Barriers to the Development of Consumption Sustainability: the Consumers' Perspective on the Food Markets

This publication aims to present barriers to the development of sustainable food consumption from the perspective of consumers. The purpose of the research was to use the results of own research and other authors, supplemented with the knowledge and experience of the author, using the method of desk research. The information gathered by the author (based on own research) on the risks resulting from the implementation of a sustainable consumption model allowed to identify barriers to the development of sustainable consumption from the perspective of consumers and to categories them. The study shows that the development of sustainable consumption is associated with a number of barriers, such as 1) economic barriers (higher prices, supply-related costs), 2) time barriers (higher time expenditure for balancing the consumption model in relation to conventional consumption, in conjunction with the preparation of meals on the farm domestic and self-supply issues and as a result of searching for appropriate products), 3) organisational barriers (need to involve new rules, self-control), 4) social barriers (dissatisfaction of the household, new fashion, refusing pleasure), 5) barriers resulting from market imperfections (difficult access to products, narrow range, insufficient information). The results obtained are useful for government institutions, production and trade companies operating in the agri-food sector as well as pro-environmental and prosocial organisations that, knowing what constitutes a barrier to balancing consumption, these forms of behaviour, can design strategies to achieve positive results in areas related to the environment, economy and society.