Balkan food is seen as a fundamental dimension of building and communicating a sense of identity ... more Balkan food is seen as a fundamental dimension of building and communicating a sense of identity and belonging to the region’s cultures and traditions. This chapter explores how food and food practices connect individuals, families, and social groups, and delivers health, pleasure, relationships, symbolism, taboos, memory, and excitement in everyday life. Balkan food culture and traditions keep their culinary code preserved with its main elements: bread–meat–milk/dairy–alcohol, and serve as symbolic markers of boundaryless unity between regions’ nations, religious rituals, traditions, and holidays, frequently unconscious and contested by nationalisms.
Research Anthology on Food Waste Reduction and Alternative Diets for Food and Nutrition Security, 2021
In the West, meat is acceptable, tasty, delicious, palatable, and enjoyable. It has a well-establ... more In the West, meat is acceptable, tasty, delicious, palatable, and enjoyable. It has a well-established position in the consumers' food habits shaping the taste of the affluent eating culture and accepted as normal, natural, necessary, and nutritious. Although recent scientific evidence recognizes that meat has a high negative environmental impact, there is still lack of attention on the fact that we live on a planet with limited resources which need to be preserved. Part of this is a transition to more sustainable consumption habits and diets. This chapter examines the social readiness and acceptability of new meat alternatives as normal, natural, necessary, and nutritious amongst Gen Y and Gen Z consumers. It concludes that a reduction in meat consumption should be an essential part of creating a more sustainable diet in light of the projected increase of the world population, expected human health benefits, and improved environmental wellbeing of the planet.
Advances in Marketing, Customer Relationship Management, and E-Services
The unnecessary question what a man is without his masculinity, is deeply ingrained into the soci... more The unnecessary question what a man is without his masculinity, is deeply ingrained into the socially established norms of strength, power, virility and machoism. Although the traditional male masculinity stereotype and its association with meat consumption are still undisputable for many “real” men, there is indication about a shift toward a new modern evolutionary masculinity which reflects more sustainability values. The chapter explores this based on a survey of Sydney men. It reveals the influence of new factors, such as environmental, health and animal welfare concerns, which shape the concept of the masculine. Meat-eating men will experience increasing pressure to defend their traditional masculinity. The Sydney study also explores the factors likely to influence Australian men to replace a meat-centred diet with more plant-based alternatives.
India is a signatory to the United Nations’ programs, accepting to implement the Millennium Devel... more India is a signatory to the United Nations’ programs, accepting to implement the Millennium Development Goals and their successor, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While progress on universal primary education has been made since 2000, attaining equitable education for all (SDG4), remains a challenge in rural India. With an estimated 200 million children under the age of fourteen, enrolment in commencing primary education has improved. However, progress beyond year V (primary education in India covers school years I to VIII) is inadequate. One third of children in rural areas drop out of school by that time and this increases to almost half by year VIII. Given India’s large diaspora, this article analyses the impact of a new model of educational support through the work of a non-resident expatriate association, India Rural Education and Development Inc. (IREAD). It uses a 2011–2019 longitudinal case study of a government school in the village of Lakhnu, Uttar Pradesh. Data ...
Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 2020
ABSTRACT Rebranding men’s dietary choices in the mind of the mainstream Australians to include mo... more ABSTRACT Rebranding men’s dietary choices in the mind of the mainstream Australians to include more plant-based options, is a difficult task. Eating meat is a way to satisfy nutritional requirements but also has an embedded symbolism of power to which Australian men are accustomed. Vegetarian men are seen by the majority of the male population and the social discourse surrounding gendered food as betraying the social expectations about masculine behavior despite research showing the need for higher intake of fiber to reduce non-communicable diseases and improve planetary health. Those who have adopted vegetarian diets are exposed to ridicule and may face social isolation because of their unorthodox food choices. In order to reshape the meat consumption of men in Australia, we must recognize the gendered dynamics of dietary choices that associate meat consumption with masculinity. This research examines the power of the current food discourse and social constrains imposed on vegetarian men based on a 2019 survey in Sydney, Australia with 1053 male participants who have different frequencies of meat consumption. The participants were asked to express their opinion about vegetarian dietary choices, and the dominant view is that they provoke non-acceptance and various degrees of aversion. Instead of practicing overt dietary choices, those who embrace vegetarianism prefer to be unidentifiable as such to avoid social prejudice. While individual dislike may change over time, the current mass perception of vegetarianism is of unmanly behavior. A new role for institutions and policies related to public health, environmental wellbeing and use of resources in motivating a greater uptake of plant-based food choices, is also needed.
