Project sheet
CALL: PRIN: RESEARCH PROJECTS OF RELEVANT NATIONAL INTEREST - Call 2022
TITLE: Sustainable Food Labels for Product Communication
DURATION: 24 months from 28.09.2023 to 27.09.2025
RESPONSIBLE: Prof. Zerbini Cristina (Principal Investigator)
European Research Council (ERC) SECTOR:SH 1 - "Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) GOAL: Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Brief description
The research project aims to analyze the role of eco-friendly and sustainability labels in encouraging responsible consumption behavior and generating positive societal effects. Applying innovative neuromarketing methodologies, such as face-reading and eye-tracking, the project aims to design labels that positively influence consumers' choices toward sustainable products.
The food sector, a major contributor to climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation, is at the center of a growing global demand for sustainable production. In this context, sustainability labels are key tools to inform consumers about the environmental, social and economic benefits of a product, facilitating more informed purchasing decisions. However, the adoption of sustainability labels is hindered by problems of recognition and understanding, due to the presence of more than 450 types of certifications in the market, with visual designs and meanings that are often confusing or opaque.
The project aims to contribute to the increase of transparency and optimization of label design, in order to improve the awareness of consumers, including those less attentive to sustainability aspects. Through experimental studies also based on neuroscientific techniques, the impact of visual elements and label content on consumer choices will be investigated. The aim is to support food producers and retailers in improving the communication of their sustainable activities and in promoting pro-social and pro-environmental consumption behaviors from end consumers.
Convegno Pack to the Future
Nell'ambito del progetto, il 5 febbraio 2026 è stato organizzato presso il Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche e Aziendali dell'Università di Parma il convegno del titolo "Pack to the future: innovazioni sostenibili nel packaging tra responsabilità aziendale e scelte del consumatore".
Il convegno aveva l'obiettivo di esplorare il ruolo strategico del packaging dei prodotti nel perseguimento degli obiettivi di sostenibilità ambientale. Partendo dai risultati delle ricerche accademiche condotte nell'ambito del progetto PRIN 2022 "Sustainable Food Labels for Product Communication", il convegno è proseguito con una serie di interventi manageriali sul tema.
Attraverso un approccio multidisciplinare che integra ricerca di mercato, studi di consumer behavior e testimonianze aziendali, l’evento ha saputo offrire una lettura aggiornata delle trasformazioni in atto nell'ambito della sostenibilità del packaging e una visione integrata delle principali traiettorie evolutive.
