Sustainable Consumption and the Attitude-Behaviour-Gap Phenomenon - Causes and Measurements towards a Sustainable Development

• Main Authors: Wiltrud Terlau, Darya Hirsch
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: CentMa 2015-07-01
• Series: International Journal on Food System Dynamics
• Subjects: Responsible consumer; Interdisciplinarity; Consumer behaviour; Change agents; Proactive state; corporate social responsibility (CSR)
• Online Access: http://centmapress.ilb.uni-bonn.de/ojs/index.php/fsd/article/view/493

This paper presents a review of interdisciplinary research literature on the complexity of sustainable food consumption and offers an empirical analysis of selected countries worldwide. It seems that the consumer behaviour is the most unstable and unpredictable part of the entire supply chain and requires special attention. Concrete measures to influence consumer behaviour towards sustainable consumption are highly complex. The Danish example, explored in this paper, with its well-functioning organic market demonstrates that sustainable food consumption is realistic. Successful development of organic food and farming in Denmark is the result of pioneers as well as shared responsibility of a consumer, state, and business.