A new study involving young coffee drinkers in Slovenia found that while they welcome the idea of sustainability in their coffee, factors such as convenience, price and routine are more likely to drive purchasing decisions.
The study, published July 27 in Frontiers in Sustainability, examined how Gen Z consumers talked about sustainability in coffee, comparing that to their self-reported routines and purchasing decisions.
The key finding was not that young consumers reject sustainability. It was that sustainability is more like a bonus once needs such as speed, affordability, taste, comfort and familiarity are met.
The paper was written by Polona Dakič of the Faculty of Management at the University of Primorska in Koper, Slovenia. The study used three focus groups involving 23 participants aged 18 to 27, divided into heavy coffee users, casual users and non-drinkers.
Across those groups, participants generally understood and approved of sustainability ideas such as ethical sourcing, recyclable packaging, fair-trade certification and environmental responsibility. Yet those values rarely drove actual purchasing decisions.
That gap between values and behavior is what the paper calls the “sustainability-convenience paradox,” the idea that consumers may care about sustainability in theory, but daily coffee choices are often shaped by speed, routine, comfort, social context or price.
According to the paper, one student said, “I care about sustainability in theory, but honestly, when I’m stressed or late for class, I just buy whatever is fastest.” Another said, “I like the idea of ethical coffee, but most of the time convenience decides for me because that’s what fits my daily routine.”
Several participants also voiced skepticism toward sustainability claims made by coffee brands, describing some green marketing as performative labeling rather than an indication of meaningful change.
That study falls generally in line with numerous past studies exploring the paradox between consumer perceptions of sustainability and their actual buying decisions. One recent study suggested that shoppers may be more likely to follow through on ethical coffee purchases when the sticker price is the same, even if the coffee volume is smaller.
In 2021, a Mintel analysis found that the share of new coffee products carrying ethical or environmental claims had nearly doubled over about a decade. The analysis did not attempt to verify those claims or measure their outcomes, while Dakič’s participants similarly voiced skepticism toward green marketing.
More recently, a broad review of coffee sustainability research cited prior survey data indicating that more than 60% of consumers in North America and Europe prefer certified coffees, alongside a willingness to pay more for traceable, single-origin products. While those populations are not directly comparable with Dakič’s small Slovenian Gen Z sample, the new study reinforces the idea that stated preferences do not necessarily translate into purchasing.
Dakič noted that the study was based on a relatively small qualitative sample in Slovenia and was not designed to be statistically generalizable. The author reported receiving no financial support for the work and declared no conflicts of interest.
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