Food Sustainability – what does it mean to consumers? Insights from an online survey using open-ended questions

Improvements in food system sustainability are urgently needed, including changes in food purchasing and consumption by consumers. Although many consumers say they understand the need for change, a major gap between attitude and behaviour exists. Against this background, we explored consumer perceptions of what food-related sustainability is and how to improve it. An online survey was conducted in the United Kingdom (n=1522) using open-ended questions that allowed consumers to explain in their own words.