Oriane CHENE

PhD Student  

Sustainable diets, food behaviour, consumers, cognitive psychology, social representations, food choice intention tasks

The transition to sustainable diets is crucial to the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants. Scientists characterize sustainable diets according to four essential dimensions: environmentally friendly, of good nutritional quality, culturally acceptable and economically fair. However, this complex, multi-dimensional concept can be misunderstood by consumers, preventing them from implementing the most appropriate actions to improve the sustainability of their diet.

This thesis explores the cognitive mechanisms underlying sustainable food choices among French consumers. Two main questions are addressed: what does sustainable diets mean to consumers, and how does this translate into their food choices?

To answer these questions, several approaches are used. A word evocation task to reveal the concepts associated with sustainable diets in consumers' minds. Food choice intention tasks, both experimental (in the laboratory, via a computerized choice intention task) and in real-life conditions (in a supermarket), to understand how sustainable food choices translate for consumers.

The work of this thesis is therefore essential to understanding how consumers represent the concept of sustainable diets. A better understanding of consumers' representations of this concept will enable us to propose action levers to facilitate the transition to sustainable diets and thus preserve planetary health. The effectiveness of these levers will need to be assessed in subsequent studies.

• Chene, O., Arvisenet, G., Dujourdy, L., & Chambaron, S. (2024). “If I say sustainable diet”: What are French consumers’ social representations? Food Quality and Preference, 105224.
• Chene, O., Arvisenet, G., Dujourdy, L., & Chambaron, S. (2023, December). «Si je vous dis alimentation durable»: qu’y a-t-il dans l’esprit des consommateurs?. In Journées francophones de nutrition (JFN).