The academic interest towards food products produced with innovative technologies has increased and a specific attention has been paid on the factors that could explain consumer acceptance or skepticism with regard to these new technologies. In this frame, the aim of this work is to analyze the factors that affect consumer acceptance towards new technologies in food with a special focus on Shelf Life Extension, which is considered to be one of the most sustainability-driving food innovations. The target group for the analysis is represented by the Millennial Generation (MG) students (n = 1027), recruited through a face to face survey. The results evidenced that higher levels of food knowledge led to an increase in acceptance whereas, in contrast, a greater interest in sustainability led to technology rejection. As the main scope of these technologies is to increase the overall sustainability of food products by reducing food loss and chain fails, the mismatch evidenced by the rejection of Shelf Life Extension technology by eco-friendly individuals outlines that the innovation technologies in food products is perceived by consumers as risky per se, regardless of the specific technology. In a nutshell, individuals characterized by high sustainability concerns fail to recognize, in science and technology, a possible contribution for a more sustainable world.

Mismatch between food sustainability and consumer acceptance toward innovation technologies among Millennial students: The case of Shelf Life Extension / A. Cavaliere, V. Ventura. - In: JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION. - ISSN 0959-6526. - 175(2018 Feb), pp. 641-650.

Mismatch between food sustainability and consumer acceptance toward innovation technologies among Millennial students: The case of Shelf Life Extension

A. Cavaliere
Primo
;
V. Ventura
Ultimo
2018

Abstract

The academic interest towards food products produced with innovative technologies has increased and a specific attention has been paid on the factors that could explain consumer acceptance or skepticism with regard to these new technologies. In this frame, the aim of this work is to analyze the factors that affect consumer acceptance towards new technologies in food with a special focus on Shelf Life Extension, which is considered to be one of the most sustainability-driving food innovations. The target group for the analysis is represented by the Millennial Generation (MG) students (n = 1027), recruited through a face to face survey. The results evidenced that higher levels of food knowledge led to an increase in acceptance whereas, in contrast, a greater interest in sustainability led to technology rejection. As the main scope of these technologies is to increase the overall sustainability of food products by reducing food loss and chain fails, the mismatch evidenced by the rejection of Shelf Life Extension technology by eco-friendly individuals outlines that the innovation technologies in food products is perceived by consumers as risky per se, regardless of the specific technology. In a nutshell, individuals characterized by high sustainability concerns fail to recognize, in science and technology, a possible contribution for a more sustainable world.
consumer acceptance; food innovation technology; millennials students; shelf life extension; renewable energy, sustainability and the environment;2300; strategy and management1409 tourism, leisure and Hositality management; industrial and manufacturing engineering
Settore AGR/01 - Economia ed Estimo Rurale
   "Long Life, High Sustainability" - "Shelf Life Extension come indicatore di sostenibilità" - Coniugare l'estensione di vita di un prodotto alimentare determinata da un'innovazione di formulazione, processo o packaging, con la variazione di sostenibilità dell'intero ciclo di vita del prodotto
   MINISTERO DELL'ISTRUZIONE E DEL MERITO
   2012ZN3KJL_001
feb-2018
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/549422
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