Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Eating Sustainably? Practices and Background Factors of Ecological Food Consumption in Four Nordic Countries

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Consumer Policy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article examines sustainable food consumption in the Nordic context, studying to what extent people in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden have food consumption patterns that are in the current discourse promoted as sustainability enhancing. The article analyses the association of sustainable food consumption to attitudinal support for environmental policy measures, interest in cooking, and healthy eating practices as well as sociodemographic background factors. The comparison of four countries enables an analysis of the importance of the national context in sustainable food consumption. The study is based on data from a 2012 Nordic Web survey (N = 8248). The results show that carrying out sustainable activities was not very widespread. Buying local food was the most popular, eating meat less often the most unpopular sustainable activity. The level of participation in sustainable practices varied across the four countries. Swedish respondents were the overall most active, Norwegians the least. However, results from analysis of variance (anova) indicated that the individual explanatory factors of sustainable food consumption were relatively similar in the four countries. Healthy eating patterns, interest in cooking, and supporting environmental policy measures were all positively correlated to sustainable food consumption. Women and the elderly were more active in sustainable practices than were men and the young. Education and occupational position played a role, too, but their effect was not totally systematic across countries. The findings suggest that sustainable food consumption is not a strongly socially stratified phenomenon, but it is related to other practices of eating regarded as “proper,” such as interest in cooking and healthy eating. Broader and more inclusive policies are needed to better engage people in sustainable activities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Beck, U. (1992). Risk Society. Towards a new modernity. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boström, M., & Klintman, M. (2009). The green political consumer. A critical analysis of the research and policies. Anthropology of food, S5/September 2009, available at: http://aof.revues.org/6394 (2.4.2014)

  • Boström, M., Føllesdal, A., Klintman, M., Micheletti, M., & Sørensen, M. P. (Eds.). (2005). Political consumerism: Its motivations, power, and conditions in the Nordic countries and elsewhere. TemaNord 2005:517. Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carrigan, M., Szimigin, I., & Wright, J. (2004). Shopping for a better world? An interpretative study of the potential for ethical consumption within the older market. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 21, 401–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, M. J. (2006). Sustainable consumption research as democratic expertise. Journal of Consumer Policy, 29, 67–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dillman, D. A. (2013). Achieving synergy across survey models: mail contact and web responses from address-based samples. Pacific Chapter of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, 12, 2013.

  • Dowler, E., Kneafsey, M., Cox, R., & Holloway, L. (2010). ‘Doing food differently’: reconnecting biological and social relationships through care for food. The Sociological Review, 57(s2), 200–221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duchin, F. (2005). Sustainable consumption of food. A framework for analyzing scenarios about changes in diets. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 9, 99–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eurobarometer. (2011). Attitudes of European citizens towards the environment. Report. Conducted by TNS Opinion & Social at the request of Directorate-General for the Environment. Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/pdf/ebs_365_en.pdf (1.4.2014)

  • Evans, D. (2011). Thrifty, green or frugal: reflections on sustainable consumption in a changing economic climate. Geoforum, 42, 550–557.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fraj, E., & Martinez, E. (2007). Ecological consumer behavior: an empirical analysis. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 31, 26–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Franzen, A., & Meyer, R. (2010). Environmental attitudes in cross-national perspective: a multilevel analysis of the ISSP 1993 and 2000. European Sociological Review, 26, 219–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fuchs, D. A., & Lorek, S. (2005). Sustainable consumption governance: a history of promises and failures. Journal of Consumer Policy, 28, 261–288.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gotlieb, M. R., & Wells, C. (2012). From concerned shopper to dutiful citizen: implications of individual and collective orientations toward political consumerism. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 644, 207–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haanpää, L. (2007). Consumers’ green commitment: indication of a postmodern lifestyle? International Journal of Consumer Studies, 31, 478–486.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halkier, B. (2010). Consumption challenged. Food in medialised everyday lives. Farnham and Burlington: Ashgate.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halkier, B., & Holm, L. (2008). Food consumption and political agency: on concerns and practices among Danish consumers. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 32, 667–674.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall, C. M., & Gossling, S. (2013). Sustainable culinary systems: local foods, innovation, tourism and hospitality. Abingdon: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harland, J. I., Buttriss, J., & Gibson, S. (2012). Achieving eatwell plate recommendations: is this a route to improving both sustainability and healthy eating? Nutrition Bulletin, 37, 324–343.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heiskanen, E., Mont, O., & Power, K. (2014). A map is not a territory—making research more helpful for sustainable consumption policy. Journal of Consumer Policy, 37, 27–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holm, L., & Kristensen, S. T. (Eds.) (2012). Mad, mennesker og måltider–samfundsvidenskabelige perspektiver. 2. udgave. København: Munksgaard

  • Holzer, B. (2006). Political consumerism between individual choice and collective action: social movements, role mobilization and signalling. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 30, 405–415.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobsen, E., & Dulsrud, A. (2007). Will consumers save the world? The framing of political consumerism. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 20, 469–482.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Katajajuuri, J.-M., & Hartikainen, H. (2013). Mitä kuluttajat ajattelevat elintarvikkeiden ilmastoviestinnästä? Tiedotustilaisuus 25.4.2013. [What do consumers think of climate communication regarding food? In Finnish.] Helsinki: MTT Agrifood Research Finland. Press briefing, April 25, 2013.

