DISADVANTAGEOUS BEHAVIOR FOR ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE FOOD CONSUMPTION ACCORIDNG TO CONSUMER OPINIONS

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to specify behavior considered to be disadvantageous for achieving sustainable consumption by consumers. Sustainable consumption, in economics usually derived from the consumer usefulness theory, is, on the one hand, inseparably linked to the effectiveness of a food supply chain, and on the other, a phenomenon significantly less identifiable and much more difficult to verify. In research, factual material gained through a personal interview survey, conducted in the Greater Poland Voivodship was used. Respondents were chosen with the use of quota and purposive sampling. It was found that consumers are able to see some behavior that are unfavorable for achieving sustainable consumption. The average level of unfavorable behavior (2.25) proves that consumers see such behavior with a relatively low level of disadvantages for achieving sustainable food consumption (in the economic, ecologic and social aspect). Consumers see unfavorable behavior for achieving sustainable consumption as behavior of a low level of disadvantages, including behavior stemming from the cost of moving from a previous model to a sustainable model, which demands spending more time on planning and shopping and creates a need to control personal behavior in terms of shopping logistics, i.e. planning, organizing, storing, buying and consuming products, as well as waste disposal. A very low level disadvantage of achieving sustainable food consumption is connected, according to consumers, with some behavior demanding self-control and self-discipline (e.g. avoiding excessive, disadvantageous consumption), engagement in the life of the local society and spending more time on looking for local products (in order to exchange, borrow, share and foster the community). Information concerning behavior unfavorable for achieving sustainable food consumption can be used for planning and implementing actions aimed at disseminating the idea and increasing consumer awareness.

Keywords

• sustainability consumption
• consumers
• behavior
• food market