European Perspectives on Public Benefit in Relation to Food: Insights from a Serious Game Approach

TY - JOUR

T1 - European Perspectives on Public Benefit in Relation to Food

T2 - Insights from a Serious Game Approach

AU - Mohebati, Lisa

AU - Iori, Elisa

AU - Haugaard, Morten

AU - Stancu, Violeta

AU - de la Cueva, Javier

AU - Rovný, Patrik

AU - Jansto, Erik

AU - Mehlhose, Clara

AU - Schäfer, Alina

AU - Weiß, Isabelle

AU - Hodgkins, Charo

AU - Raats, Monique

AU - Timotijevic, Lada

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 by the authors.

PY - 2024/11

Y1 - 2024/11

N2 - There is limited understanding of what constitutes public benefit from the perspective of the public, and none that we are aware of related to food consumer science. The purpose of this study is to contribute towards a better understanding of public benefit as a whole and its connection to food choice, essential to driving progress towards responsible consumption and healthier diets. Public benefit, associated trade-offs and responsible actors were investigated via written questions, and food choice was explored during group discussions using the PlayDecide methodology. Adults (n = 105) were recruited in six European countries (Denmark, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, Spain and the UK) and stratified by attained education. Our findings indicate that assumptions should not be made that there is general consensus about what constitutes public benefit, especially with regard to consumer food choice. Group discussions around food-related freedom of choice, education, agency and responsibility suggested that private and public benefit are neither mutually exclusive nor automatically complementary. The serious game approach employed affected a change in participants’ public benefit perceptions, demonstrating its potential to better evaluate the connections between private interests and the common good through meaningful public deliberation.

AB - There is limited understanding of what constitutes public benefit from the perspective of the public, and none that we are aware of related to food consumer science. The purpose of this study is to contribute towards a better understanding of public benefit as a whole and its connection to food choice, essential to driving progress towards responsible consumption and healthier diets. Public benefit, associated trade-offs and responsible actors were investigated via written questions, and food choice was explored during group discussions using the PlayDecide methodology. Adults (n = 105) were recruited in six European countries (Denmark, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, Spain and the UK) and stratified by attained education. Our findings indicate that assumptions should not be made that there is general consensus about what constitutes public benefit, especially with regard to consumer food choice. Group discussions around food-related freedom of choice, education, agency and responsibility suggested that private and public benefit are neither mutually exclusive nor automatically complementary. The serious game approach employed affected a change in participants’ public benefit perceptions, demonstrating its potential to better evaluate the connections between private interests and the common good through meaningful public deliberation.

KW - common good

KW - consumer behaviour (SDG12)

KW - esponsible Research and Innovation

KW - food choice

KW - human health (SDG3)

KW - public engagement

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85208594498&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/su16219559

DO - 10.3390/su16219559

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85208594498

SN - 2071-1050

VL - 16

JO - Sustainability (Switzerland)

JF - Sustainability (Switzerland)

IS - 21

M1 - 9559

ER -