Individuals have a multitude of possibilities by means of their decisions to influence ecological, social and economic developments at the regional, national and global level. Nina Langen elaborates differences and similarities of forms of ethical behaviour, such as ethical consumption and charitable giving in general and investigates whether German consumers differentiate between different types of ethical behaviour in particular. Choice experiment, latent class analysis, information display matrix and item-based attitude assessment allow the comparison of stated and revealed preferences as well as an analysis of the relevance of ethical product features within the context of different product and process attributes. The dissertation provides insights into a research field that becomes more and more relevant and improves the understanding of the interdependencies as well as consumers' assessment of the possibilities of ethical behaviour. Der Inhaltn Consumers' Decision Makingn Possibilities of Ethical Behaviourn Relevance of Fair Trade, Organic Production and Cause-Related Marketing for Product Selectionn Acceptance and Critical Success Factors of Cause-Related Marketing in Germany Die Zielgruppen· Researchers and students in the fields of business, marketing and agricultural economics · Executives and consultants in commercial enterprises as well as non-profit organisations and non-governmental organisations focusing on ethical consumption, fair trade, donations, corporate social responsibility, and cause-related marketing Die AutorInDr. Nina Langen obtained her Ph. D. in agricultural economics from the University of Bonn. She conducted her Ph. D. studies at the Center for Development Research in the Department of Economic and Technological Change and at the Institute for Food and Resource Economics in the Department of Agricultural and Food Market Research, both at the University of Bonn.
Recurring reports on animal husbandry conditions as well as the maltreatment of animals during transport to slaughterhouses in the last years increased public concerns about animal welfare conditions showing the need to act for all stakeholders throughout the meat supply chain (e.g. Bánáti, 2011). As a consequence animal wel-fare has become one of the priorities on the agenda of politicians (see the coalition agreement in 2013; CDU et al., 2013), consumer policy and protection agencies and is intensively discussed in the private sector as well as in academia. In Germany, in particular the 'Initiative Tierwohl' continuously gains in importance and in 2013 for the first time an EU animal welfare label was established.However, the increasing stated interest in animal welfare is not yet reflected by sales figures in the meat mar-ket. In literature different reasons addressing multiple levels of the topic are discussed for this discrepancy (e.g. Hartmann et al., 2014). One factor is the lack of a universally accepted definition and understanding of animal welfare due to its multidimensional character (Lagerkvist and Hess, 2014). Another reason is the potential so-cial desirability bias which occurs to different extent depending on the survey method used to elicit the prefer-ences of the actors.Therefore, the aim of the present study is to get deeper insights into first, consumers' understanding of animal welfare by identifying the relevant aspects of animal welfare in consumers' decision making process while pur-chasing meat. Second, we use two methods to assess the relevance of animal welfare issues for consumers when thinking about the purchase of meat to quantify the extent the different survey methods construct sur-vey results rather than elicit consumer preferences.For this purpose an online survey with N = 926 participants was conducted in July 2012. The investigated meat products were chicken and pork cutlet. Consumers' preferences for different product attributes were meas-ured via a questionnaire as well as by an individualized Information Display Matrix (IDM). As to the first research question, the results indicate that with respect to animal welfare aspects the one of especially high relevance to consumers is animal husbandry conditions while e.g. slaughtering or feeding is of lower importance. The results also indicate that animal husbandry conditions are much more relevant for consumers when thinking about the purchase of chicken cutlet compared to pork cutlet. With regard to the second question survey results show that respondents' preferences obtained via questionnaire and IDM deviate to a considerable extent regarding the attribute price. While participants stated in the questionnaire that price is of minor importance, the analysis based on the IDM displays clearly that price plays a paramount role in consum-ers' meat information search process. Thus, we see evidence that the two survey methods are prone to suffer to a different degree from the social desirability bias.The results can help policy makers, manufacturers and retailers as well as NGOs in promoting and selling meat produced according to higher animal welfare standards. Successful promotion of such products is only possible if there is a good understanding of the animal welfare characteristics important to consumers.
