Only 30 per cent of Irish consumers are aware of the term "carbon footprint" and 60 per cent have never heard of the term "food miles", the most recent food research has found.
The wide lack of understanding of the terms contrasted with the claim by 56 per cent of those surveyed that they were more conscious of environmental issues when selecting food products.
The latest Bord Bia PERIscope (Purchasing and Eating in the Republic of Ireland) research found that 51 per cent of consumers said they preferred to buy from companies that were aware of their impact on the environment.
Helen King, who conducted the survey, said the results seemed to indicate that emerging food terms such as "sustainability, carbon footprints and food miles" had yet to be fully embraced and understood by Irish consumers.
Awareness of "food miles" was higher in Northern Ireland, where only 37 per cent said they had never heard of the concept.
The survey also found that convenience and health remain strong consumer concerns, as busy lifestyles affected the food people buy.
A total of 75 per cent said they chose food that was quick and easy to prepare.
This figure has increased by 20 percentage points in the last six years.
A total of 14 per cent of people in the Republic said they never prepared a meal from scratch, compared to 11 per cent in Northern Ireland and 10 per cent in Britain.
One in two adults in the Republic said they were too busy to cook as often as they would like, while nearly half used ready-prepared foods, the research showed.
In the Republic 73 per cent of those surveyed said they ate to enrich or enhance their mental alertness and spiritual wellbeing, while only 58 per cent of Britons surveyed responded positively.
Three in 10 consumers in the Republic said they had changed their eating habits in the last year.
Spending on organic food in the Republic increased steadily in the four years up to 2007 - from €29 per month in 2003 to €40 per month this year.
The survey results were presented at the food board's annual Food and Drinks Industry Day, which took place yesterday at the Irish Management Institute in Dublin.
Bord Bia's chief executive Aidan Cotter said the retail sector was a major driver of environmental solutions to meet changing consumer concerns.