How Food Preferences Can Impact Sustainability Efforts

A 2024 study by Canada’s Brock University researchers Gary J. Pickering and Shannon Ruzgys explored how young adults who identify as “foodies” approach sustainability compared to their non-foodie peers.

The term “foodie” initially described wealthy food enthusiasts focused purely on culinary artistry. However, today’s foodies are deeply invested in:

• Food production methods
• Health consequences of the food they consume
• Environmental impacts of food production
• Sustainability practices in food production.

The study included 824 young adults (ages 18-25) from Canada and other countries and evaluated sustainability across three dimensions:

1. Environmental sustainability (e.g., avoiding air-freighted foods)
2. Economic sustainability (e.g., supporting local farmers)
3. Social sustainability (e.g., purchasing fair trade food products)

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 equaling Never and 5 equaling Always, the results showed foodies are much more engaged with sustainability than their non-foodie peers. For instance:

• Supporting local farmers (4.0, foodies vs. 3.3, non-foodies) and concern for animal welfare (3.8 vs. 3.3)
• Avoiding red meat (3.5 vs. 2.5) and seeking limited packaging (3.6 vs. 3.2)
• Reducing dairy consumption (3.3 vs. 2.5) NOTE: Dairy production is responsible for more than three percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
• Interest in food traceability and transparency (3.5 vs. 2.7) and fair labor practices (3.2 vs. 2.8)

Both groups agreed on reducing food waste but differed in their preference for organic produce, with foodies focusing much more on consuming organic items.

However, Steve Ashkin, the leading advocate for sustainability in the professional cleaning industry, noted a significant educational gap in food literacy between the groups.

“Foodies scored 4.7 out of 5.0 (always), showing a comprehensive understanding of how food choices affect health, the environment, sustainability, and the economy. Non-foodies scored just under 3.5, indicating a lack of crucial information for making healthy food choices. This situation can be improved with the proper education and awareness. In fact, it must be improved.”