IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/agfoec/v7y2019i1d10.1186_s40100-019-0139-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How alternative food networks work in a metropolitan area? An analysis of Solidarity Purchase Groups in Northern Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Lucia Baldi

    (Università degli Studi di Milano)

  • Danilo Bertoni

    (Università degli Studi di Milano)

  • Giuseppina Migliore

    (University of Palermo)

  • Massimo Peri

    (Università degli Studi di Milano)

Abstract

Our paper focuses on Solidarity Purchase Group (SPG) participants located in a highly urbanized area, with the aim to investigate the main motivations underlining their participation in a SPG and provide a characterization of them. To this end, we carried out a survey of 795 participants involved in 125 SPGs in the metropolitan area of Milan (Italy). Taking advantage of a questionnaire with 39 questions, we run a factor analysis and a two-step cluster analysis to identify different profiles of SPG participants. Our results show that the system of values animating metropolitan SPG practitioners does not fully conform to that traditionally attributed to an alternative food network (AFN). In fact, considerations linked to food safety and healthiness prevail on altruistic motives such as environmental sustainability and solidarity toward small producers. Furthermore, metropolitan SPGs do not consider particularly desirable periurban and local food products. Observing the SPGs from this perspective, it emerges as such initiatives can flourish also in those places where the lack of connection with the surrounding territory is counterbalanced by the high motivation to buy products from trusted suppliers who are able to guarantee genuine and safe products, not necessarily located nearby.

