Time: Friday January 19, 7:30 – 8:30 PM (BJT)

Zoom: 363 486 0760

Presenter: Jiari Sun, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University

Discussant: Mengdi Liu, Associate Professor School of International Trade and Economics, University of International Business and Economics

Abstract:

Overconsumption of red and processed meats heightens environmental and health risks, calling for dietary shifts towards sustainable, nutritious proteins. Existing studies focused on the role of intrinsic attributes such as ingredients, price, and origin in food choices, ignoring the influence of external factors such as the dining context. Understanding how the environmental and nutritional attributes of food influence consumer choices in specific dining contexts, including the trade-offs between these attributes, remains an area that has not been clearly explored. This study conducts conjoint experiments to examine these issues through the online surveys with a nationally representative sample of 1000 participants in the UK and China, respectively. We expect to find that 1) consumers prioritize nutritional attributes over the environmental impact of food when making choices for a meal, especially when cooking at home, where the consideration for nutritional attributes is more pronounced; 2) When consumers receive information about both environmental and nutritional aspects, the influence of these attributes on their choices increases. Our findings provide implications for governments, organizations, and businesses, etc. to facilitate the sustainable food consumption transition.