Consumers’ Attitude Toward Sustainable Food Products: Ingredients vs. Packaging

Source: Seo, S., Ahn, H.-K., Jeong, J., & Moon, J. (2016). Sustainability, 8(10), 1073. DOI: 10.3390/su8101073

Overview

This 2016 study examines consumer attitudes toward sustainable food products, focusing on the impact of eco-friendly ingredients (internal attributes) versus eco-friendly packaging (external attributes) on consumers’ willingness to buy (WTB) and price premiums. The goal is to deepen understanding beyond organic labeling, which has traditionally received most scholarly attention.

Key Insights

1. Importance of Both Ingredients and Packaging for Environmental Protection

• Increasing consumer awareness and preference for eco-friendly products exist, but knowledge is mainly limited to organic (ingredient-based) products.
• Packaging is increasingly recognized as a significant pollution contributor, highlighting the need to address eco-friendly packaging in sustainability efforts.

2. Research Design and Methods

• Three experimental studies tested how WTB and price premiums vary when products differ in eco-friendliness of ingredients vs. packaging and related product attributes.
• Studies 1 and 3 used Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and Study 2 used Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA).
• The studies investigated interactions between product sustainability features and consumer responses.

3. Consumer Responses to Sustainable Attributes

• WTB for products differed according to whether sustainability was reflected in ingredients or packaging.
• The product attribute (e.g., type, category) also influenced the degree of WTB and acceptable price premiums.
• Packaging level (appropriate vs. excessive packaging) significantly affected consumer satisfaction and WTB, with consumers favoring minimal, eco-friendly packaging.

4. Market and Behavioral Implications

• Most producers use either eco-friendly ingredients or packaging individually, not both, often due to cost and potential changes to product qualities like taste.
• Organic products are cognitively associated with health and environmental benefits, although their premium is not always guaranteed.
• Eco-friendly packaging enhances perceived product value but remains underutilized in the market.
• Excessive packaging is viewed negatively, even when the ingredients are eco-friendly.

Conclusions

• Sustainable food products should be assessed on both internal (ingredients) and external (packaging) eco-friendliness to fully understand consumer purchasing behavior.
• Consumer willingness to pay a premium is nuanced and depends heavily on product attributes and packaging sustainability levels.
• There is a need for more market offerings and research focused on eco-friendly packaging as a key lever to increase environmental sustainability in food products.

Recommendations for Sustainable Food Brands

• Integrate eco-friendly packaging with organic or sustainable ingredients to maximize consumer appeal and environmental impact.
• Communicate clearly about both packaging and product ingredients’ sustainability to align with consumer values.
• Avoid excessive packaging to improve consumer satisfaction and support environmental protection efforts.
• Consider certification and labeling strategies that emphasize comprehensive sustainability (ingredients + packaging) for competitive advantage.

Keywords

Sustainable food product, Organic food product, Eco-friendly packaging, Product attribute, Willingness to Buy (WTB), Price premium, Consumer behavior

For brands and consumers interested in advancing sustainability, this research highlights the dual importance of eco-conscious ingredients and minimal, environmentally responsible packaging in shaping positive attitudes and purchasing decisions.

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