Environmentally responsible food choices: A study of gastronomy students

Abstract

Environmental knowledge plays a significant role in individuals’ sustainable food consumption according to a literature. Environmental knowledge refers to an individual’s understanding of topics such as nature, the environment, the current environmental conditions, the causes of environmental issues, and their potential impacts. The level of concern individuals feel about environmental problems and possible environmental hazards is conceptualized as environmental concern. Considering these concepts, it is observed that individuals tend to favor behaviors that are perceived or known to cause less harm to the environment in their consumption choices, and that environmental consumption is related to environmental awareness. This study aims to examine the impact of environmental knowledge and environmental concerns on food preferences. The sample consists of undergraduate students from the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts. The results show that as environmental knowledge increases, environmentally responsible food choices also increase. Although environmental concerns do not have a direct effect on environmentally responsible food choices, the increase in environmental concerns, as environmental knowledge grows, acts as a mediating variable influencing environmentally responsible food choices. Since environmental knowledge enhances environmentally responsible food choices, the development of environmental awareness in individuals will lead to positive outcomes in all consumption choices, not just food preferences, through an environmentally friendly approach.

Keywords

• Environmental knowledge
• Environmental concern
• Environmentally responsible food choice
• Gastronomy students

Çevresel açıdan sorumlu gıda seçimleri: Gastronomi öğrencileri üzerine bir araştırma

Abstract

Bireylerin sürdürülebilir gıda tüketiminde çevre bilgisinin etkili olduğu düşünülmektedir. Çevresel bilgi kişinin doğa, çevre ve mevcut çevre durumları ve sorunlarının nedenleri ile olası etkileri gibi konular hakkındaki bilgi anlayışıdır. Bireylerin çevre sorunları ve olası çevresel tehlikeler konusunda duydukları endişe düzeyi ise çevresel kaygı olarak kavramsallaşmıştır. Bu kavramlar ışığında bireylerin tüketim tercihlerinde çevreye daha az zarar verdiği bilinen/düşünülen davranışlara yöneldiği, çevresel tüketimin çevre bilinci ile ilişkili olduğu görülmektedir. Çevre bilgisi ve çevresel kaygıların çevreye duyarlı gıda tercihleri üzerindeki etkisini incelemeyi amaçlayan bu çalışmada; örneklemi oluşturan Gastronomi ve Mutfak Sanatları lisans öğrencilerinin çevre bilgisi arttıkça çevreye duyarlı gıda tercihinin de arttığı görülmüştür. Çevresel bilgisi arttıkça çevresel kaygılar da artmakta ancak bu çevresel kaygılar çevreye duyarlı gıda tercihine etkisi bulunmamaktadır. Çevre bilgisi, çevreye duyarlı gıda seçimlerini artırdığından bireylerde çevresel bilincin oluşması sadece gıda seçimlerinde değil tüm tüketim tercihlerinde çevre dostu yaklaşım ile olumlu sonuçlar doğuracaktır.

Keywords

• Çevre bilgisi
• Çevresel kaygılar
• Çevreye duyarlı gıda seçimi
• Gastronomi öğrencileri

References

1. Abdul-Muhmin, A. G. (2007). Explaining consumers’ willingness to be environmentally friendly. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 31, 237–247. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2006.00528.x
2. Ahmad, J., Md. Noor, S. ve Ismail, N. (2015). Investigating Students’ Environmental Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Communication. Asian Social Science, 11(16), 284-293. https://doi.org/10.5539/ASS.V11N16P284
3. Aydın, B. (2025). Gastronomi ve Mutfak Sanatları Öğrencilerinin Sürdürülebilirlik Davranışının Değer, İnanç ve Norm Teorısi Kapsamında Belirlenmesi. Journal of Gastronomy Hospitality and Travel (JOGHAT), 8(1), 14-27. https://doi.org/10.33083/joghat.2025.476
4. Bartels, J. ve Hoogendam, K. (2011). The role of social identity and attitudes toward sustainability brands in buying behaviors for organic products. Journal of Brand Management, 18(9), 697–708. https://doi.org/10.1057/bm.2011.3
5. Başar, E. E. (2016). Hane Halklarının Sürdürülebilir Tüketim Davranışlarının Ölçülmesine Yönelik Bir Ölçek Geliştirme Çalışması [Doktora Tezi]. Atatürk Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü.
6. Başar, Ş. ve Başar, E. E. (2020). How does the environmental knowledge of Turkish households affect their environmentally responsible food choices? The mediating effects of environmental concerns. International Journal of Agriculture Environment and Food Sciences, 4(3), 348–355. https://doi.org/10.31015/jaefs.2020.3.14
7. Bogner, F. X. (1998). The Influence of Short-Term Outdoor Ecology Education on Long-Term Variables of Environmental Perspective. The Journal of Environmental Education, 29(4), 17–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958969809599124
8. Boz, N. (2024). Mutfakta Sürdürülebilir Gelecek: Gastronomi ve Mutfak Sanatları Eğitiminde Sürdürülebilirlik İncelemesi. Safran Kültür ve Turizm Araştırmaları Dergisi, 7(1), 29–41.