Many research articles have been published about people’s perceptions and acceptance of eating in... more Many research articles have been published about people’s perceptions and acceptance of eating insects as novel foods in Western countries; however, only a few studies have focused on Australian consumers. The aim of this work is to explore attitudes towards edible insects of younger Australians (Millennials and Generation Z) with data collection carried out in Sydney, Australia. Two representative surveys were conducted in 2018 and 2019 using open-ended questions. The main findings suggest that there is low willingness to accept edible insects as a meat substitute among Australian consumers, due mainly to the strong psychological barriers such as neophobia and disgust, combined with a perception about threats to masculinity. Environmental and nutritional benefits, even when recognised, do not seem to influence consumers to consider insects as a food alternative. In the near future, as young people become more aware of sustainability and climate change issues related to food product...
Advances in Business Strategy and Competitive Advantage, 2019
Worldwide, a growing range of meat alternative products are being developed and introduced in the... more Worldwide, a growing range of meat alternative products are being developed and introduced in the market, taking advantage of the increasing health and environmental concerns, technological advances, and the overall rising profile of meat-free diets. This chapter reviews market research and academic literature to identify the market drivers and barriers that will affect the future of new meat alternative products, from a business, consumer, and policy perspective. Key barriers discussed include lower perceived quality, increasing competition, unrealistic consumer expectations, and ineffective marketing strategies. On the other hand, raising the profile of meat alternatives, technological advances, and increasing interest from consumers, investors, and policymakers can support the market success of meat alternatives. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the way forward and the strategies and interventions that can lead to a stronger position of meat alternatives in the food mar...
Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 2017
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore reasons behind meat consumption. It aims to find ... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore reasons behind meat consumption. It aims to find out what motivates meat consumers and explore the opportunities of social marketing to counteract negative environmental and health trends. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory Australian survey of Sydney consumer red meat choices is used covering dietary preferences, meat eating patterns, reasons and levels of concern for economic and environmental issues. Analysis of dietary guidelines and marketing campaigns in relation to the survey findings is conducted. Findings The survey highlights: lack of awareness about the link between meat consumption and environmental well-being; widespread inaccuracy of health messages related to meat consumption; influence of the meat industry in promoting excessive meat consumption; pervasiveness of the link between red meat consumption and national identity, social status, prestige and masculinity; and urgent need for government-supported social m...
Impact of Meat Consumption on Health and Environmental Sustainability
This chapter explores how marketing uses the creation and perpetuation of myths to reinforce dema... more This chapter explores how marketing uses the creation and perpetuation of myths to reinforce demand for meat amongst mainstream consumers. It explores advertising misinformation including with regards the place of meat in our culture, its nutritional value, its association with affluence, masculinity and the benefits of small-scale production. The power of marketing is within the context of whether marketing has a role to play in decreasing rather than perpetuating meat-consumption.
Growing prosperity, but also disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and consumer preferences are c... more Growing prosperity, but also disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and consumer preferences are changing global meat consumption. We investigated the 2000–2019 trends in 35 countries monitored by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. We also tested relationships with Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Several countries appeared to be reaching peak consumption of some meats, and three (New Zealand, Canada, and Switzerland) have reached this. Poultry consumption increased over time in most countries, and beef and mutton/lamb consumption decreased in many. Using cluster analysis, we divided countries into two clusters: one in which increases in GDP per capita matched increases in meat consumption; and a second one of nine countries, for which there was no association between per capita change in GDP and meat consumption. There was evidence of a tipping point around USD 40,000 of GDP per capita, after which increases in economic...
The Balkans are a region of powerful diversity, a civilizations melting point, mosaic of rich his... more The Balkans are a region of powerful diversity, a civilizations melting point, mosaic of rich history and cultural crossroads. They are also regarded as the gateway of domesticated animals and plants to Europe and the birthplace of the European cookery. This chapter will cover the historical perspectives that have formed the Balkan diet, the influence of other global cuisines, as well as the attitudes, values, and customs that have contributed to shaping the eating habits of the region’s inhabitants. There are reasons for such habits and it may help to understand why some foods are only suitable for some people, but not for others. The chapter will also provide an overview of the pottery, cooking, and preservation methods used in the Balkans.
Most climate change messages depict a picture of the devastating effects that anthropogenic activ... more Most climate change messages depict a picture of the devastating effects that anthropogenic activities have on the environment, expecting to mobilise human action. Built on the daunting scientific evidence, these gloomy messages can potentially emotionally harm a young audience. By contrast, this study explores the impact of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) as an innovative marketing technique to communicate positive climate change messages. This study investigates whether ASMR could be used to encourage pro-environmental behaviour and create social bonding among young people. An ASMR video and two series of interviews with high school students were conducted in Sydney, Australia. The results show that the participants are divided in their opinion about the effectiveness of ASMR. Although all see ASMR as a completely new world in marketing, some are of the opinion that it can influence positive climate change behaviours while others are reluctant to accept it as a way to ...
