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Are Short Food Supply Chains More Environmentally Sustainable than Long Chains? A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the Eco-Efficiency of Food Chains in Selected EU Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Edward Majewski

    (Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Anna Komerska

    (Faculty of Building Services, Hydro and Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-653 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Jerzy Kwiatkowski

    (Faculty of Building Services, Hydro and Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-653 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Agata Malak-Rawlikowska

    (Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Adam Wąs

    (Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Piotr Sulewski

    (Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Marlena Gołaś

    (Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Kinga Pogodzińska

    (Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Jean-Loup Lecoeur

    (CESAER, AgroSup Dijon, INRA, University Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000 Dijon, France)

  • Barbara Tocco

    (Newcastle University Business School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4SE, UK)

  • Áron Török

    (Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Corvinus University of Budapest, 1093 Budapest, Hungary)

  • Michele Donati

    (Department of Economics and Management, Università degli Studi di Parma, 43125 Parma, Italy)

  • Gunnar Vittersø

    (SIFO Consumption Research Norway, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway)

Abstract

Improving the eco-efficiency of food systems is one of the major global challenges faced by the modern world. Short food supply chains (SFSCs) are commonly regarded to be less harmful to the environment, among various reasons, due to their organizational distribution and thus the shortened physical distance between primary producers and final consumers. In this paper, we empirically test this hypothesis, by assessing and comparing the environmental impacts of short and long food supply chains. Based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach, we calculate eco-efficiency indicators for nine types of food distribution chains. The analysis is performed on a sample of 428 short and long food supply chains from six European countries. Our results indicate that, on average, long food supply chains may generate less negative environmental impacts than short chains (in terms of fossil fuel energy consumption, pollution, and GHG emissions) per kg of a given product. The values of eco-efficiency indicators display a large variability across analyzed chains, and especially across different types of SFSCs. The analysis shows that the environmental impacts of the food distribution process are not only determined by the geographical distance between producer and consumer, but depend on numerous factors, including the supply chain infrastructure.

Suggested Citation

  • Edward Majewski & Anna Komerska & Jerzy Kwiatkowski & Agata Malak-Rawlikowska & Adam Wąs & Piotr Sulewski & Marlena Gołaś & Kinga Pogodzińska & Jean-Loup Lecoeur & Barbara Tocco & Áron Török & Michele, 2020. "Are Short Food Supply Chains More Environmentally Sustainable than Long Chains? A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the Eco-Efficiency of Food Chains in Selected EU Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-26, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:18:p:4853-:d:414562
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    4. Michał Gazdecki & Elżbieta Goryńska-Goldmann & Marietta Kiss & Zoltán Szakály, 2021. "Segmentation of Food Consumers Based on Their Sustainable Attitude," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-28, May.
    5. Patrizia Ghisellini & Amos Ncube & Gloria Rotolo & Chiara Vassillo & Serena Kaiser & Renato Passaro & Sergio Ulgiati, 2023. "Evaluating Environmental and Energy Performance Indicators of Food Systems, within Circular Economy and “Farm to Fork” Frameworks," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-38, February.
    6. Krzysztof Solarz & Magdalena Raftowicz & Marian Kachniarz & Agnieszka Dradrach, 2023. "Back to Locality? Demand Potential Analysis for Short Food Supply Chains," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-14, February.
    7. Alexandra Doernberg & Annette Piorr & Ingo Zasada & Dirk Wascher & Ulrich Schmutz, 2022. "Sustainability assessment of short food supply chains (SFSC): developing and testing a rapid assessment tool in one African and three European city regions," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(3), pages 885-904, September.
    8. Enthoven, Laura & Van den Broeck, Goedele, 2021. "Local food systems: Reviewing two decades of research," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    9. Bilgesu Bayir & Aurélie Charles & Aicha Sekhari & Yacine Ouzrout, 2022. "Issues and Challenges in Short Food Supply Chains: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-20, March.
    10. Anna Mazzi & Jingzheng Ren, 2021. "Circular Economy in Low-Carbon Transition," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-2, December.
    11. Ioan Sebastian Brumă & Simona-Roxana Ulman & Cristina Cautisanu & Lucian Tanasă & Gabriel Vasile Hoha, 2021. "Sustainability in the Case of Small Vegetable Farmers: A Matrix Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-32, September.

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