Understanding Consumer Perception of Sustainable Ingredients – Part 3

Understanding the psychological factors that drive consumers to choose sustainable food products can help businesses tailor their marketing strategies and product offerings.

The results from Nielsen Company “2014 Report – Millennial Breaking The Myths” with 30,000 participants in 60 economies suggests that millennials are willing to spend extra for the products and services offered by firms committed to sustainability issues.

Another study published in 2016 in the Journal of Business & Society titled “Corporate Social Responsibility and Consumer Behavior: A Meta-Analytic Review” conducted a metaanalysis of over 300 studies and found that consumers are more likely to purchase products from companies that are perceived to be socially responsible, which includes efforts towards sustainability, including ingredient sourcing practices.

Which psychological factors trigger consumer choices?

Knowing the psychosocial factors that may predict a food choice product may be useful to understand what drives consumers to choose this category of food.

Buying behavior theories

Between 50% and 99% of brain processing is occurring without our awareness. There’s a whole lot going on in our brain that we just aren’t aware of and don’t have access to.
There’re a lot of theories and evolutionary reasons for that. We can’t possibly think about every single decision we make. It would be exhausting, and we’d be paralyzed. Our memories and our conscious awareness of our behaviors are very limited.

This unawareness should be considered when analyzing the results of our research and
include psychological, social, and economic factors that might influence consumer behavior towards the decision of buying or not.

Social Cognitive Theory:

• Consumers’ perception of control over their purchasing decisions plays a significant role in how they respond to sustainability claims. Empowering consumers through interactive marketing platforms can enhance this sense of control.
• References: Qian Wang, Junsheng Dou (2016).

Emotional Appeal:

• Emotions such as hope and pride can drive sustainable consumption. Positive reinforcement and public recognition of sustainable choices can motivate consumers to act in environmentally responsible ways.
• References: Katherine White (2019).

Theory of Planned Behavior:

• The integrated model of planned behavior and value-belief-norm explains how psychological determinants influence consumers’ intention to purchase natural and sustainable food products.
• References: Carfora et al. (2021).
  

Conclusion By understanding and leveraging the psychological factors that influence sustainable food choices, businesses can more effectively communicate their sustainability efforts and drive consumer behavior.