0000000000337295
AUTHOR
Alessia Lombardi
Consumers' willingness to pay for natural food: Evidence from an artefactual field experiment
Abstract Among foods with credence attributes, food with “natural” components have received in the last years particular attention by consumers. This study applies the BDM incentive compatible mechanism to explore young (18–35 years old) consumers’ interest and willingness to pay for chewing gums having the natural attribute. Our analysis shows that over 68% of consumers are interested in the natural attribute and are willing to pay a price premium. We also find that consumers’ higher age and interest in the environment have significant impacts on consumers’ preferences for the natural attribute.
“Rationally Local”: Consumer Participation in Alternative Food Chains
Why are consumers increasingly participating in alternative food chains to co-produce and distribute foods with farmers? In this paper, values and food-related lifestyles, as well as transaction costs and socio-demographics, are used to analyze consumer participation in alternative food chains in Italy. Using a simultaneous system of equations, a model with instrumental variables is implemented to measure the relationships between values and food-related lifestyles, and between the latter and participation in an alternative food chain. Our results show that Italian participants in alternative food chains have the profile of rational shoppers who typically look at price and taste criteria. A…
Farmers' participation in civic agriculture: The effect of social embeddedness
This work investigates how farmers??? attitudes influence their decision to participate in some particular forms of civic agriculture, namely farmers' markets (conventional or organic), solidarity purchase groups, direct selling and box schemes. It also explores whether social embeddedness-related attitudes occur with different intensities within the various types of civic agriculture. To this end, a survey was carried out among farmers participating in civic agriculture in Sicily (Italy). Empirical results confirm the role of social embeddedness whereby personal relations between farmers and consumers are emphasised: a greater presence of community relations fosters a greater role of socia…
Are "good guys" more likely to participate in local agriculture?
Abstract In recent years a new form of food production and distribution organisation, as part of small-scale and local agriculture, has been gaining ground. Generically termed short supply chains (SSCs), this new model of food procurement comprises various forms such as community-supported agriculture, box schemes and solidarity purchase groups. Consumer participation in SSCs is dictated by deep motivations: while consumers are principally encouraged by the desire to preserve local producers, as well as the social and environmental aspects of farming, the attraction of SSCs is also tied to different and more complex ways of perceiving food quality. The quality issue in SSCs is not only seen…
Bioenergy chain building: a collective action perspective
Depletion of natural resources has become a key issue on the European policy agenda. Bottom-up measures have emerged in several countries with a view to promoting awareness campaigns and environmental sustainability, with the agenda set by individuals who start up collective initiatives at the local level. Such collective action provides an incentive to free-ride on the contribution of others. Social norms and the consequent behavior of individuals involved in collective action assume a key role in ensuring sustainable use of a public good, achieving significant, long-lasting success. The present study aims to ascertain which determinants most affect farmers’ willingness to contribute to co…