Work

Consumer value systems and insights into sustainable food behaviour across generational cohorts

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This article aims to determine the hierarchy of consumers’ values belonging to three generational cohorts (X, Y, Z) and examine the strength of the link between the value system and sustainable eating habits. A quantitative survey utilising the CAWI technique was conducted among a representative sample of Polish Internet users aged 18–59 (N = 639). The empirical results indicate that societal security represents the primary value priority for Gen X and Gen Y, whereas benevolence-dependability holds the highest importance for Gen Z. Furthermore, sustainable food behaviours (meat reduction and food waste avoidance) exhibit stronger correlations with core value systems in younger generations than in Gen X, where routine and economic pragmatism dominate. Given that gender acts as a vital intragenerational differentiator, value-based marketing communications promoting sustainability should be highly tailored to these demographic variations.

Source: Bulletin of Geography Socio-economic series

DOI: 10.12775/bgss-2026-0034

Authors: Renata Nestorowicz, Adrian Lubowiecki–Vikuk, Doris Antczak, Sylwia Majcher, Marja Bajak-Spendel

Institutions: Poznań University of Economics and Business, SGH Warsaw School of Economics, Krakow University of Economics

Language: English

Topic: Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: Szkoła Główna Handlowa w Warszawie, Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Krakowie