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Attitudes of dining customers towards sustainability-related food values at a public University campus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 February 2019

Erin Silva ,
Jenna Klink ,
Emily McKinney ,
Jessica Price ,
Philip Deming ,
Hannah Rivedal  and
Jed Colquhoun
Erin Silva*
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI53706, USA
Jenna Klink
Affiliation:
Environmental Resources Center, University of Wisconsin-Extension, 445 Henry Mall, Madison, WI53706, USA
Emily McKinney
Affiliation:
Environmental Resources Center, University of Wisconsin-Extension, 445 Henry Mall, Madison, WI53706, USA
Jessica Price
Affiliation:
Environmental Resources Center, University of Wisconsin-Extension, 445 Henry Mall, Madison, WI53706, USA
Philip Deming
Affiliation:
Environmental Resources Center, University of Wisconsin-Extension, 445 Henry Mall, Madison, WI53706, USA
Hannah Rivedal
Affiliation:
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, 2082 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, OR97331, USA
Jed Colquhoun
Affiliation:
Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1575 Linden Drive, Madison, WI53706, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Erin Silva, E-mail: emsilva@wisc.edu
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Abstract

The plethora of alternative food labels emerging in the marketplace reflects consumer interest in informed and sustainable purchasing. However, consumers’ preferences vary with respect to the sustainability metrics represented by labeling programs. The goal of this project was to characterize public university students’ perceptions of product parameters commonly represented by food labels for produce (e.g., cost, taste, certified organic, locally grown). A consumer survey (n = 338) was conducted at two university dining halls, located in close proximity to major residence hall communities which house approximately 2600 students. Culinary, health and cost attributes (taste, nutritional value, price and appearance) were ranked as more influential in determining purchasing decisions than sustainability attributes related to production and sourcing. While sustainability values were not as influential in driving purchasing behaviors as compared with product attributes, they were important to approximately 50% of the survey respondents. By identifying the sustainability values of students and their willingness to pay more for specific types of sustainable food, results from this study can inform efforts to align priorities of campus dining services with the values of their student patrons, as well as identify educational opportunities around agriculture and food production.

Keywords

Food labelsfood systemsfood valuesstudent food surveysustainable purchasinguniversity dining halls
Type
From the Field
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 35 , Issue 3 , June 2020 , pp. 221 - 226
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019

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Footnotes

*

Present address: Extension Office of Program Support Services, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 432 N Lake St, Madison, WI 53706, USA.

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