Introduction: Responsible production and consumption models have been identified as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) according to the United Nations' announcement. Therefore, ensuring a better understanding of consumer behavior towards sustainable food can help achieve this goal, especially in emerging markets like Vietnam. The research project addresses this issue by exploring the drivers and barriers to sustainable milk consumption in Vietnam. The author also identifies potential policy interventions that could promote more sustainable milk consumption in this market. The research paper has been accepted for publication in the journal Sustainable Production and Consumption, published by the leading publisher Elsevier, which is ranked Q1 in the SCOPUS scientific database with an Impact Factor of 12.1 and a CiteScore of 12.5, making it one of the top journals in the field of sustainable production and consumption.
Theoretical framework: To achieve these objectives, the research conducted five focus groups and applied the COM-B (Capability–Opportunity–Motivation Behavior) model and the Behavior Change Wheel.
Figure 1: The COM-B (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behavior) model and the Behavior Change Wheel (BCW). The inner wheel represents the sources of behavior, while the outer wheel symbolizes the intervention functions. Adapted from (Michie et al., 2011).
The COM-B model is a behavioral framework used to promote behavioral intervention measures (West et al., 2020) and is based on the assessment of three factors: Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation. Capability refers to personal attributes, which can be psychological (such as knowledge and memory) or physical (such as dexterity), that, when combined with Opportunity, can lead to behavioral change or at least facilitate it. Opportunity refers to the physical attributes (such as material and financial resources) and social attributes (such as cultural and social norms) of the environment that can facilitate behavioral change. Motivation refers to the mental processes that can drive and direct behavior. It can be reflective (conscious thought processes) or automatic (habitual thought processes) (inner circle in Figure 1) (Michie et al., 2011). In the improved version of the COM-B model, the Behavior Change Wheel was developed through systematic evaluation and expert consultation, identifying nine intervention functions (outer circle in Figure 2) (Michie et al., 2011). This ensures that behavioral interventions will pragmatically guide policy choices. The nine intervention functions include providing information and teaching new skills (Education), using persuasion and encouragement to promote behavior change (Persuasion), employing rewards or other incentives (Incentivization), using rules and penalties to deter certain behaviors (Coercion), providing practice and practical guidance (Training), limiting choices to steer behavior in a desired direction (Restriction), altering elements in the environment where behavior occurs to facilitate that behavior (Environmental Restructuring), providing examples of desired behaviors (Modeling), and finally, offering resources and support to actualize that behavior (Michie et al., 2011).
Figure 2: Research Implementation Process
Research Process: There are four main stages in the research framework. First, the research questions and analytical model are developed at the project level, with guidelines for the focus group process and analysis of findings based on the overarching framework identified as the COM-B model and the Behavior Change Wheel (Michie et al., 2011). Second, this model allows for the collection of primary data through focus groups after reviewing the research literature. Third, data analysis and coding are conducted using widely accepted qualitative methods from Stage 1. This stage includes three steps: coding, conceptualization, categorization, and theorization. Finally, the findings and theories are developed and consolidated (Figure 2).
Data: collection: Qualitative data was collected from 2019 to 2020 in the most prominent milk consumption markets in Vietnam using focus groups. Focus groups with 6–8 participants are considered the ideal size for optimal performance in terms of duration, opportunity for individuals to express their opinions, and providing a diversity of perspectives (Millward, 2000). Therefore, five focus groups were conducted for this study, involving 40 participants, with each group lasting 2 hours using purposive sampling methods. The selection criteria for participants emphasized homogeneity in household income within each group (while showing diversity in income levels across groups) but varied in food types, environmental awareness, health consciousness, price sensitivity, age, household composition, education level, and gender (e.g., students, office workers, sales staff, teachers, freelancers, trainers, doctors, professors). This was done to ensure comprehensive coverage of the various milk consumption behaviors. Close relationships among participants were avoided to prevent overlapping effects.
Research Results: The analysis explores 32 drivers and 14 barriers affecting sustainable milk consumption behavior. The main drivers identified are health, brand, product quality, family, and promotions. Notably, participants unanimously agreed that family is the top priority if they have children and live with family. The driving factors are categorized into five groups: (i) food attributes: nutrition, certification, packaging, and flavor; (ii) personal factors: habits, beliefs, preferences, lifestyle, knowledge, and demographics; (iii) social context: social norms, reference groups, traditions, and ethical beliefs; (iv) economic and marketing factors: pricing, communication, advertising, and social networks; (v) environmental and physical context: purchasing locations, residential areas, workplaces, retail displays, and living quality.
However, milk consumption in Vietnam towards a sustainable model faces various barriers. Focus groups revealed that the main barriers to more sustainable milk consumption models could include new tastes or different flavors (participants may perceive the taste of sustainable dairy products as inferior), insufficient value of food attributes; habits, preferences, lack of trust, lack of knowledge, and lack of information (personal factors); family traditions or habits, social pressure (social context); high prices, misinformation (economic and marketing factors); and the unavailability of sustainable products, difficulty accessing purchasing locations (environmental and physical context).
Participants generally agreed that their understanding of sustainable food production and consumption is limited, their knowledge of the health benefits of sustainable food consumption is insufficient, and their trust in sustainable food products and certifications is low. This encourages the identification and proposal of key intervention actions for stakeholders based on the COM-B model and the Behavior Change Wheel to promote more sustainable milk consumption. These include: i) Capability: enhancing consumers' knowledge and understanding of the benefits of sustainable food production and consumption, promoting transparency and integrity, and effective marketing and advertising; ii) Motivation: promoting health and flavor attributes, connecting certifications with quality and food safety, diversifying flavors, aromas, and product appearances, and enhancing the social and personal value of sustainable food consumption; iii) Opportunity: ensuring affordability, increasing availability and accessibility, ensuring product safety and quality, improving retail channels and product introductions, enhancing farming technology and the efficiency of food supply chains, and developing marketing strategies based on cultural characteristics and social norms.
Conclusion: The demand for sustainable and healthy food has significantly increased in recent decades. Sustainable food consumption has become a central topic and a new concern for scholars and policymakers. Although the dairy industry has caused various environmental impacts and there have been suggestions to reduce milk consumption, milk remains an essential food sector that contributes to socio-economic development and provides important nutrients for the human body. Businesses, policymakers, and researchers have collaborated to continue providing nutritious and affordable dairy products while optimizing the use of natural resources and minimizing environmental harm. However, there is a lack of research on sustainable milk consumption globally, while Vietnamese consumers' awareness of sustainable food consumption is still in its infancy. Therefore, studying sustainable milk consumption in Vietnam is both crucial and unique. This research comprehensively explores the factors influencing sustainable milk consumption behavior in Vietnam.
Find out more:
Hoang, V., Saviolidis, N. M., Olafsdottir, G., Bogason, S., Hubbard, C., Samoggia, A., Nguyen, V., & Nguyen, D. (2023). Investigating and stimulating sustainable dairy consumption behavior: An exploratory study in Vietnam. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 42, 183–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2023.09.016