Balkan food is seen as a fundamental dimension of building and communicating a sense of identity ... more Balkan food is seen as a fundamental dimension of building and communicating a sense of identity and belonging to the region’s cultures and traditions. This chapter explores how food and food practices connect individuals, families, and social groups, and delivers health, pleasure, relationships, symbolism, taboos, memory, and excitement in everyday life. Balkan food culture and traditions keep their culinary code preserved with its main elements: bread–meat–milk/dairy–alcohol, and serve as symbolic markers of boundaryless unity between regions’ nations, religious rituals, traditions, and holidays, frequently unconscious and contested by nationalisms.
Research Anthology on Food Waste Reduction and Alternative Diets for Food and Nutrition Security, 2021
In the West, meat is acceptable, tasty, delicious, palatable, and enjoyable. It has a well-establ... more In the West, meat is acceptable, tasty, delicious, palatable, and enjoyable. It has a well-established position in the consumers' food habits shaping the taste of the affluent eating culture and accepted as normal, natural, necessary, and nutritious. Although recent scientific evidence recognizes that meat has a high negative environmental impact, there is still lack of attention on the fact that we live on a planet with limited resources which need to be preserved. Part of this is a transition to more sustainable consumption habits and diets. This chapter examines the social readiness and acceptability of new meat alternatives as normal, natural, necessary, and nutritious amongst Gen Y and Gen Z consumers. It concludes that a reduction in meat consumption should be an essential part of creating a more sustainable diet in light of the projected increase of the world population, expected human health benefits, and improved environmental wellbeing of the planet.
Advances in Marketing, Customer Relationship Management, and E-Services
The unnecessary question what a man is without his masculinity, is deeply ingrained into the soci... more The unnecessary question what a man is without his masculinity, is deeply ingrained into the socially established norms of strength, power, virility and machoism. Although the traditional male masculinity stereotype and its association with meat consumption are still undisputable for many “real” men, there is indication about a shift toward a new modern evolutionary masculinity which reflects more sustainability values. The chapter explores this based on a survey of Sydney men. It reveals the influence of new factors, such as environmental, health and animal welfare concerns, which shape the concept of the masculine. Meat-eating men will experience increasing pressure to defend their traditional masculinity. The Sydney study also explores the factors likely to influence Australian men to replace a meat-centred diet with more plant-based alternatives.
India is a signatory to the United Nations’ programs, accepting to implement the Millennium Devel... more India is a signatory to the United Nations’ programs, accepting to implement the Millennium Development Goals and their successor, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While progress on universal primary education has been made since 2000, attaining equitable education for all (SDG4), remains a challenge in rural India. With an estimated 200 million children under the age of fourteen, enrolment in commencing primary education has improved. However, progress beyond year V (primary education in India covers school years I to VIII) is inadequate. One third of children in rural areas drop out of school by that time and this increases to almost half by year VIII. Given India’s large diaspora, this article analyses the impact of a new model of educational support through the work of a non-resident expatriate association, India Rural Education and Development Inc. (IREAD). It uses a 2011–2019 longitudinal case study of a government school in the village of Lakhnu, Uttar Pradesh. Data ...
Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 2020
ABSTRACT Rebranding men’s dietary choices in the mind of the mainstream Australians to include mo... more ABSTRACT Rebranding men’s dietary choices in the mind of the mainstream Australians to include more plant-based options, is a difficult task. Eating meat is a way to satisfy nutritional requirements but also has an embedded symbolism of power to which Australian men are accustomed. Vegetarian men are seen by the majority of the male population and the social discourse surrounding gendered food as betraying the social expectations about masculine behavior despite research showing the need for higher intake of fiber to reduce non-communicable diseases and improve planetary health. Those who have adopted vegetarian diets are exposed to ridicule and may face social isolation because of their unorthodox food choices. In order to reshape the meat consumption of men in Australia, we must recognize the gendered dynamics of dietary choices that associate meat consumption with masculinity. This research examines the power of the current food discourse and social constrains imposed on vegetarian men based on a 2019 survey in Sydney, Australia with 1053 male participants who have different frequencies of meat consumption. The participants were asked to express their opinion about vegetarian dietary choices, and the dominant view is that they provoke non-acceptance and various degrees of aversion. Instead of practicing overt dietary choices, those who embrace vegetarianism prefer to be unidentifiable as such to avoid social prejudice. While individual dislike may change over time, the current mass perception of vegetarianism is of unmanly behavior. A new role for institutions and policies related to public health, environmental wellbeing and use of resources in motivating a greater uptake of plant-based food choices, is also needed.
