Sustainability awareness and perceptions: a cross-country comparison of Italy and Denmark through the cases of Nespresso and Lavazza

The thesis examines how customers in Italy and Denmark perceive the sustainability initiatives of two major coffee brands, namely Nespresso and Lavazza. Coffee represents a suitable product in order to evaluate how people asses corporate sustainability efforts, since it is widely consumed in both countries under analysis and it is increasingly linked to environmental concerns. The core objective of the dissertation is to detect similarities and differences between Italians and Danes in how they value, recognize, and react to sustainable initiatives in terms on retention. Moreover, the study explores potential gaps between the importance clients assign to sustainability attributes and their awareness and appreciation of brands actually implementing them. Possible discrepancies may signal communication inefficiencies or social biases. The research relies on the TRI*M Methodology, which combines stated and derived importance to map key drivers of satisfaction and priority areas for improvement. A structured questionnaire was administered to a significant sample of Italian and Danish customers, enabling cross-national and cross-brands comparisons, as well as segment-specific analysis based on willingness to pay a premium price for higher sustainability. The findings disclose noteworthy differences between the two countries. In fact, Danish respondents demonstrate stronger sustainability awareness and expectations regarding transparent digital communication, traceability and ethical sourcing, while Italians exhibit a product centric approach, placing greater value on tangible sustainability features. Nevertheless, Italian awareness is gradually increasing, suggesting a potential convergence with Nordic customers in the future. Overall, the thesis provides a data-driven examination of how cultural context shapes the perception of sustainability efforts, offering insights for companies that aim to enhance their environmental communication and customer loyalty.