Purpose– An important characteristic of Fair Trade products is that a fair price is paid to the producer. At the same time the Fair Trade system is accused of being inefficient with respect to the distribution of the price premium paid by consumers along the supply chain. This study aims to focus in particular on consumers' perceptions of fair pricing. Besides, the paper seeks to assess the extent to which consumers' expectations are somehow anchored in or in accordance with reality in Germany in 2007.Design/methodology/approach– To get insights into German consumers' perception of Fair Trade a consumer survey based on face-to-face interviews withn=484 participants was conducted in 2008. To approach the profit distribution along the Fair Trade coffee chain a web-based market investigation was performed.Findings– One important result is that most of the consumers actually narrow Fair Trade down to the issue of paying fair prices to farmers. The comparison of the efficiency of the Fair Trade system that is requested by the study participants (measured as the share of an additional euro paid for a Fair Trade product) and the point of sale calculations (revealing the percentage of the retail price going to the producer) indicates that for 60 percent of the respondents a calculated share of 50 percent reaching the producer would not be high enough. Results reveal that 10 percent of the respondents require a minimum share of 90 percent of the retail price to reach the producer. A total of 23 percent are satisfied with 80 percent; 60 percent of the respondents want that more than 50 percent of an additional euro spent reaches the producer. Only 4 percent of the participants are willing to accept an efficiency of less than 20 percent.Originality/value– This is the first paper not only investigating how much of the price premium paid by consumers reaches the Fair Trade producers but also delivering insights regarding how much of the price premium paid in the retail store for Fair Trade coffee consumers do request to reach the Fair Trade producer.
Immer mehr Menschen essen regelmäßig außer Haus, eine rasch verfügbare und flexible Ernährung gehört zu unserem modernen Lebensstil mittlerweile einfach dazu. Den Kundinnen und Kunden ist jedoch nicht nur diese Flexibilität wichtig, sondern zunehmend auch eine hohe ökologische und gesundheitliche Qualität der Angebote. Sie wünschen sich attraktive, genussreiche und zugleich nachhaltige Speisen. Und sie wollen darauf vertrauen können, dass ihr Essen entsprechend klar definierter ökologischer und sozialer Anforderungen hergestellt wurde. Der Schlüssel dazu sind Innovationen im Speisenangebot, bei der Beschaffung, Zubreitung, Kennzeichnung - und bei den Darbietungsformen. Die über 50 Autorinnen und Autoren dieses Buches arbeiten alle in Wissenschaft und Praxis für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung des Ernährungssystems. Hier stellen sie die im Forschungsprojekt NAHGAST und weiteren Projekten erarbeiteten Ansätze für eine nachhaltige Transformation des Außer-Haus-Marktes zur Diskussion.
The article gives insights into the implementation process of sustainable management strategies in the food service sector. Furthermore, the normative requirements for sustainability in form of a mission statement, called "sustainable food services" are presented. The authors perceive this mission statement as a means to transfer current political demands (as in the SDG of the UN) into the sector. It could serve as a model for the entire food service sector to support and facilitate implementing aspects of sustainability into business practices with the help of sustainable management tools.
The article gives insights into the implementation process of sustainable management strategies in the food service sector. Furthermore, the normative requirements for sustainability in form of a mission statement, called "sustainable food services" are presented. The authors perceive this mission statement as a means to transfer current political demands (as in the SDG of the UN) into the sector. It could serve as a model for the entire food service sector to support and facilitate implementing aspects of sustainability into business practices with the help of sustainable management tools.
