Healthy and Sustainable Food: A Cross-Cultural Study among Spanish and Italian Consumers
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the perception of environmental attributes and food safety in Italy and Spain and how these different perceptions influence the importance of various attributes and certifications related to food. These two countries have a common root and some undeniable simi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/13/1941 |
| _version_ | 1797480028504588288 |
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| author | Debora Scarpato Giacomo Rotondo Mariarosaria Simeone |
| author_facet | Debora Scarpato Giacomo Rotondo Mariarosaria Simeone |
| author_sort | Debora Scarpato |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The purpose of this paper is to analyse the perception of environmental attributes and food safety in Italy and Spain and how these different perceptions influence the importance of various attributes and certifications related to food. These two countries have a common root and some undeniable similarities, but there are two completely distinct individualities. Three main research questions have, thus, been identified: attention to food safety regarding Italian and Spanish consumers; the role of ecological certifications in the perception of health in the two countries; the role of the brand and the choice of organic products in the perception of food safety. To answer the research questions, a questionnaire was administered, face to face, to a sample of both Spanish consumers and Italian consumers. The analysis of the data collected through the questionnaires was administered using two logistic regressions to identify which variables influence issues concerning the health and safety of food products. A Spanish consumer interested in ecological certifications is also a consumer who is attentive to the safety and health of food consumption. Looking at Italian consumers, it is highly probable that a consumer who assesses ecological certifications positively is also a consumer concerned about food safety, but this probability increases the likelihood this consumer’s choices are guided by brands and frequent consumption of organic products. This research has allowed us to highlight sharp differences in the approach to consumption in these two countries, which, despite similar cultures and the same sensitivity to environmental and food safety issues, exhibit marked differences in the selection of food products. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:54:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-de581e05e0724ea08c89a3ce005cbd41 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:54:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj.art-de581e05e0724ea08c89a3ce005cbd412023-11-23T20:01:53ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582022-06-011113194110.3390/foods11131941Healthy and Sustainable Food: A Cross-Cultural Study among Spanish and Italian ConsumersDebora Scarpato0Giacomo Rotondo1Mariarosaria Simeone2Department of Economics and Legal Studies, University of Naples Parthenope, 80133 Napoli, NA, ItalyDepartment of Economics and Legal Studies, University of Naples Parthenope, 80133 Napoli, NA, ItalyDepartment of Law, Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods (DEMM), University of Sannio, Via delle Puglie 82, 82100 Benevento, BN, ItalyThe purpose of this paper is to analyse the perception of environmental attributes and food safety in Italy and Spain and how these different perceptions influence the importance of various attributes and certifications related to food. These two countries have a common root and some undeniable similarities, but there are two completely distinct individualities. Three main research questions have, thus, been identified: attention to food safety regarding Italian and Spanish consumers; the role of ecological certifications in the perception of health in the two countries; the role of the brand and the choice of organic products in the perception of food safety. To answer the research questions, a questionnaire was administered, face to face, to a sample of both Spanish consumers and Italian consumers. The analysis of the data collected through the questionnaires was administered using two logistic regressions to identify which variables influence issues concerning the health and safety of food products. A Spanish consumer interested in ecological certifications is also a consumer who is attentive to the safety and health of food consumption. Looking at Italian consumers, it is highly probable that a consumer who assesses ecological certifications positively is also a consumer concerned about food safety, but this probability increases the likelihood this consumer’s choices are guided by brands and frequent consumption of organic products. This research has allowed us to highlight sharp differences in the approach to consumption in these two countries, which, despite similar cultures and the same sensitivity to environmental and food safety issues, exhibit marked differences in the selection of food products.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/13/1941consumer behaviorfood safetyenvironmental attributesfood choicesorganic productscertifications |
| spellingShingle | Debora Scarpato Giacomo Rotondo Mariarosaria Simeone Healthy and Sustainable Food: A Cross-Cultural Study among Spanish and Italian Consumers Foods consumer behavior food safety environmental attributes food choices organic products certifications |
| title | Healthy and Sustainable Food: A Cross-Cultural Study among Spanish and Italian Consumers |
| title_full | Healthy and Sustainable Food: A Cross-Cultural Study among Spanish and Italian Consumers |
| title_fullStr | Healthy and Sustainable Food: A Cross-Cultural Study among Spanish and Italian Consumers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Healthy and Sustainable Food: A Cross-Cultural Study among Spanish and Italian Consumers |
| title_short | Healthy and Sustainable Food: A Cross-Cultural Study among Spanish and Italian Consumers |
| title_sort | healthy and sustainable food a cross cultural study among spanish and italian consumers |
| topic | consumer behavior food safety environmental attributes food choices organic products certifications |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/13/1941 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT deborascarpato healthyandsustainablefoodacrossculturalstudyamongspanishanditalianconsumers AT giacomorotondo healthyandsustainablefoodacrossculturalstudyamongspanishanditalianconsumers AT mariarosariasimeone healthyandsustainablefoodacrossculturalstudyamongspanishanditalianconsumers |