Consumer segmentation based on food-category attribute importance: The relation with healthiness and sustainability perceptions

- Importance of food attributes differs across food categories.
- Three segments identified: pro-self, average and sustainable conscious consumers.
- Segmentation based on food-category attribute importance.
- The segments are related to healthiness and sustainability perceptions.
- Synergy between perceptions of health and sustainability differs across segments.

Sustainability issues pose an important challenge to contemporary dietary patterns. Scientists more and more emphasize the importance of consumers shifting their dietary patterns towards consumption levels that are not only healthy but simultaneously consider sustainability. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to identify consumer segments based on importance consumers attach to a range of food-category attributes, with a special focus on sustainability attributes. In addition, the study aims to explore differences between the identified segments in their perceptions of synergy between healthiness and sustainability of food products. Three segments were identified: a pro-self, an average and a sustainable conscious segment. Synergy between perceptions of healthiness and sustainability differed across segments. The findings indicate the importance of taking food category differences into account. In addition, this study shows that importance attached to food-category attributes forms a valuable segmentation basis, as the segments relate to the perception of healthiness and sustainability of products. Implications for future studies are presented.