Abstract
TASTE, Teen-agers and sustainable food (TASF): how teen-agers conceive, practice and enact sustainable food consumption in the Italian context. Prin 2022 Unità di Bologna Abstract The project has investigated the understudied topic of sustainable food consumption practices among Gen Z teenagers and young adults in the Italian context. TASF has aimed to explore this field as a networked process, which includes stakeholders, moral entrepreneurs of food sustainability, institutional actors, and high school and university young people. The research focuses on these educational institutions both as the main node of the network and as the empirical context in which sustainable development takes form, is enacted and is promoted by Gen Z people. In compliance with the UN 2030 agenda, the Ministry of Education has elevated education for sustainability to a strategic goal for schools and universities; starting from the year 2020/2021, civic education has become a curriculum component, with "sustainable development" being one of its guidelines. The research focuses on three particularly relevant moral entrepreneurs in the educational supply chain with schools and universities, who already collaborate with the research unit of Milano and Bologna: 1) public promoters of sustainable consumption practices (Legambiente), 2) stakeholders close to the field of production (Fondazione Barilla) and 3) of distribution/logistics (COOP). TASF analyzes the master-frame of sustainable food in the activities carried out by moral entrepreneurs in schools and universities and the reframing processes of students. It aims to assess whether this cycle generates a new model of citizen-consumer, its impact on social reproduction of inequalities, the social organization of events on the topic and its influence on students. TASF deepens the understanding of this phenomenon by: 1) mapping projects and actors most involved in the discourse on education for sustainable food consumption; 2) empirically analyzing (by discourse analysis) documents, private and public projects, and proposals for training courses on this topic; 3) conducting in-depth interviews and surveys to students and teachers, moral entrepreneurs, experts and professionals engaged in the activity of the network; 4) carrying out participant observation of training courses in schools and universities, and of public initiatives and events; 5) reconstructing connections, influences, the circulation of best practices, ideas and programming in the field. At the same time, the project has empowered or extended the network under investigation. TASF is consistent with NRRP Guidelines both in the "Climate, energy, sustainable mobility" and in the "Humanistic culture, creativity, social transformations, society of inclusion", and contributes to the achievement of many of the 17 SDGs - UN Millennium Goals. Achieved results The research activities began with a review of the scientific literature and institutional documentation concerning the relationship between Generation Z and sustainable food consumption, complemented by an in-depth analysis of the Bologna local context. In parallel, the research team carried out a systematic mapping of projects and organizations involved in sustainable food production and consumption, identifying 46 entities operating within the metropolitan area of Bologna, including public bodies, third-sector organizations, cooperatives, social movements and private companies. From an empirical perspective, the project developed a quantitative survey targeting university students through the administration of an online questionnaire, which collected 515 responses, exceeding the initial target of 500 participants. The survey provided insights into dietary practices, purchasing habits, food consumption patterns both inside and outside the home, as well as perceptions and attitudes toward food sustainability. The findings revealed a widespread awareness of environmental and social issues related to food, while also budget and family-driven barriers that hinder the adoption of fully sustainable behaviors. The project contributed to the development of a network of relationships among universities, public administrations, civic society organizations, and businesses engaged in food sustainability issues. In doing so, it helped consolidate an up-to-date knowledge framework on the opportunities and challenges characterizing the relationship between young people and sustainable food systems. The Bologna Unit played a central role in data collection and analysis and the identification of the local stakeholders most relevant to the project. In particular, public and private organizations operating in the fields of sustainable agricultural production, food waste reduction, social inclusion and the promotion of responsible consumption models were identified in order to foster dialogue between academic research and local actors. Among the project's main scientific outcomes are the reconstruction of the state of the art of initiatives operating within the Bologna context, the creation of an original dataset on Generation Z’s food-related practices and perceptions, the identification of potential intervention pathways for future public policies and youth engagement strategies aimed at promoting more sustainable food consumption patterns. Throughout the two years of research, TASF disseminated its findings through conferences and publications: the first data analysis has been presented in a public event dedicated to local stakeholders on May 5th, 2025 (Department of the Arts, Bologna); the final results have been presented during the final conference of the project, on February 24th at the Department of the Arts (Bologna), and in a special session organized with Milano Bicocca Unit, University of Roma Sapienza and University of Padua at the annual conference of the Italian Society of Sociology, Culture and Communication (June 17-19th, 2026). The project is also going to be presented in the XII AESOP Conference on Sustainable Food Planning at IUAV University in Venice. Further dissemination outputs include special issues and articles in academic journals and edited volumes.
Dettagli del progetto
Responsabile scientifico: Roberta Paltrinieri
Strutture Unibo coinvolte:
Dipartimento delle Arti
Coordinatore:
Università degli Studi di MILANO-BICOCCA(Italy)
Contributo totale Unibo: Euro (EUR) 87.000,00
Durata del progetto in mesi: 24
Data di inizio
15/10/2023
Data di fine:
28/02/2026
