When Sustainability Meets Innovation: A Cross-Country Study on Dairy Consumer Choices in Poland, Germany, and Czechia

Consumer food choices play a significant role in supporting sustainable, resilient, and equitable food systems by shaping the environmental, economic, and social impact of diets. To determine whether environmental concerns and innovativeness drive Europeans to buy more sustainable foods, quantitative data were collected from 3131 adults in three countries. A Logistic Regression Model was developed to assess the quantitative impact of variables on consumers' likelihood to choose sustainably produced foods. Respondents who paid attention to whether food items are produced and/or packaged in an environmentally friendly way were 94% and 48% more likely to purchase sustainably produced products, respectively. Readiness to purchase a dairy product that the buyer had never heard of resulted in a 15% increase in the likelihood of selecting sustainably produced foods. Additionally, respondents living in Germany were 30% more likely to choose sustainable products compared to Polish consumers, while Czech consumers were 10% less likely to do so. Implementing campaigns focusing on promoting sustainable diets could consequently determine and accelerate the adoption of environmentally friendly production practices in the food system. Our findings provide evidence for policymakers, the business community, and educators who aspire to improve the health of people and the planet as a whole.