audience participation. Themes are underlying messages. Media should be selected. In this way include direct mail, newspapers, magazines, televis...

Consumers' environmental and ethical consciousness and the use of the related food products information: The role of perceived consumer effectiveness.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghvanidze, Sophie; Velikova, Natalia; Dodd, Tim H; Oldewage-Theron, Wilna

2016-12-01

Consumers can be important active contributors to a sustainable society by selecting food choices that are both healthy and produced respecting environmental and socially ethical standards. The current study investigates five consumer behavioural factors - namely, perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE); environmental conscious behaviour; concerns for ethical food production; health conscious lifestyle; and healthy dietary patterns. The key interest of the study lies in exploring the moderating role of PCE - the extent to which the consumer believes that his/her own efforts can make a difference - in these interrelationships. The empirical analysis was conducted through an online survey of food consumers implemented in three markets - the US, the UK and Germany. Findings indicate that for individuals with higher levels of PCE, who are environmental conscious and ethically concerned, information on food labels relating to environmental and social issues represents value by itself. Interestingly, health and nutrition information on food labels was not perceived valuable by consumers with high PCE. The predictive effects of various socio-demographic variables on PCE, consumer environmental and health consciousness are discussed. Cross-cultural differences are also outlined. The results of this research may contribute to the development of environmental policies and communication strategies of the food industry to enhance perceived consumer effectiveness among consumers. Improved PCE, in turn, may catalyze consumers' environmental behaviour and ethical concerns in relation to consumption of food products with environmental and social information. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Global Change and Helminth Infections in Grazing Ruminants in Europe: Impacts, Trends and Sustainable Solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hubertus Hertzberg

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Infections with parasitic helminths (nematodes and trematodes represent a significant economic and welfare burden to the global ruminant livestock industry. The increasing prevalence of anthelmintic resistance means that current control programmes are costly and unsustainable in the long term. Recent changes in the epidemiology, seasonality and geographic distribution of helminth infections have been attributed to climate change. However, other changes in environment (e.g., land use and in livestock farming, such as intensification and altered management practices, will also have an impact on helminth infections. Sustainable control of helminth infections in a changing world requires detailed knowledge of these interactions. In particular, there is a need to devise new, sustainable strategies for the effective control of ruminant helminthoses in the face of global change. In this paper, we consider the impact of helminth infections in grazing ruminants, taking a European perspective, and identify scientific and applied priorities to mitigate these impacts. These include the development and deployment of efficient, high-throughput diagnostic tests to support targeted intervention, modelling of geographic and seasonal trends in infection, more thorough economic data and analysis of the impact of helminth infections and greater translation and involvement of end-users in devising and disseminating best practices. Complex changes in helminth epidemiology will require innovative solutions. By developing and using new technologies and models, the use of anthelmintics can be optimised to limit the development and spread of drug resistance and to reduce the overall economic impact of helminth infections. This will be essential to the continued productivity and profitability of livestock farming in Europe and its contribution to regional and global food security.

Consumer world-mindedness, social-mindedness, and store image

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nijssen, E.J.; Douglas, S.P.

2008-01-01

As advances in communications technology shrink the impact of geographic distance, consumers are likely to become more aware of and familiar with products and services in other parts of the world, as well as global social and ethical issues. Retailers have responded to these trends (termed here

The consumer’s perception on sustainability

OpenAIRE

Pessoa, Juliana; Matos, Chaiane; Sotoriva, Márcia; Souto, A. Pedro

2012-01-01

The term sustainability is an expression that has been widely used and disclosed today by several companies, either for durable goods and nondurable goods. This term is quite complex to be defined, because for a product to be considered sustainable it has to go through some pre-requisites such as social, environmental and economic, varying from environmental care to social consciousness related to the product. Therefore, this article aims at making a reflection about how the consumer has been...

New trends in emerging pathogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Skovgaard, Niels

2007-12-15

pathogen and swine may serve as a source of infection in human, a most challenging issue in greater part of the world raising pigs. Tick-borne encephalitis virus infection, either thick borne or caused by consumption of raw milk, is an increasing trend in the industrialized part of the world. Consumer awareness, ethics of food, sustainability in food production, and trust in foods, are of growing importance to the consumer. The reaction of the consumer to new technology, such as nanotechnology, is unpredictable. Many efforts should be devoted to communication of non-biased information to both the food producers as well as the consumer.

Innovative approaches in European sustainable consumption policies: assessing the potential of various instruments for sustainable consumption practises and greening of the market (ASCEE)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rubik, F.; Scholl, G.; Biedenkopf, K.; Kalimo, H.; Mohaupt, F.; Söebech, Ó.; Stø, E.; Strandbakken, P.; Turnheim, B.

