Decoding consumers' grocery lists: exploring consumers engagement with sustainability labelling in the food industry

The food industry is facing seismic changes affecting both consumption and production practices. Consumers are questioning current industry approaches to food production and requesting more clarity and transparency from their preferred brands. Sustainability labels aim to communicate environmental, ethical and/or social messages from organisations to consumers and as such inform sustainable consumption practices. This chapter adopts a qualitative approach and explores consumers and their grocery lists as signallers of food concerns. The findings indicate a complex and conflicting signalling environment, which focuses on food safety and sustainability and affects consumers’ perceptions of sustainability labels in the food industry. This study highlights the important role of certification organisations in educating consumers about food production and its relation to labelling.