Short answer
Designers and businesses should actively incorporate and communicate a broader range of non-financial values into their food products and systems to foster sustainability and consumer connection.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- Sustainability (2022)
- Method
- Literature review and conceptual development
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Shifting focus from purely economic exchange value to a broader spectrum of non-financial 'alter-values' can drive innovation towards more sustainable and resilient food systems. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2022 study published in Sustainability. Using Literature review and conceptual development, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers and businesses should actively incorporate and communicate a broader range of non-financial values into their food products and systems to foster sustainability and consumer connection.
Beyond Price: Embedding Non-Financial Values for Sustainable Food Systems
Shifting focus from purely economic exchange value to a broader spectrum of non-financial 'alter-values' can drive innovation towards more sustainable and resilient food systems.
Sustainability · 2022
Key Findings
- 01Market-based systems primarily assign financial values to food, often overlooking other significant attributes.
- 02A typology of alter-values (intrinsic, production-related, supply chain related, emotio-cultural) can provide a framework for a more holistic understanding of food.
- 03Prioritizing intrinsic and emotio-cultural values can lead to adaptations beyond purely pecuniary-based food environments.
- 04Challenging conventional food system structures towards citizen-driven, value-embedded models promotes sustainability and resilience.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers and businesses should actively incorporate and communicate a broader range of non-financial values into their food products and systems to foster sustainability and consumer connection.
How to apply
When developing new food products or services, explicitly map out their intrinsic, production, supply chain, and emotio-cultural values alongside their economic value. Use this mapping to inform design decisions and communication strategies.
Project actions
- 01When researching a food product, go beyond looking at cost and market trends. Investigate its ingredients, sourcing, production methods, and cultural significance.
- 02Consider how you can visually or experientially represent these 'alter-values' in your design project.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a novel conceptual framework (alter-values) for analyzing food systems.
- +Encourages a shift towards more sustainable and citizen-driven approaches.
Limitations
It can be challenging to objectively measure or quantify certain 'alter-values' like emotio-cultural significance.
Reliability & validity
The conceptual nature of the study means reliability and validity would need to be established through empirical research and user testing of the proposed typology.
Think critically
To what extent can 'alter-values' be objectively measured and integrated into business models that are inherently driven by profit?
Design Principles
"Design for holistic value, integrating economic, intrinsic, ethical, and cultural dimensions."
Current market systems often dictate food values based on financial attributes, neglecting crucial aspects like intrinsic quality, production ethics, supply chain integrity, and cultural significance. By recognizing and integrating these alter-values, designers and businesses can develop products and systems that resonate more deeply with consumers and contribute to a more responsible food landscape.
What This Means for Your Design
Think about food as more than just its price tag. Consider its natural goodness, how it was grown, where it came from, and what it means to people culturally. This can help create better, more sustainable food choices.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use the concept of 'alter-values' to justify design choices that prioritize sustainability, ethical sourcing, or cultural relevance over purely cost-driven decisions in your design project.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research highlights the importance of moving beyond a purely market-driven valuation of food. By considering a framework of 'alter-values'—intrinsic, production-related, supply chain related, and emotio-cultural—designers can develop more holistic and sustainable food systems that resonate with deeper human and environmental needs, rather than solely focusing on exchange value.
Source
Questions About This Research
- What does the research say about beyond price: embedding non-financial values for sustainable food systems?
- Designers and businesses should actively incorporate and communicate a broader range of non-financial values into their food products and systems to foster sustainability and consumer connection. Evidence: Sustainability (2022).
- Why does "Beyond Price: Embedding Non-Financial Values for Sustainable Food Systems" matter for design?
- Current market systems often dictate food values based on financial attributes, neglecting crucial aspects like intrinsic quality, production ethics, supply chain integrity, and cultural significance. By recognizing and integrating these alter-values, designers and businesses can develop products and systems that resonate more deeply with consumers and contribute to a more responsible food landscape.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers and businesses should actively incorporate and communicate a broader range of non-financial values into their food products and systems to foster sustainability and consumer connection.
- What were the main findings?
- Market-based systems primarily assign financial values to food, often overlooking other significant attributes.. A typology of alter-values (intrinsic, production-related, supply chain related, emotio-cultural) can provide a framework for a more holistic understanding of food.. Prioritizing intrinsic and emotio-cultural values can lead to adaptations beyond purely pecuniary-based food environments.. Challenging conventional food system structures towards citizen-driven, value-embedded models promotes sustainability and resilience.
- What research method was used?
- Literature review and conceptual development.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2022 journal from Sustainability.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When developing new food products or services, explicitly map out their intrinsic, production, supply chain, and emotio-cultural values alongside their economic value. Use this mapping to inform design decisions and communication strategies.
- What are the limitations?
- The study is conceptual and relies on literature review; empirical testing of the alter-values typology is not presented.