Exploring the Sustainability of Upcycled Foods: An Analysis of Consumer Behavior in Taiwan

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 16; no. 15; p. 2501
• Main Authors: Chang, Min-Yen, Lai, Kung-Ling, Lin, I-Kai, Chao, Ching-Tzu, Chen, Han-Shen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 31.07.2024
• Subjects: Adult; Agricultural societies; Air pollution; Attitudes; Climate Change; Climatic changes; Consumer Behavior; Female; food choices; food safety; Food Supply; food waste; Greenhouse gases; Humans; Intention; Male; Marketing; Marketing research; Middle Aged; Purchasing; Refuse and refuse disposal; Social networks; Surveys and Questionnaires; Sustainable agriculture; Sustainable Development; Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); Taiwan; upcycled food; Young Adult; Taiwan; China; food safety; food choices; upcycled food; food waste; Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu16152501

Given the urgent climate change and food security challenges, upcycled food products are crucial for sustainable food production and waste management. This study investigates Taiwanese consumer behavior towards upcycled foods using the value-attitude-behavior (VAB) theory, focusing on "product knowledge", "green perceived quality", and "price sensitivity". Of the 335 distributed surveys, 320 valid responses (95.5% effectiveness) were analyzed. The results indicated that eco-conscious values strongly influenced consumer attitudes and anticipated guilt (β = 0.647, < 0.001; β = 0.691, < 0.001), shaping behavioral intentions (β = 0.290, < 0.001). Attitudes significantly correlated with intentions, validating the VAB framework. However, anticipated guilt showed a minimal impact (β = 0.029, = 0.629), revealing complex consumer emotions. Green perceived quality and product knowledge were the key decision-making factors (β = 0.193, < 0.001; β = 0.146, < 0.001). Surprisingly, price sensitivity positively influences intentions (β = 0.764, < 0.001), suggesting the consumer prioritization of quality and environmental values over price. These insights inform strategies for businesses to enhance consumer engagement and sustainability alignment, advancing progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).