9. Çabuk, B. ve Karacaoğlu, C. (2003). Üniversite Öğrencilerinin Çevre Duyarlılıklarının İncelenmesi. Ankara Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi, 1–2(36), 189–198.
10. Campbell Bradley, J., Waliczek, T. M. ve Zajicek, J. M. (1999). Relationship between environmental knowledge and environmental attitude of high school students. Journal of Environmental Education, 30(3), 17–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958969909601873
11. Chan, R. Y. K. ve Lau, L. B. Y. (2000). Antecedents of green purchases: a survey in China. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 17(4), 338–357.
12. D’Souza, C., Taghian, M., Lamb, P. ve Peretiatkos, R. (2006). Green products and corporate strategy: an empirical investigation. Society and Business Review, 1(2), 144–157. https://doi.org/10.1108/17465680610669825
13. Dunlap, R. E. ve Jones, R. E. (2002). Environmental Concern: Conceptual and Measurement Issues. In R. E. Dunlap & W. Michelson (Eds.), Handbook of Environmental Sociology. Greenwood Press.
14. Ebreo, A., Hershey, J. ve Vining, J. (1999). Reducing Solid Waste: Linking Recycling to Environmentally Responsible Consumerism. Environment and Behavior, 31(1), 107–135.
15. Erdil, M. (2018). Understanding the drivers of generation y consumers green purchase intention: price sensitivity as a moderating variable. Journal of Business, Economics and Finance, 7(1), 89–100. https://doi.org/10.17261/pressacademia.2018.798
16. Frick, J., Kaiser, F. G. ve Wilson, M. (2004). Environmental knowledge and conservation behavior: Exploring prevalence and structure in a representative sample. Personality and Individual Differences, 37, 1597–1613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2004.02.015
17. Gleim, M. R., Smith, J. S., Andrews, D. ve Cronin, J. J. (2013). Against the Green: A Multi-method Examination of the Barriers to Green Consumption. Journal of Retailing, 89(1), 44–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2012.10.001
18. Gül, S., Aydoğmuş, M., Çobanoğlu İ. Hakan ve Türk, H. (2018). Üniversite Öğrencilerinin Çevre Bilinçlerinin İncelenmesi: Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi Örneği. Gazi Journal of Education Sciences, 4(3), 13–28. https://doi.org/10.30855/GJES.2018.04.03.002
19. Hamón, L. A. S., Martinho, A. P., Ramos, M. R. ve Aldaz, C. E. B. (2020). Do spanish students become more sustainable after the implementation of sustainable practices by universities? Sustainability, 12(18), 7502. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187502
20. Haron, S. A., Paim, L. ve Yahaya, N. (2005). Towards sustainable consumption: An examination of environmental knowledge among Malaysians. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 29(5), 426–436. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2005.00460.x
21. Ismael, D. ve Ploeger, A. (2020). The potential influence of organic food consumption and intention-behavior gap on Consumers’ subjective wellbeing. Foods, 9(5), 650. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9050650
22. Janmaimool, P. ve Chudech, S. (2020). Effect of domestic and global environmental events on environmental concern and environmental responsibility among university students. Sustainability, 12, 1610. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12041610
23. Joshi, Y. ve Rahman, Z. (2015). Factors Affecting Green Purchase Behaviour and Future Research Directions. International Strategic Management Review, 3, 128–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ism.2015.04.001
24. Kaiser, F. G. ve Fuhrer, U. (2003). Ecological Behavior’s Dependency on Different Forms of Knowledge. Applied Psychology, 52(4), 598–613. https://doi.org/10.1111/1464-0597.00153
25. Kalafatis, S. P., Pollard, M., East, R. ve Tsogas, M. H. (1999). Green marketing and Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour: A cross-market examination. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 16(5), 441–460. https://doi.org/10.1108/07363769910289550
