Sustainable Food Production, Consumption, and the Generation of

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motivations to purchase food products that can be recycled were primarily based on social and environmental responsibility. The awareness and concern for landfill space and resource conservation was a common response. When asked if the participant was willing to spend more for a product that has environmentally friendly packaging, approximately half (27 out of 60) of the respondents reported yes, and just under half (25 out of 60) reported sometimes. Ten percent (6 out of 60) of the participants reported that would not be willing to spend more for environmentally friendly packaging. Only 3 of the participants purchase the lowest priced food product, regardless of its impact on the environment, with 17 reporting that economic incentives were sometimes a factor in the decision to purchase food products. Research indicates that although consumer beliefs about the consequences of recycling and waste prevention are mediated through attitudes, perceived personal costs still have a direct influence on behaviour (Togersen, 1997). The majority of respondents expressed environmental concern as the incentive to reduce or avoid food packaging waste. The most common responses were to avoid products that use excessive packaging, buy bulk foods, bring own bags, purchase products that are made with recyclable/re-usable packaging, and recycle packaging. Economic motivations were also a common response as an active method of reducing food packaging waste. Social responsibility was expressed as a motivation to reduce food packaging waste for some participants by choosing products responsibly, and purchasing fresh produce from local farmers to avoid excessive packaging. Almost all participants (50 out of 60) believe that recycling as a waste reduction strategy is not enough to reduce food packaging waste. The most frequent suggestions included increased producer responsibility and consumer awareness. A few (5 out of 60) responded that they did not know if recycling alone is an effective strategy to reduce packaging waste. Only 2 respondents believed that recycling was sufficient for reducing food packaging waste. Most respondents (43 out of 60) feel responsible for the waste they generate, while 3 respondents felt in no way responsible. Respondents who didn’t feel responsible for their waste hold the manufactures and producers accountable for creating the products in the first place. Numerous strategies were given as suggestions to reduce food packaging waste commonly falling into environmental, economic and social categories respectively. Many 28
suggestions were related to simple changes that consumers can adopt to become more environmentally friendly, particularly when choosing and purchasing food products. Frequent suggestions included reducing packaging, avoiding over packaged products, re-using containers/bags, buying bulk and fresh when possible. Suggestions within an economic focus included greater consumer pressure on food companies to reduce waste, financial incentives to businesses in the form of tax credits, increase the amount consumers must pay per garbage bag collected by the city, and increasing stewardship. Socially minded suggestions included eating less, greater consumer awareness and education, and keeping landfills in places that people can see them. 3.4.2. Industry perception Store managers that participated in the research seemed to be quite positive in regards to the improvements that are happening in the food industry in terms of packaging waste reduction and are finding innovative ways to reduce this waste in their stores. A store manager in Victoria, says that the “industry is trying to change itself as well…it is good business”. It is recognized that there is a growing shift in the food industry on the part of consumer and industry to reduce or eliminate unnecessary packaging. Movements towards waste reduction are for example to recycle shrink wrap from skids (palettes) that were previously not recycled, this, the manager comments “is one way we are trying to reduce waste…we have come a long way just through education and through young people working here”. Another store manager in Royal Oak is finding innovative ways to reduce the stores packaging waste and also to educate customers by providing alternatives. Buying fresh local produce can significantly reduce packaging waste in the store, as this manager suggests “it’s fresh, it comes locally, and so there is not a lot of it to start with in the first place”. This Royal Oak store sells and promotes their own re-usable bags, and has tried to introduce a program where customers bring their egg cartons back and refill them with the store’s free range eggs. The manager notes that “a lot of the focus needs to be on the awareness of the consumer...the majority of people still want plastic bags even if they have an option”. Alternatives to the conventional food store exist with home delivery box programs, providing organic local produce with limited or no food packaging delivered in re-usable containers. A floor manager with Small Potato Urban Delivery (SPUD), a box delivery program, comments on the various ways to reduce packaging, such as “using local suppliers that can re- 29
Page 1 and 2: an online series of research papers
Page 4 and 5: Table on Contents 1.0 Sustainable f
Page 6 and 7: Consumer perception and public poli
Page 8 and 9: 3. What are the policies in place t
Page 10 and 11: 1.7 Key informant interviews analys
Page 12 and 13: 2.) What is the state of the art of
Page 14 and 15: 2.4.1 Conventional agriculture As m
Page 16 and 17: 2.4.2 Alternative food distribution
Page 18 and 19: This research revealed that awarene
Page 20 and 21: esponses 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 4
Page 22 and 23: farmers markets, processors communi
Page 24 and 25: product quality, driven by consumer
Page 26 and 27: comparison of these rates from 2001
Page 28 and 29: variety of ways such as buying beve
Page 32 and 33: use a lot of their containers…buy
Page 34 and 35: Gerry Watson Abstract: In Canada po
Page 36 and 37: This focus on profit is strongly su
Page 38 and 39: incentives as it falls under provin
Page 40 and 41: some local produce cannot be bought
Page 42 and 43: Beyond the programs mentioned above
Page 44 and 45: 5.0 Conclusion The reader provides
Page 46 and 47: Awai, G. 2005: Correspondence with
Page 48 and 49: Jones, Andy. 2002. An environmental
Page 50 and 51: Pottier, J. 1999: Anthropology of f
Page 52 and 53: Appendix A Sustainable Food Product
Page 54 and 55: Sustainable Food Production and Con

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