Location-Based Mobile Applications for Sustainable Food Industry. Literature Review and Conceptual Framework

Over the years, the food industry has evolved into a pivotal component of the global economy, influencing societal norms and consumer behavior worldwide. While sustainable business models geared toward healthy development have sparked innovative ideas and consumer habits, the challenge of sustainability persists, necessitating ongoing efforts for environmental stewardship and social responsibility. The emergence and advancement of the mobile industry have further enriched this sector with additional features, revolutionizing how food-related services are accessed and experienced. Particularly, the integration of location services within mobile applications has opened new avenues for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of food-related operations. This includes functionalities enabling end-users to monitor food activities, make informed decisions, and adopt healthier dietary practices while providing businesses with invaluable marketing tools to engage with their target audience. The merging of technology and sustainability principles in the mobile food industry presents a promising solution to address the multifaceted challenges facing the global food system. This paper seeks to delve into the intricacies of the mobile industry, evaluate the transformative impact of location-based parameters on the food industry, and propose a novel concept for sustainable, location-centric food mobile applications that prioritize environmental conservation, social equity, and economic viability. To this end, we conducted an extensive literature review, including 452 papers as initial sample and 72 papers as final sample to be examined. Through this analysis, we developed a conceptual framework that integrates key aspects of online food applications and proposes research questions for future exploration.