2009-01-01

The report summarises the outcomes of the project "Assessing the potential of various instruments for sustainable consumption practices and greening of the market" (ASCEE). The scope of the ASCEE project was to consider the latest trends in policies supporting sustainable consumption and production

Segmenting Consumers According to Their Purchase of Products with Organic, Fair-Trade, and Health Labels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhoef, Peter C.; van Doorn, Jenny

2016-01-01

Using actual purchase data of food products with different labels, we examine Dutch consumers' purchases of organic, fair-trade, and health labels. Empirically, consumers' purchase behavior of labeled products can be categorized into two dimensions: a health-related and a sustainable dimension

Comparing Sustainable Forest Management Certifications Standards: A Meta-analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Rawson. Clark

2011-03-01

Full Text Available To solve problems caused by conventional forest management, forest certification has emerged as a driver of sustainable forest management. Several sustainable forest management certification systems exist, including the Forest Stewardship Council and those endorsed by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, such as the Canadian Standards Association - Sustainable Forestry Management Standard CAN/CSA - Z809 and Sustainable Forestry Initiative. For consumers to use certified products to meet their own sustainability goals, they must have an understanding of the effectiveness of different certification systems. To understand the relative performance of three systems, we determined: (1 the criteria used to compare the Forest Stewardship Council, Canadian Standards Association - Sustainable Forestry Management, and Sustainable Forestry Initiative, (2 if consensus exists regarding their ability to achieve sustainability goals, and (3 what research gaps must be filled to improve our understanding of how forest certification systems affect sustainable forest management. We conducted a qualitative meta-analysis of 26 grey literature references (books, industry and nongovernmental organization publications and 9 primary literature references (articles in peer-reviewed academic journals that compared at least two of the aforementioned certification systems. The Forest Stewardship Council was the highest performer for ecological health and social sustainable forest management criteria. The Canadian Standards Association - Sustainable Forestry Management and Sustainable Forestry Initiative performed best under sustainable forest management criteria of forest productivity and economic longevity of a firm. Sixty-two percent of analyses were comparisons of the wording of certification system principles or criteria; 34% were surveys of foresters or consumers. An important caveat to these results is that only one comparison was based on

Climate Change Communication Research: Trends and Implications ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Climate Change Communication Research: Trends and Implications. ... African Journal of Sustainable Development ... with a specific focus on the themes that have dominated current studies, major research methods in use, major theories that ...

Sustainability Issues and Opportunities in the Sugar and Sugar-Bioproduct Industries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gillian Eggleston

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Like many other industries, the sugar and sugar-bioproduct industries are facing important sustainability issues and opportunities. The relatively low and fluctuating profit for sugar, surpluses of sugar, world-wide trend to produce alternative, renewable bio-based fuels and chemicals to those derived from petroleum and reduce greenhouse gases, water- and energy-intensive factories and refineries, and increased consumer demands for sustainably manufactured products are putting pressure on the industries to diversify for sustainability. Sugar crops, including sugar and energy cane (Saccharum officinarum, sugar and energy beets (Beta vulgaris, and sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench, are excellent, renewable biomass feedstocks because of their availability, their being amongst the plants that give the highest yields of carbohydrates per hectare, and high sugar contents. While much research has been focused on conversion technologies for advanced biofuels and bioproducts, attention is now focused on developing sustainable supply chains of sugar feedstocks for the new, flexible biorefineries, with customers wanting maximum feedstock reliability and quality, while minimizing cost. All biomass from sugar crops are potential feedstocks. The cogeneration of bioelectricity from bagasse and leaf residues is being increasingly manufactured in more countries and, due to the high carbon content of bagasse and leaves, can also be converted into value-added products such as biochar. Sugar crops are superior feedstocks for the production of platform chemicals for the manufacture of a range of end-products, e.g., bioplastics, chemicals, and biomaterials. In several countries and regions, green sustainability criteria are now in place and have to be met to count against national biofuel targets. Processes to convert high-fiber sugar crop biomass into biofuel have been developed but there has only been limited commercialization at the large-scale.

