Advertiser's description (via University of Nottingham)
In this PhD you will identify barriers preventing the uptake of sustainable diets among motivated consumers. Your results will help to inform agrifood businesses, policy makers, and NGOs working along the food supply chain to stimulate more sustainable food behaviours.
An estimated 60% of UK consumers are interested in making dietary changes to increase the sustainability of their food choices, but 71% of consumers say there are barriers to changing their behaviour. A number of known barriers exist which prevent people from taking up more sustainable food behaviours, such as costs, societal pressure, lack of knowledge, and time pressure. However, it is not known which barriers are most problematic for those with already high levels of motivation to make this behaviour change, nor how these may vary within the population. Using the COM-B behaviour change framework, this project will focus on barriers to capability and opportunity among motivated UK consumers in order to identify potential leverage points for sustainable diets.
This project will use a mix of systematic literature review, focus group, and survey data to identify important barriers to action with input from stakeholders. The results from this PhD will inform research and policy in the area of sustainable food choices and allow for scaling up and testing of key behaviour change interventions.
The candidate should have an undergraduate degree in a related subject (agriculture, food systems, environmental sciences, social sciences, etc.) or a first degree in an unrelated subject and equivalent work experience of relevance to the topic. In either case a classification of 2:1 or higher (or equivalent) is required. A deep and demonstrable interest in sustainable food is necessary. Experience with literature reviews, quantitative surveys, or focus groups would be an advantage, as would a masters degree or work experience in a relevant area.
This PhD will sit within the division of Agriculture & Environment at the University of Nottingham, and benefit from the division’s interdisciplinary expertise and a range of training and development opportunities.
Read more here. Applications are accepted until 31 May 2022.