Many research articles have been published about people’s perceptions and acceptance of eating in... more Many research articles have been published about people’s perceptions and acceptance of eating insects as novel foods in Western countries; however, only a few studies have focused on Australian consumers. The aim of this work is to explore attitudes towards edible insects of younger Australians (Millennials and Generation Z) with data collection carried out in Sydney, Australia. Two representative surveys were conducted in 2018 and 2019 using open-ended questions. The main findings suggest that there is low willingness to accept edible insects as a meat substitute among Australian consumers, due mainly to the strong psychological barriers such as neophobia and disgust, combined with a perception about threats to masculinity. Environmental and nutritional benefits, even when recognised, do not seem to influence consumers to consider insects as a food alternative. In the near future, as young people become more aware of sustainability and climate change issues related to food product...
Advances in Business Strategy and Competitive Advantage, 2019
Worldwide, a growing range of meat alternative products are being developed and introduced in the... more Worldwide, a growing range of meat alternative products are being developed and introduced in the market, taking advantage of the increasing health and environmental concerns, technological advances, and the overall rising profile of meat-free diets. This chapter reviews market research and academic literature to identify the market drivers and barriers that will affect the future of new meat alternative products, from a business, consumer, and policy perspective. Key barriers discussed include lower perceived quality, increasing competition, unrealistic consumer expectations, and ineffective marketing strategies. On the other hand, raising the profile of meat alternatives, technological advances, and increasing interest from consumers, investors, and policymakers can support the market success of meat alternatives. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the way forward and the strategies and interventions that can lead to a stronger position of meat alternatives in the food mar...
Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 2017
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore reasons behind meat consumption. It aims to find ... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore reasons behind meat consumption. It aims to find out what motivates meat consumers and explore the opportunities of social marketing to counteract negative environmental and health trends. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory Australian survey of Sydney consumer red meat choices is used covering dietary preferences, meat eating patterns, reasons and levels of concern for economic and environmental issues. Analysis of dietary guidelines and marketing campaigns in relation to the survey findings is conducted. Findings The survey highlights: lack of awareness about the link between meat consumption and environmental well-being; widespread inaccuracy of health messages related to meat consumption; influence of the meat industry in promoting excessive meat consumption; pervasiveness of the link between red meat consumption and national identity, social status, prestige and masculinity; and urgent need for government-supported social m...
Impact of Meat Consumption on Health and Environmental Sustainability
This chapter explores how marketing uses the creation and perpetuation of myths to reinforce dema... more This chapter explores how marketing uses the creation and perpetuation of myths to reinforce demand for meat amongst mainstream consumers. It explores advertising misinformation including with regards the place of meat in our culture, its nutritional value, its association with affluence, masculinity and the benefits of small-scale production. The power of marketing is within the context of whether marketing has a role to play in decreasing rather than perpetuating meat-consumption.
Growing prosperity, but also disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and consumer preferences are c... more Growing prosperity, but also disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and consumer preferences are changing global meat consumption. We investigated the 2000–2019 trends in 35 countries monitored by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. We also tested relationships with Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Several countries appeared to be reaching peak consumption of some meats, and three (New Zealand, Canada, and Switzerland) have reached this. Poultry consumption increased over time in most countries, and beef and mutton/lamb consumption decreased in many. Using cluster analysis, we divided countries into two clusters: one in which increases in GDP per capita matched increases in meat consumption; and a second one of nine countries, for which there was no association between per capita change in GDP and meat consumption. There was evidence of a tipping point around USD 40,000 of GDP per capita, after which increases in economic...
The Balkans are a region of powerful diversity, a civilizations melting point, mosaic of rich his... more The Balkans are a region of powerful diversity, a civilizations melting point, mosaic of rich history and cultural crossroads. They are also regarded as the gateway of domesticated animals and plants to Europe and the birthplace of the European cookery. This chapter will cover the historical perspectives that have formed the Balkan diet, the influence of other global cuisines, as well as the attitudes, values, and customs that have contributed to shaping the eating habits of the region’s inhabitants. There are reasons for such habits and it may help to understand why some foods are only suitable for some people, but not for others. The chapter will also provide an overview of the pottery, cooking, and preservation methods used in the Balkans.
Most climate change messages depict a picture of the devastating effects that anthropogenic activ... more Most climate change messages depict a picture of the devastating effects that anthropogenic activities have on the environment, expecting to mobilise human action. Built on the daunting scientific evidence, these gloomy messages can potentially emotionally harm a young audience. By contrast, this study explores the impact of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) as an innovative marketing technique to communicate positive climate change messages. This study investigates whether ASMR could be used to encourage pro-environmental behaviour and create social bonding among young people. An ASMR video and two series of interviews with high school students were conducted in Sydney, Australia. The results show that the participants are divided in their opinion about the effectiveness of ASMR. Although all see ASMR as a completely new world in marketing, some are of the opinion that it can influence positive climate change behaviours while others are reluctant to accept it as a way to ...
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