Responsible Food Production and Sustainable Consumption in Italian Restaurants: A Pathway to SDG 12

ABSTRACT The pursuit of sustainable business approaches has gained increasing importance in the past years. Entrepreneurs are increasingly reassessing their strategies and operations in line with corporate social and environmental responsibility principles. Restaurants are well positioned to play a key role as agents for positive change, as they can offer nutritious, high‐quality food. At the same time, they could minimise food loss and waste. They may even contribute to local economic development through the promotion of short supply chains among other responsible practices. This study examines consumer behaviours and perceptions of responsible food production and sustainable consumption within the Italian hospitality industry. It focuses on factors that influence the consumers' dining choices and their willingness to engage in environmentally responsible actions. The research adopts a social analysis perspective based on data collected from an online survey of 609 respondents in Italy. The findings indicate that consumer decisions are primarily motivated by hedonic factors, especially taste and the quality of ingredients. Awareness of sustainable practices tends to increase by time and is more evidenced among women, who also show a greater propensity to adjust their habits in more sustainable ways. Despite a general interest in sustainability and a willingness to pay a premium for certified establishments, there remains a limited understanding of restaurants' environmental impacts and low familiarity with sustainability certifications. These research implications highlight considerable opportunities for growth. This contribution postulates that enhanced communication strategies and targeted awareness campaigns could improve consumer knowledge, foster more informed choices, and encourage active support for sustainability initiatives in the restaurant sector, in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.