Effect of Environmental Attitudes on Consumer Acceptance of More Sustainable Chicken Production : Evidence from Five European Countries

Experiment 1 was approved by the University of Castilla-La Mancha Research Ethics Committee prior to data collection (CEIS-729623-P1T9). In the case of Experiment 2, ethical approval was obtained through the Ethics Committee of Corvinus University of Budapest (KRH/34/2022).

Abstract

Sustainable food production is a growing priority in Europe, prompting interest in innovations that reduce environmental impact and align with evolving consumer expectations. By means of two discrete choice experiments (DCEs) conducted in five European countries (Spain, UK, Denmark, Poland, and Hungary), this study examines consumer preferences for sustainable production practices in chicken breast, including circular economy strategies. The first experiment focuses on sustainable packaging and feeding strategies, while the second assesses consumer valuation of production method, environmental impact and animal welfare among others. Hybrid choice models were used in both cases, incorporating the latent psychological variables of sustainable food perception and environmental awareness. The results reveal that consumers consistently prefer sustainable attributes that are more familiar, such as environmentally-friendly packaging, organic labels and traditional or free-range production methods, which are perceived as higher-quality and more ethical. Less known sustainable innovations, particularly those related to feed practices like insect meal or food by-products, are widely rejected (even among environmentally conscious consumers) due to concerns about naturalness, safety or emotional discomfort. Under an inflationary context, consumers showed greater price sensitivity but still valued environmental impact claims and ethical attributes. Demographic factors, such as age, education, gender and urban residence, significantly influenced acceptance patterns. These results underscore the importance of perceived naturalness, trust and familiarity in shaping consumer acceptance of sustainable production methods. They highlight the need for targeted communication strategies, transparent labelling, and price-accessible solutions to support the adoption of both familiar and novel sustainable practices in the agri-food sector.