Sustainable Consumption, the Middle Classes and Agri-food Ethics in the Global South, 2018-2021

This research is an international study to evaluate the mobilisation and practice of sustainable consumption in global South contexts through an examination of systems of food provision and regulation, everyday consumer habits, trends and fashions, and the potential of digital technologies influencing food consumption. It draws on comparative case study research in Brazil, China, and South Africa. The three countries offer case studies in Guangzhou, Johannesburg and Rio do Janeiro where there is robust evidence of growing and strong middle classes, through which it is possible to explore the different ways in which sustainable consumption is defined, performed, practised and mobilised in global South countries. They also offer comparisons of the potential of different drivers of sustainability, with contrasting institutional political structures, forms of non-governmental action, foodscapes and provisioning mechanisms. The data collection includes transcript data from food consumers and food system actors and survey data from consumers.