26. Ketelsen, M., Janssen, M. ve Hamm, U. (2020). Consumers’ response to environmentally-friendly food packaging - A systematic review. In Journal of Cleaner Production, 254, 120123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120123
27. Kim, K. J. (2007). Visitor Interpretation and Sustainable Tourism: A Study of the Role of Interpretation In Influencing Attitudes and Behaviour Toward Environmental Conservation. University of Surrey, School of Management.
28. Kim, Y. ve Choi, S. M. (2005). Antecedents of green purchase behavior: An examination of collectivism, environmental concern, and PCE. Advances in Consumer Research, 32, 592–599.
29. Laroche, M., Bergeron, J. ve Barbaro-Forleo, G. (2001). Targeting consumers who are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 18(6), 503–520.
30. Law, M. M. S., Hills, P. ve Hau, B. C. H. (2015). Engaging Employees in Sustainable Development – a Case Study of Environmental Education and Awareness Training in Hong Kong. Business Strategy and the Environment, 26(1), 84–97. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.1903
31. Lee, K. (2009). Gender differences in Hong Kong adolescent consumers’ green purchasing behavior. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 26(2), 87–96. https://doi.org/10.1108/07363760910940456/FULL/PDF
32. Lee, K. (2010). The green purchase behavior of hong kong young consumers: The role of peer influence, local environmental involvement, and concrete environmental knowledge. Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 23(1), 21–44. https://doi.org/10.1080/08961530.2011.524575
33. Lin, S.-T. ve Niu, H.-J. (2018). Green consumption: Environmental knowledge, environmental consciousness, social norms, and purchasing behavior. Business Strategy and the Environment, 27, 1679–1688. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2233
34. Mainieri, T., Barnett, E. G., Valdero, T., Unipan, J. B. ve Oskamp, S. (1997). Green buying: The influence of environmental concern on consumer behavior. The Journal of Social Psychology, 137(2), 189–204. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224549709595430
35. Marazzi, L., Loiselle, S., Anderson, L. G., Rocliffe, S. ve Winton, D. J. (2020). Consumer-based actions to reduce plastic pollution in rivers: A multi-criteria decision analysis approach. Plos One, 15(8), e0236410. https://doi.org/10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0236410
36. Mostafa, M. M. (2007). Gender differences in Egyptian consumers’ green purchase behaviour: The effects of environmental knowledge, concern and attitude. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 31(3), 220–229. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2006.00523.x
37. Newhouse, N. (1990). Implications of attitude and behavior research for environmental conservation. Journal of Environmental Education, 22(1), 26–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.1990.9943043/ASSET//CMS/ASSET/0EAD2B39-3BC8-4C8A-A98F-43CD0AA44487/00958964.1990.9943043.FP.PNG
38. Obakhavbaye, M. (2024). The Effectiveness of Citizen Inquiry Research Approach in Promoting Environmental Knowledge of Young People. Academia Environmental Sciences and Sustainability, 1, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.20935/AcadEnvSci7341
39. Oğuz, D., Çakci, I. ve Kavas, S. (2010). Environmental awareness of University Students in Ankara, Turkey. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 5(19), 2629–2636. http://www.academicjournals.org/AJAR
40. Oğuz, Y. E. ve Sever, Y. (2023). Çevre Bilincinin Yeşil Mutfak Tercih Niyetine Etkisi. Gastroia: Journal of Gastronomy And Travel Research, 7(2), 263–280. https://doi.org/10.32958/gastoria.1235722
41. Özdemir, O., Yıldız, A., Ocaktan, E. ve Sarışen, Ö. (2004). Tıp Fakültesi Öğrencilerinin Çevre Sorunları Konusundaki Farkındalık ve Duyarlılıkları. Ankara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Mecmuası, 57(3), 117–127.
42. Pieters, R. G. M. (1991). Changing Garbage Disposal Patterns of Consumers: Motivation, Ability, and Performance. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, 10(2), 59–76.
