Brewing sustainability: assessing environmental concerns and consumers’ attitudes towards sustainable craft beer purchase intentions
International Journal of Wine Business Research
ISSN: 1751-1062
Article publication date: 2 May 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the interplay between environmental concerns, consumer attitudes and their influence on sustainable practices within the craft beer industry, exploring how consumers’ perception of environmental attributes impact their purchase intentions regarding craft beer.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a quantitative approach, using a self-administered survey instrument comprised 28 Likert-scale items. Data was gathered from a convenience sample of 319 craft beer consumers. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess the measurement model’s validity and reliability. Subsequently, partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships.
Findings
This study’s findings challenge established notions within the field, demonstrating that water conservation, carbon footprint reduction, organic farming and local sourcing practices hold significant influence on consumers’ purchase intentions regarding sustainable craft beer. These findings depart from previous research that suggested a less pronounced impact of specific sustainability practices on consumer behavior.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to the literature by revealing consumer insights into the environmental implications of craft beer choices, empowering them to make informed purchasing decisions aligned with their sustainability values. However, acknowledging potential limitations, sample size and demographic composition (young adults in Brazil) potentially impact the generalizability of the findings.
Originality/value
This study addresses the understanding of consumer attitudes and priorities regarding environmental sustainability within the craft beer industry. By focusing on the tangibility of specific sustainable attributes the research shows how these practices influence consumer perceptions and purchasing intentions.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all three reviewers for their valuable contributions to this paper. The first author thanks XXXXX for partially supporting this research.
Funding: The first author would like to thank FGV-EAESP for partially funding this research.
Conflict of interest declaration: The authors declare that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interests in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.
Author contributions: Carlos Eduardo Lourenco, Analysis of result, Drafting of manuscript, Supervision of the project. Vinícius Piotto, Design, Implementation of research, Analysis of result, Drafting of manuscript, Conceived the original study, Supervision of the project.
Citation
Lourenco, C.E. and Piotto, V. (2024), "Brewing sustainability: assessing environmental concerns and consumers’ attitudes towards sustainable craft beer purchase intentions", International Journal of Wine Business Research, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWBR-10-2023-0066
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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