Das Forschungsprojekt "Verringerung von Lebensmittelabfällen - Identifikation von Ursachen und Handlungsoptionen in Nordrhein-Westfalen" (Zeitrahmen: 9/2011 - 2/2012) im Auftrag des Ministeriums für Klimaschutz, Umwelt, Landwirtschaft, Natur- und Verbraucherschutz in Nordrhein-Westfalen (MKULNV) steht im Kontext der Diskussion um eine neue Wertschätzung für Lebensmittel und einen nachhaltigen Lebensstil. Das Institut für nachhaltige Ernährung und Ernährungswirtschaft (iSuN) der Fachhochschule Münster wurde gemeinsam mit der Verbraucherzentrale Nordrhein-Westfalen beauftragt, die Studie mit dem Schwerpunkt der Identifikation von Ursachen und Handlungsoptionen zur Verringerung von Lebensmittelabfällen in Nordrhein-Westfalen durchzuführen. Der Lebensmittelmarkt ist stark arbeitsteilig organisiert und global vernetzt. Die Situation in Nordrhein-Westfalen unterscheidet sich dabei nicht wesentlich von der in ganz Deutschland oder in Europa. Die Orientierung auf Nordrhein-Westfalen erfolgte über die Auswahl von Interwiepartnern und Unternehmensexperten sowie über die Auswahl der für Nordrhein-Westfalen besonders relevanten Produktgruppen Gemüse, Brot und Backwaren, Milch und Milchprodukte sowie Fleisch und Wurstwaren. Handlungsoptionen zur Verringerung von Lebensmittelabfällen in Nordrhein-Westfalen sind prinzipiell auf andere Bundesländer in Deutschland übertragbar. Die Studie setzt sich aus insgesamt vier Forschungsbausteinen zusammen. Im Forschungsbaustein A werden die Ursachen von Lebensmittelabfällen für die vier relevanten Produktgruppen analysiert und Handlungsempfehlungen zur Reduzierung von Lebensmittelabfällen abgeleitet. Betrachtet werden die jeweiligen Wertschöpfungsketten von der Landwirtschaft bis zum Handel. Die analysierten Ursachenfelder zeigen stufenübergreifende Wirkungen innerhalb der Wertschöpfungskette, die zu Lebensmittelabfall führen. Aus diesem Grunde ist besonders die Betrachtung der Schnittstellen für die Entwicklung von Maßnahmen entscheidend. Forschungsbaustein B untersucht auf der Grundlage persönlicher Interviews und anonymer Onlineinterviews Ursachen, die Verbraucherinnen und Verbraucher veranlassen, Lebensmittel wegzuwerfen und leitet daraus Empfehlungen zur Verringerung von Lebensmittelabfällen ab. Die Befragungen zeigen, dass insbesondere komplexe, oft schlecht planbare Lebens- und Arbeitssituationen dazu führen, dass Lebensmittel weggeworfen werden müssen. Forschungsbaustein C analysiert statistisch verfügbare Daten, aus denen sich Lebensmittelabfallmengen für Nordrhein-Westfalen hochrechnen lassen. Forschungsbaustein D zeigt auf, dass die Entstehung von Lebensmittelabfällen nennenswerte soziale, ökonomische und ökologische Wirkungen nach sich zieht, die zu beachten sind. Mit der modellhaften Betrachtung der Ressourcenverbräuche und Umweltbelastungen ausgewählter Lebensmittel werden die Dimensionen der ökologischen Wirkung von Lebensmittelabfällen deutlich gemacht. Die Ressourcenverbräuche in den Vorketten der Lebensmittel betragen ein Vielfaches des Abfallaufkommens. Die ökologischen Fußabdrücke von Lebensmitteln der vier Produktgruppen verteilen sich anders als das Abfallaufkommen, da den verschiedenen Lebensmitteln unterschiedliche Ressourcenverbräuche zugeordnet sind. Bei den Lebensmittelabfällen hat die Produktgruppe Obst und Gemüse mengenmäßig den größten Anteil, dafür aber einen deutlich geringeren Anteil an den Ressourcenverbräuchen als Fleischprodukte. Aus dem Kontext der vier Forschungsbausteine leitet die Studie Handlungsvorschläge zur Verringerung und Vermeidung der Lebensmittelabfälle in Nordrhein-Westfalen in den vier grundlegenden Kategorien "Prozessoptimierung/Schnittstellenmanagement", "Strukturen und Regeln", "Verwerten statt Entwerten" sowie "Wertschätzen und Aufwerten" ab. Anhand dieser Handlungsfelder können konkrete Ansätze für die Teilnehmer des Runden Tisches "Neue Wertschätzung für Lebensmittel" aber auch für die Politik in Nordrhein-Westfalen abgeleitet werden, um Lebensmittelabfälle zu vermeiden und "neue Märkte" zur Reduzierung von Warenverlusten bzw. Weiterverwendung von Lebensmittelabfällen zu identifizieren. ; The research project "Reducing Food Waste - Identification of causes and courses of action in the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia" ("Verringerung von Lebensmittelabfällen - Identifikation von Ursachen und Handlungsoptionen in Nordrhein-Westfalen") (timeframe: 9/2011 - 2/2012) is connected to the discussion on a new appreciation of foodstuffs and a sustainable lifestyle. The Institute of Sustainable Nutrition and Food Production (iSuN) of the University of Applied Sciences Münster and the Consumer Center of North Rhine-Westphalia were given by the Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Agriculture, Nature Conservation and Consumer Protection (MKUNLV) the task of conducting a study, focused on the identification of causes of food waste and possible courses of action in North Rhine-Westphalia. The food market operates highly globalized and works based on a division of labor and the north rhine-westphalian situation does not differ much from the German or European situation. Orientation towards North Rhine-Westphalia within the study was achieved by the choice of interview-partners and business experts. This orientation was further supported through the choice of the locally relevant product groups vegetables, bread and bakery, milk and milk products as well as meat and sausage products. Courses of action for a reduction of food waste in North Rhine-Westphalia can possibly be transferred to other German federal states. The study consists of four research-components. Research-component A analyses the causes of food waste within the four relevant product groups and deduces the implicit possibilities for procedure recommendations. The analysis of causes is based on the value chain of the specified product group, from agriculture to retail. The potential arrays of causes show that practices which lead to food waste often take effect across various levels of the value chain. Therefore it is important to take the interfaces between levels into account, in order to develop practical measures that decrease creation of food waste. The analysis of face-to-face interviews and anonymous online-interviews in private households was performed in Research-component B. Therein, reasons for the wasting of foodstuffs through consumers were detected and based on the findings, recommendations to reduce food waste are made. The interviews show that, especially, the complex and unpredictable lifestyles and job-situations lead to the tossing of food. Research-component C analyses the available statistics, in order to gain data on the amount of food waste produced in North Rhine-Westphalia. Research-component D shows that the creation of food waste leads to considerable social, economic and ecologic effects. The dimensions of ecological effects of food waste are shown through an exemplary consideration of the consumption of resources and environmental effects of selected foods. The foodstuffs consume resources within the upstream chain, that amount to multiples of the waste that is later created through the tossing of these foods. Within foods from the four examined food groups, ecologic footprints divide differently from the way, the amount of waste created through them divides. This is due to the different amounts of resources that are used up per kilogram of each food. While vegetables and fruits are accountable for the highest amount of food waste, their share of the consumption of resources is lower than that of meats. Out of the four research-modules, the study devises commendations on reducing food waste in North Rhine-Westphalia within the four categories "process enhancement/interface management", "structures and rules", "Re-use/recover instead of devaluate" and "appreciate and enhance". Based on these categories, practical approaches can be developed for the participants of the round table "new appreciation for food" ("Neue Wertschätzung für Lebensmittel") as well as for north rhine-westphalian politics, in order to avoid the creation of food waste and to find new markets that can help to reduce the loss of goods or to find subsequent uses for discarded foods.
Dieses Diskussionspapier skizziert Handlungsansätze für politische EntscheidungsträgerInnen zur Förderung von nachhaltigen Ernährungssystemen in Deutschland. Es basiert auf den Ergebnissen aus sechs BMBF-Projekten, die sich im Rahmen der Fördermaßnahme "Nachhaltiges Wirtschaften" (im Rahmen der Sozial-Ökologischen Forschung SÖF) mit nachhaltiger Ernährung befassten.
