Does Carbon Footprint Play a Relevant Role in Food Consumer Behaviour? A Focus on Spanish Beef.

Carbon footprint has become a reference indicator of the environmental impact of food production. Governments are increasingly demanding a trend towards low-carbon-footprint production in order to reduce the impact on climate change. In this sense, the study of consumers' preferences and assessment of products from the perspective of their carbon footprint is crucial to achieve a green and circular economy. This paper specifically attempted to assess consumer preference and willingness to pay for beef that has been carbon-footprint-labelled as an attribute. In order to attain this objective, a choice experiment was designed and applied to a total of 362 Spanish consumers. The results revealed a positive preference towards beef produced in low-carbon-footprint systems. In addition, the segmentation of these consumers revealed the existence of a group of consumers who prioritise environmental impact over product price.

What effect does the presence of sustainability and traceability certifications have on consumers of traditional meat products? The case of Iberian cured products in Spain.

The objective of this study was to determine the differences in the behaviour and perception of consumers from three regions in Spain with different levels of Iberian ham consumption (high, medium and low) on the attributes related to traceability and differentiated quality certifications. The study was carried out with a sample of 1501 consumers using an online questionnaire in which respondents were asked about their consumption habits regarding cured products and a choice experiment for Iberian ham was performed. The results showed that consumers give greater utility to the attributes of mandatory certification established for Iberian products (quality standards) and to the price, followed by nonmandatory quality certifications (organic, animal welfare, carbon footprint, and PDO). Specifically, animal welfare certification has been the most valued in all areas, especially in the areas with the lowest consumption.

Consumption of fresh Iberian pork: Two-stage cluster for the identification of segments of consumers according to their habits and lifestyles.

This study investigates the behaviour of consumers regarding four cuts of Iberian meat with greater presence in the market: tenderloin, secreto, presa and pluma. A sample of 1501 consumers responded to an online survey about their consumption habits for these four cuts, sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle. From this information, three homogeneous segments of consumers were identified: "unmotivated and indifferent to Iberian meat", "innovators and stakeholders" and "traditional with frequent consumption". The Iberian tenderloin and the secreto were the most consumed cuts in all consumption segments, while the main reason for the lower consumption of presa and pluma was "I don't like it", especially among "unmotivated" consumers.

Responsible Job Design Based on the Internal Social Responsibility of Local Governments.

Sustainability needs the socially responsible orientation of public institutions, but not only externally. How civil servants and municipal employees consider what local governments do in relation to their internal social responsibility is the main question of this study. Through structural equation modelling and a sample of 294 employees in local governments in a Spanish region (Extremadura), it is demonstrated that responsible job position design, as well as good communication and team building, both have positive and significant effects on the personal identification of employees with the city council. That has been interpreted as the essence of internal social responsibility and the first step for building external social responsibility at the municipal level. Practical implications and future directions are discussed.

The Challenge of Greening Religious Schools by Improving the Environmental Competencies of Teachers.

Even though sacred scriptures emphasize the key role that Creation and respect for living creatures play in all religions, the so-called religious schools seem to show little interest in putting this sacred mandate into effect. To shed light on this subject, this work investigates the role of teachers in the process, focusing on their environmental competencies. Our hypotheses are tested through a structural equation model on a sample of 214 biology and religion teachers from 118 Catholic schools in Spain who voluntary participated in a survey. The research findings confirm that it is crucial that environmental competencies are developed in teachers to enable the greening of schools. Theoretical and practical implications for defining the job training of teachers in religious schools are drawn from the study.