Suggested Citation

  • Lucia Baldi & Danilo Bertoni & Giuseppina Migliore & Massimo Peri, 2019. "How alternative food networks work in a metropolitan area? An analysis of Solidarity Purchase Groups in Northern Italy," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 7(1), pages 1-21, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agfoec:v:7:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1186_s40100-019-0139-3
    DOI: 10.1186/s40100-019-0139-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1186/s40100-019-0139-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1186/s40100-019-0139-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anna Carbone, 2017. "Erratum to: Food supply chains: coordination governance and other shaping forces," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-1, December.
    2. Thomas Krikser & Annette Piorr & Regine Berges & Ina Opitz, 2016. "Urban Agriculture Oriented towards Self-Supply, Social and Commercial Purpose: A Typology," Land, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-19, August.
    3. Gilg, Andrew W. & Battershill, Martin, 1998. "Quality farm food in Europe: a possible alternative to the industrialised food market and to current agri-environmental policies: lessons from France," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 25-40, February.
    4. Francesca Galli & Fabio Bartolini & Gianluca Brunori & Luca Colombo & Oriana Gava & Stefano Grando & Andrea Marescotti, 2015. "Sustainability assessment of food supply chains: an application to local and global bread in Italy," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 3(1), pages 1-17, December.
    5. Pei Xu & Zhigang Wang, 2014. "Country of origin and willingness to pay for pistachios: a chinese case," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 2(1), pages 1-16, December.
    6. Travisi, Chiara Maria & Nijkamp, Peter, 2008. "Valuing environmental and health risk in agriculture: A choice experiment approach to pesticides in Italy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(4), pages 598-607, November.
    7. Teresa Del Giudice & Carla Cavallo & Francesco Caracciolo & Gianni Cicia, 2015. "What attributes of extra virgin olive oil are really important for consumers: a meta-analysis of consumers’ stated preferences," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 3(1), pages 1-15, December.
    8. Zepeda, Lydia & Leviten-Reid, Catherine, 2004. "Consumers' Views on Local Food," Journal of Food Distribution Research, Food Distribution Research Society, vol. 35(3), pages 1-6, November.
    9. Gaetano Martino & Giulia Giacchè & Enrica Rossetti, 2016. "Organizing the Co-Production of Health and Environmental Values in Food Production: The Constitutional Processes in the Relationships between Italian Solidarity Purchasing Groups and Farmers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-22, March.
    10. Emanuele Blasi & Clara Cicatiello & Barbara Pancino & Silvio Franco, 2015. "Alternative food chains as a way to embed mountain agriculture in the urban market: the case of Trentino," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 3(1), pages 1-13, December.
    11. Paracchini, Maria Luisa & Bulgheroni, Claudia & Borreani, Giorgio & Tabacco, Ernesto & Banterle, Alessandro & Bertoni, Danilo & Rossi, Graziano & Parolo, Gilberto & Origgi, Roberto & De Paola, Claudio, 2015. "A diagnostic system to assess sustainability at a farm level: The SOSTARE model," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 35-53.
    12. Claudia Canedoli & Francesco Crocco & Roberto Comolli & Emilio Padoa-Schioppa, 2018. "Landscape fragmentation and urban sprawl in the urban region of Milan," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(5), pages 632-651, July.
    13. Caterina Contini & Caterina Romano & Fabio Boncinelli & Gabriele Scozzafava & Leonardo Casini, 2017. "Does ‘local’ matter in restaurant choice? Results of a discrete choice experiment targeting German and Italian consumers," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-15, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Maria Teresa Trentinaglia De Daverio & Teresina Mancuso & Massimo Peri & Lucia Baldi, 2020. "How Does Consumers’ Care for Origin Shape Their Behavioural Gap for Environmentally Friendly Products?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-19, December.
    2. Rosalia Stella Evola & Giovanni Peira & Erica Varese & Alessandro Bonadonna & Enrica Vesce, 2022. "Short Food Supply Chains in Europe: Scientific Research Directions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-20, March.
    3. Kotliarov, Ivan, 2022. "Heterogeneity of stakeholders as an obstacle to the development of agricultural cooperatives in Russia," Russian Peasant Studies, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, vol. 7, pages 20-32.
    4. Giannis T. Tsoulfas & Panagiotis Trivellas & Panagiotis Reklitis & Anna Anastasopoulou, 2023. "A Bibliometric Analysis of Short Supply Chains in the Agri-Food Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-46, January.
    5. Ronaldo Tavares Souza, 2020. "Box-scheme as alternative food network—the economic integration between consumers and producers," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 8(1), pages 1-25, December.
    6. Enthoven, Laura & Van den Broeck, Goedele, 2021. "Local food systems: Reviewing two decades of research," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    7. Baldi, Lucia & Trentinaglia, Maria Teresa & Mancuso, Teresina & Peri, Massimo, 2021. "Attitude Toward Environmental Protection and Toward Nature: How Do They Shape Consumer Behaviour for a Sustainable Tomato?," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315181, International Association of Agricultural Economists.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Clara Cicatiello, 2020. "Alternative food shoppers and the “quantity dilemma”: a study on the determinants of their purchases at alternative markets," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 8(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Luigi Mastronardi & Davide Marino & Vincenzo Giaccio & Agostino Giannelli & Margherita Palmieri & Giampiero Mazzocchi, 2019. "Analyzing Alternative Food Networks sustainability in Italy: a proposal for an assessment framework," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 7(1), pages 1-19, December.
    3. Rosalia Stella Evola & Giovanni Peira & Erica Varese & Alessandro Bonadonna & Enrica Vesce, 2022. "Short Food Supply Chains in Europe: Scientific Research Directions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-20, March.
    4. Elisa Giampietri & Dieter B. A. Koemle & Xiaohua Yu & Adele Finco, 2016. "Consumers’ Sense of Farmers’ Markets: Tasting Sustainability or Just Purchasing Food?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-14, November.
    5. Sahand Ashtab & Robert Campbell, 2021. "Explanatory Analysis of Factors Influencing the Support for Sustainable Food Production and Distribution Systems: Results from a Rural Canadian Community," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-13, May.
    6. Konrád Kiss & Csaba Ruszkai & Katalin Takács-György, 2019. "Examination of Short Supply Chains Based on Circular Economy and Sustainability Aspects," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-21, September.
    7. Agata Malak-Rawlikowska & Edward Majewski & Adam Wąs & Svein Ole Borgen & Peter Csillag & Michele Donati & Richard Freeman & Viet Hoàng & Jean-Loup Lecoeur & Maria Cecilia Mancini & An Nguyen & Monia , 2019. "Measuring the Economic, Environmental, and Social Sustainability of Short Food Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-23, July.
    8. Bimbo, Francesco & Bonanno, Alessandro & Viscecchia, Rosaria, 2019. "An empirical framework to study food labelling fraud: an application to the Italian extra-virgin olive oil market," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 63(4), October.
    9. Marie Diekmann & Ludwig Theuvsen, 2019. "Value structures determining community supported agriculture: insights from Germany," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 36(4), pages 733-746, December.
    10. Tiziano Tempesta & Daniel Vecchiato, 2019. "Analysis of the Factors that Influence Olive Oil Demand in the Veneto Region (Italy)," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-17, July.
    11. 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.
    12. Ballco, Petjon & Gracia, Azucena, 2020. "Do market prices correspond with consumer demands? Combining market valuation and consumer utility for extra virgin olive oil quality attributes in a traditional producing country," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    13. Kouser, Shahzad & Qaim, Matin, 2012. "Valuing financial, health and environmental benefits of Bt cotton in Pakistan," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 126544, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    14. Abedullah & Tariq A Sheikh & Haseeb Ali & Shahzad Kouser**, 2012. "Enviornmental Efficiency in Vegetable production in Pakistan Implication for Sustainable agriculture," Pakistan Journal of Applied Economics, Applied Economics Research Centre, vol. 22, pages 77-99.
    15. Maples, McKenzie & Morgan, Kimberly L. & Interis, Matthew G. & Harri, Ardian, 2013. "Who Buys Food Directly from Producers in the Southeastern United States?," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 45(3), pages 509-518, August.
    16. Damian Tago & Henrik Andersson & Nicolas Treich, 2014. "Pesticides and Health: A Review of Evidence on Health Effects, Valuation of Risks, and Benefit-Cost Analysis," Advances in Health Economics and Health Services Research, in: Preference Measurement in Health, volume 24, pages 203-295, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    17. Giacomo Staffolani & Deborah Bentivoglio & Adele Finco, 2022. "Consumers’ Purchasing Determinants Towards Mountain Food Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-15, July.
    18. Adamashvili Nino & Fiore Mariantonietta & Contò Francesco & La Sala Piermichele, 2020. "Ecosystem for Successful Agriculture. Collaborative Approach as a Driver for Agricultural Development," European Countryside, Sciendo, vol. 12(2), pages 242-256, June.
    19. Iciar Pavez & Louis-Antoine Saïsset & Leïla Temri & Zouhair Bouhsina, 2022. "Agrifood chain characteristics and sustainability signalling [Caractéristiques des chaînes agroalimentaires et signalisation de la durabilité]," Post-Print hal-03856271, HAL.
    20. Bonnin, Dennis & Tabacco, Ernesto & Borreani, Giorgio, 2021. "Variability of greenhouse gas emissions and economic performances on 10 Piedmontese beef farms in North Italy," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • P25 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics
    • P46 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • Q13 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Markets and Marketing; Cooperatives; Agribusiness
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:agfoec:v:7:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1186_s40100-019-0139-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.