  • Kjærnes, U. (2010). Sustainable food consumption. Some contemporary European issues. Oslo: The National Institute for Consumer Research (SIFO). Prosjektnotat nr. 1-2010.

  • Kjærnes, U. (2012). Ethics and action: a relational perspective on consumer choice in the European politics of food. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 25, 145–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kjærnes, U., Harvey, M., & Warde, A. (Eds.). (2007). Trust in food. A comparative and institutional analysis. Houndsmills: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klintman, M. (2009). Participation in green consumer policies: deliberative democracy under wrong conditions? Journal of Consumer Policy, 32, 43–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klintman, M., & Boström, M. (2006). Editorial in the special issue: political and ethical consumerism around the world. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 30, 401–404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klintman, M., & Boström, M. (2012). Political consumerism and the transition towards a more sustainable food regime. Looking behind and beyond the organic shelf. In G. Spaargaren, P. Oosterveer, & A. Loeber (Eds.), Food practices in transition. Changing food consumption, retail and production in the age of reflexive modernity (pp. 107–128). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lang, T., & Barling, D. (2013). Nutrition and sustainability: an emerging food policy discourse. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 72, 1–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Latvala, T., Niva, M., Mäkelä, J., Pouta, E., Heikkilä, J., Kotro, J., & Forsman-Hugg, S. (2012). Diversifying meat consumption patterns: consumers' self-reported past behaviour and intentions for change. Meat Science, 92, 71–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lea, E., & Worsley, A. (2008). Australian consumers’ food-related environmental beliefs and behaviours. Appetite, 50, 207–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacMillan Uribe, A., Winham, D. M., & Wharton, C. M. (2012). Community supported agriculture membership in Arizona. An exploratory study of food and sustainability behaviours. Appetite, 59, 431–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MAF Finland (2013). More organic! Government development programme for the organic product sector and objectives to. (2020). Government Resolution 16 May 2013. Helsinki: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

    Google Scholar 

  • Magnusson, M. K., Arvola, A., Koivisto Hursti, U.-K., Åberg, L., & Sjödén, P.-O. (2003). Choice of organic foods is related to perceived consequences for human health and to environmentally friendly behaviour. Appetite, 40, 109–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marchand, A., & Walker, S. (2008). Product development and responsible consumption: designing alternatives for sustainable lifestyles. Journal of Cleaner Production, 16, 1163–1169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Micheletti, M. (2003). Political virtue and shopping. Individuals, consumerism, and collective action. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Micheletti, M., & Stolle, D. (2005). Swedish political consumers: who they are and why they use the market as an arena for politics. In M. Boström, A. Føllesdal, M. Klintman, M. Micheletti, & M. P. Sørensen (Eds.), Political consumerism: Its motivations, power, and conditions in the Nordic countries and elsewhere (pp. 145–164). TemaNord 2005:517. Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Norway, M. A. F. (2008). Ministry of Agriculture and Food Environmental Strategy 2008–2015. Norway: Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

    Google Scholar 

  • Onyango, B. M., Hallman, W. K., & Bellows, A. C. (2007). Purchasing organic food in US food systems. A study of attitudes and practice. British Food Journal, 109, 399–411.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paavola, J. (2001). Towards sustainable consumption: economics and ethical concerns for the environmental consumer choices. Review of Social Economy, 59, 227–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rayner, G., & Lang, T. (2012). Ecological public health. Reshaping the conditions for good health. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaack, D., Lernoud, J., Schlatter, B., and Willer, H. (2014). The organic market in Europe 2012. In: Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) (Eds.), pp. 200-206. (pp. 200–206). Frick and Bonn: FiBL and IFOAM. Available at: http://orgprints.org/23194/1/schaack-etal-2013-fibl-ifoam-report-p224-229.pdf

  • Seyfang, G. (2006). Ecological citizenship and sustainable consumption: examining local organic food networks. Journal of Rural Studies, 22, 383–395.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shih, T.-H., & Fan, X. (2008). Comparing response rates from Web and mail surveys: a meta-analysis. Field Methods, 20, 249–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sørensen, M. P. (2005). Liberal democratic society and political consumerism—a problematic combination. In M. Boström, A. Føllesdal, M. Klintman, M. Micheletti & M. P. Sørensen (Eds.), Political consumerism: its motivations, power, and conditions in the Nordic countries and elsewhere (pp. 57–76). TemaNord 2005:517.Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers.

