Sustainability and consumption structure: environmental impacts of food consumption clusters. A case study for H ungary

Abstract Consumption of resource‐intensive food products is increasing in developed countries coupled with an increase of calorie intake. Although the quantity of food consumed is increasing in Europe, there are countries where food consumption is still in a transitional phase. In Hungary, the quantity of food consumed is decreasing compared with the previous decades. This tendency is favourable in environmental terms, although changes in consumption structure need to be analysed thoroughly in order to assess future possibilities. What seems to be favourable on aggregate level is not necessarily desirable on individual level. The paper focuses on food consumption, combining the analysis of food consumption structures and the related environmental impacts measured by the ecological footprint. The study is based on a national survey of a representative sample of 1012 Hungarian adults. Cluster analysis combined by multidimensional scaling resulted in six consumer segments regarding the food consumption structure. Evaluating the related ecological footprint of consumer groups, surprisingly those who consume more fruit, vegetables and dairy products do not have lower ecological footprints, regarding total food consumption. Consumers do not reduce their meat consumption in order to consume more healthy food and decrease the environmental impacts, but consuming more fruits and vegetables appears only to be supplementary. Understanding the revealed typology of food consumption structures in a Central European country can help to reach consumers when these food policy initiatives are undertaken to change the consumption structure and environmental impact of food consumption. Methodology and results of the article connect consumer segmentation and environmental impact measurement in order to discuss opportunities for more sustainable and healthier food consumption.