Temporal trends (1999–2010) of perfluoroalkyl acids in commonly consumed food items

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johansson, Jana H.; Berger, Urs; Vestergren, Robin; Cousins, Ian T.; Bignert, Anders; Glynn, Anders; Darnerud, Per Ola

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine how dietary exposure to PFAAs has changed over the period when major production changes occurred. Archived samples (1999–2010) of eggs, milk and farmed rainbow trout were analyzed by ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Statistically significant decreasing trends were observed for concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) in fish (p < 0.002 and p < 0.032, respectively) and eggs (p < 0.001 for both compounds). Concentrations of PFOS in fish and eggs decreased by a factor of 10 and 40, respectively. In eggs there was also a statistically significant decreasing trend in concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The results of this study demonstrate that PFAA concentrations in food items from agricultural food chains and aquatic food chains close to sources respond rapidly to changes in environmental emissions. Implications for the overall understanding of human exposure are discussed. - Highlights: • Food items sampled yearly (1999–2010) were analyzed for perfluoroalkyl acids. • Significantly declining trends were observed for PFOS and PFHxS in farmed fish and eggs. • In eggs, an additional significant decreasing trend was found for PFOA. • A decrease in human dietary exposure to PFHxS, PFOS and PFOA is suggested. - Concentrations of PFOS in farmed fish and in hen's eggs decreased between 1999 and 2010. Furthermore, we observed decreasing trends of PFOA in eggs and PFHxS in fish

The perspective of organic wine in Brazil – trends, demands and production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Araujo Marcos Vinícius

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This work aims to analyze the productive reality and propose a panorama for the Brazilian organic wine production, from the perspective of producers, representatives of the sector, market and consumers, thus seeking to highlight the market perspectives and adequacy to the consumers' aspirations. This production that aims to meet a growing demand for sustainable products, which include organic, biodynamic and natural foods, combined with the growing Brazilian tendency to consume better quality wines. To prosecute this study, an exploratory research was developed, interviewing twenty consumers, one intermediary, one representative of the sector and four wineries. The data were analyzed crossing the information collected with these actors and bring out key contents. The results show that production is not aligned with consumer demand that it is still necessary to review the information made available to consumers, in addition to making it clearer, other values could be aggregated to those products or better communicated. On this way, it is possible to conclude that an intermediate product between organic and conventional, which has sustainable practices in its production could meet the current demand, so that in the future it can produce an organic product that corresponds to the consumer's demand.

Analysis of energy development sustainability: The example of the lithuanian district heating sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kveselis, Vaclovas; Dzenajavičienė, Eugenija Farida; Masaitis, Sigitas

2017-01-01

Today, sustainable energy development is one of key issues on European development agenda. The article describes one of sustainable energy development promoting tool - the eco-labelling scheme for district heating and cooling systems elaborated within the framework of Intelligent Energy for Europe program project “Ecoheat4cities” and partially funded by European Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation. The scheme is based on measured energy and environmental performance data of the district heating and cooling system and considers primary non-renewable energy usage together with the share of renewable energy and carbon dioxide emissions calculated using life-cycle analysis methodology. The “power bonus” approach is used for performance indicators of the heat generated in cogeneration installations. An analysis of a number of Lithuanian district heating companies using elaborated labelling criteria shows positive trends towards fulfilling Lithuania's energy policy goals. The labelling scheme gives opportunity for policy makers and urban planners to compare different heat supply options and decide upon exploiting district heating advantages and benefits for reaching EU energy and environment policy goals. - Highlights: • Overview of Lithuania's district heating sector was performed via main sustainability criteria. • Developing to greener and more efficient state was disclosed via analysis of three years activity results. • Green labelling may help district heating companies to maintain existing and attract new potential consumers.

Going hybrid: An analysis of consumer purchase motivations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozaki, Ritsuko; Sevastyanova, Katerina

2011-01-01

What makes consumers adopt energy-sustainable innovations? The uptake of such products and technologies is of importance, particularly at a time when climate change, diminishing energy resources and energy security are urgent issues. This paper reports on a case study of consumer adoption of hybrid vehicles, a green innovation that has been in the market since the late 1990s. The study is based on a questionnaire survey, conducted in 2009 in collaboration with Toyota GB, to investigate the dimensions that constitute motivations to purchase the Prius and to examine how policy can encourage hybrid adoption. The survey yielded 1484 responses, 1263 of which were used for the analysis; the results of the exploratory factor analyses provide information on consumer purchase motivations. The financial benefits related to transport policy are an important factor in consumer hybrid purchase motivations, and social norms and consumers' willingness to comply with the norms of their groups influence the purchase decision. We also find that various meanings are attached to hybrid vehicle ownership, and practical, experiential and affective values need to be communicated to consumers in terms of value added.

Consumer empowerment in health care amid the internet and social media.

Science.gov (United States)

Lober, William B; Flowers, Janine L

2011-08-01

Consumer empowerment in health and rapid change in health information and communication technologies have their roots in broader social trends. This article reviews the activities at the intersection of consumer empowerment and technology. Technical reports, white papers, books, journal articles, and Web sites. Social trends are visible in the integration of information and communication technologies into health care, in both searching for and sharing information on the Internet, in the use of social media to create new types of interactions with family, providers, and peers, and in the e-patient, who integrates these new roles and new technologies. Changes in both patients and technology will impact oncology nursing practice as new, patient-centered, interactions emerge. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.