43. Ramayah, T., Lee, J. W. C. ve Mohamad, O. (2010). Green product purchase intention: Some insights from a developing country. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 54(12), 1419–1427. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.RESCONREC.2010.06.007
44. Gürbüz, S. (2019). AMOS ile Yapısal Eşitlik Modellemesi. Seçkin Yayıncılık. Sarić, M. M., Jakšić, K., Čulin, J. ve Guiné, R. P. F. (2020). Environmental and political determinants of food choices: A preliminary study in a croatian sample. Environments, 7(11), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments7110103
45. Schultz, P. W. ve Zelezny, L. (2003). Reframing Environmental Messages to be Congruent with American Values. In Source: Human Ecology Review, 10(2), 126-136.
46. Shephard, K. (2008). Higher education for sustainability: Seeking affective learning outcomes. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 9(1), 87–98. https://doi.org/10.1108/14676370810842201/FULL/PDF
47. Slavoljub, J., Zivkovic, L., Sladjana, A., Dragica, G. ve Zorica, P. S. (2015). To the Environmental Responsibility among Students through Developing their Environmental Values. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 171, 317–322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.128
48. Somerwill, L. ve Wehn, U. (2022). How to measure the impact of citizen science on environmental attitudes, behaviour and knowledge? A review of state-of-the-art approaches. Environmental Sciences Europe, 34(18), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-022-00596-1
49. Sousa, S., Correia, E., Leite, J. ve Viseu, C. (2021). Environmental knowledge, attitudes and behavior of higher education students: a case study in Portugal. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 30(4), 348–365. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2020.1838122
50. Szerényi, Z. M., Zsóka, Á. ve Széchy, A. (2012). Environmental Education and Pro-environmental Consumer Behaviour – results of a university survey. S. Kerekes ve Z.M. Szerényi. (Ed.). Consuming less or consuming differently? Towards sustainable consumption. Selected papers of OTKA 68647 project içinde (ss. 153-181). Corvinus University of Budapest.
51. Talay, I., Gündüz, S. ve Akpinar, N. (2004). On the status of environmental education and awareness of undergraduate students at Ankara University, Turkey. International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 21(3), 293–308. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJEP.2004.004196
52. Thøgersen, J. (2010). Country Differences in Sustainable Consumption: The Case of Organic Food. Journal of Macromarketing, 30(2), 171–185. https://doi.org/10.1177/0276146710361926
53. Torkar, G. ve Bogner, F. X. (2019). Environmental values and environmental concern. Environmental Education Research, 25(10), 1570–1581. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2019.1649367
54. Tully, S. M. ve Winer, R. S. (2014). The role of the beneficiary in willingness to pay for socially responsible products: A meta-analysis. Journal of Retailing, 90(2), 255–274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2014.03.004
55. Ünal, A. B., Steg, L. ve Gorsira, M. (2018). Values Versus Environmental Knowledge as Triggers of a Process of Activation of Personal Norms for Eco-Driving. Environment and Behavior, 50(10), 1092–1118. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916517728991
56. Wansink, B., Soman, D. ve Herbst, K. C. (2017). Larger partitions lead to larger sales: Divided grocery carts alter purchase norms and increase sales. Journal of Business Research, 75, 202–209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.06.023
57. Yazıcıoğlu, Y. ve Erdoğan, S. (2014). Spss Uygulamalı Bilimsel Araştırma Yöntemleri. Detay Yayıncılık.
58. Yılmaz, A., Morgil, İ., Aktuğ, P. ve Göbekli, İ. (2002). Ortaöğretim ve üniversite öğrencilerinin çevre, çevre kavramları ve sorunları konusundaki bilgileri ve öneriler. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 22, 156–162.
59. Young, W., Hwang, K., McDonald, S. ve Oates, C. J. (2010). Sustainable consumption: Green consumer behaviour when purchasing products. Sustainable Development, 18(1), 20–31. https://doi.org/10.1002/SD.394