  • Starr, M. A. (2009). The social economics of ethical consumption: theoretical considerations and empirical evidence. The Journal of Socio-Economics, 38, 916–925.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stehr, N. (2008). The moralization of the markets in Europe. Society, 45, 62–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stolle, D., Hooghe, M., & Micheletti, M. (2005). Politics in the supermarket: political consumerism as a form of political participation. International Political Science Review, 26, 245–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Terragni, Laura & Kjærnes, Unni (2005). Ethical consumption in Norway: why is it so low? In M. Boström, A. Føllesdal, M. Klintman, M. Micheletti & M. P. Sørensen (Eds.), Political consumerism: its motivations, power, and conditions in the Nordic countries and elsewhere (pp. 472–485). TemaNord 2005:517. Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers

  • Tobiasen, M. (2005). Political consumerism in Denmark. In M. Boström, A. Føllesdal, M. Klintman, M. Micheletti & M. P. Sørensen (Eds.), Political consumerism: its motivations, power, and conditions in the Nordic countries and elsewhere (pp. 113–144). Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers. TemaNord 2005:517.

  • Tobler, C., Visschers, V. H. M., & Siegrist, M. (2011). Eating green. Consumers' willingness to adopt ecological food consumption behaviors. Appetite, 57, 674–682.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toft, U., Kristoffersen, L. H., Lau, C., Borch-Johnsen, K., & Jørgensen, T. (2007). The Dietary Quality Score: validation and association with cardiovascular risk factors: The Inter99 study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 61, 270–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UN. (1992). United Nations Conference on Environment & Development. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3 to 14 June 1992. AGENDA 21: Available at: http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/Agenda21.pdf (retrieved November 7, 2013)

  • Valor, C. (2008). Can consumers buy responsibly? Analysis and solutions for market failures. Journal of Consumer Policy, 31, 315–326.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verain, M. C. D., Bartels, J., Dagevos, H., Sijtsema, S., Onwezen, M. C., & Antonides, G. (2012). Segments of sustainable food consumers: a literature review. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 36, 123–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vermeir, I., & Verbeke, W. (2006). Sustainable food consumption: exploring the consumer “attitude–behavioral intention” gap. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 19, 169–194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wahlen, S., Heiskanen, E., & Aalto, K. (2012). Endorsing sustainable food consumption: prospects from public catering. Journal of Consumer Policy, 35, 7–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wier, M., O’Doherty Jensen, K., Mørch Andersen, L., & Millock, K. (2008). The character of demand in mature organic food markets: Great Britain and Denmark compared. Food Policy, 33, 406–421.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Worsley, A., Wang, W., Ismail, S., & Ridley, S. (2014). Consumers’ interest in learning about cooking: the influence of age, gender and education. International Journal of Consumer Studies, published online 31 March, 2014, DOI: 10.1111/ijcs.12089.

  • Zhu, Q., Li, Y., Geng, Y., & Qi, Y. (2013). Green food consumption intention, behaviors and influencing factors among Chinese consumers. Food Quality & Preference, 28, 279–286.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

The research project Food in Nordic Everyday Life: A comparative survey of change and stability in eating patterns (2011–2014) is financially supported by The Joint Committee for Nordic research councils in the Humanities and Social Sciences (NOS-HS). The study design was devised together by the project partners Lotte Holm (principal investigator), University of Copenhagen; Marianne Pipping Ekström, University of Gothenburg; Jukka Gronow, University of Helsinki; Unni Kjærnes, National Institute for Consumer Research, Oslo; Thomas Bøker Lund, University of Copenhagen; Johanna Mäkelä, University of Helsinki; and Mari Niva, National Consumer Research Centre, Helsinki. The authors would like to thank all partners as well as the two anonymous reviewers for their valuable and constructive comments on earlier versions of this article.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Consumer Research Centre, P.O. Box 142, Kaikukatu 3, 00531, Helsinki, Finland

    Mari Niva & Nina Kahma

  2. University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 8, Siltavuorenpenger 10, 00014, Helsingin yliopisto, Finland

    Johanna Mäkelä

  3. National Institute for Consumer Research, P.O. Box 4682, Nydalen, 0405, Oslo, Norway

    Unni Kjærnes

Authors
  1. Mari Niva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Johanna Mäkelä
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nina Kahma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Unni Kjærnes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mari Niva.

Appendix

Appendix

Table 4 The distributions of the independent variables in the unweighted and weighted data (%) by country
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Niva, M., Mäkelä, J., Kahma, N. et al. Eating Sustainably? Practices and Background Factors of Ecological Food Consumption in Four Nordic Countries. J Consum Policy 37, 465–484 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10603-014-9270-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10603-014-9270-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation