Mapping food practices in rural Italy: consumer diversity as a key to informing sustainable food policy

The global food system looms as a major contributor to a wide range of increasingly threatening sustainability challenges which encompass the environment, human health, justice and ethics. Hitherto food policy has relied on behavioural theories to encourage consumers towards sustainable food practices, albeit with limited success. This study delves into consumers’ daily choices and attitudes to food, using theory of practice as a framework. Designed as a case study located in the Valle dei Laghi biodistrict, Italy, thirty-six semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with consumers and producers. Direct observation was used to enhance the validity and credibility of the results. In addition to the food citizen and passive consumer widely discussed in literature, the existence of two additional consumer profiles, termed the pragmatic consumer and the tradition-driven consumer , was identified. The pragmatic consumer , despite an understanding of sustainability related issues, adopts food choices rooted in convenience and opportunism. The tradition-driven consumer , in contrast, deploys unconsciously highly sustainable practices that can be traced back to the notion of quiet sustainability . In this article we discuss the significance of these findings for the design of policy interventions tailored to sustain a transformation towards sustainable food systems and propose practice-oriented policy measures to adjust and complement current policy. • Consumers' categories extend beyond the food citizen and passive consumer. • The additional pragmatic consumer and tradition-driven consumer profiles are introduced. • The notion of quiet sustainability applies to local rural areas in Italy. • Food policy aimed at different consumer profiles can foster sustainable practices. • A practice-oriented food policy is recommended.