1,720,995 research outputs found
Entomophagy: A contribution to the understanding of consumer intention
No full textIn recent years, many scholars pointed out edible insects as an excellent source of protein and fat, both in terms of efficiency and sustainability. In addition, there is a growing interest of the business world and academia towards the topic, and it is feasible to hypothesize that edible insects can become a consumption trend in the next future. In addition, indirect entomophagy (i.e., eating animals fed with insects) seem one of the most promising paths for reducing the ecological footprint of livestock. Many studies tried to identify the psychological barriers of Western consumers against the eating of insects, but there is a lack of research on how neophobia and disgust contribute to explain this aversion towards direct and indirect entomophagy. The aim of the present study is to understand how Westerners intention of eating insects changes accordingly to different visual stimuli and to highlight the role of neophobia and disgust in influencing intention to eat different insect-based foods. Results show that, whereas disgust seem more involved as regards the aversion towards raw insects, food neophobia may perform better in predicting the acceptance of processed insects and indirect entomophagy
Edible insects and global food security
Full text linkStarting in 2008 and lasting up until 2011, the crisis in agricultural and, in particular, cereal prices triggered a period of riots that spread from the Mediterranean basin to the rest of the world, reaching from Asia to Central America and the African continent. [...]
Consumer’s attitude, vertical differentiation and labelling regulation in the food industry
No full texthe paper discusses results of a simulated marked research evaluating consumer’s preferences toward GM and NGM food products in the South of Italy. Three experimental scenarios with different hypotheses of price ratio and product attributes of GM and NGM products were run. Consumers’ choices were related to information and risk attitude. We find that consumers tend to prefer NGM products to GM products, without any statistical relationship with their information level and risk attitude. When the NGM product is compared with an enhanced GM product, most consumers still prefer NGM product. GM product consumption does rather depend on consumers’ risk perception. The results demonstrate that there is room in the market for vertical differentiation policies based on the wholesomeness of traditional production methods
Social Emotions and Good Provider Norms in Tackling Household Food Waste: An Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior
Full text linkMany studies have explored the antecedents of food waste in the framework of the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Scholars have also made efforts to add explaining variables to the original TPB, with mixed results; they often fail to demonstrate the incremental validity of the extended models. In the current study, we sought to assess whether an extended TPB model including social emotions and Good Provider norms could predict intention to reduce food waste. We also measured two behaviors which may be predicted by intentions to reduce food waste: (1) reducing servings and (2) using leftovers. The results show that social emotions help explain leftovers utilization, whereas the Good Provider norms are inversely correlated to the reduction of servings. Compared to the traditional TPB model, the extended version has more predictive power, especially as regards reducing servings
Income levels and farm economic viability in Italian farms: An analysis of FADN data
Full text linkIn the European Union legislative proposals for the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) the income support remains an essential part of the CAP. This paper analyses agricultural income levels, the role of EU aids in ensuring fair levels of income and how different socio-economic and structural characteristics affect farms' economic viability. Italian Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) data have been processed and economic viability has been assessed by comparing Farm Net Income to a reference income and by estimating a profitability index to check whether the agricultural activities remunerate factors owned by the farmer and his/her family. After an explorative analysis, two multinomial logit models have been estimated to evaluate how structural and socio-economic characteristics affect the likelihood of a farm to be viable with and without EU aids. Both structural farm characteristics and farmer's production strategies explain the likelihood of a farm to be viable in the short and in the medium-long term. Farms are more likely to be viable as the size increases and the higher the capital intensity, while viability likelihood decreases with the farmer's age, when the holder is a woman, and the farm is localized in Southern Italy. CAP payments do not modify the factors that affect farm viability but can change their weight
Compliance with rules and future uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic: trust in government, trust in science, and perceived threat
No full textDuring a pandemic, a high level of compliance by citizens with prevention guidelines provided by the Government and scientists is important in order to slow the spread of the virus; nevertheless, there is evidence of people ignoring government and scientists' recommendation all over the world. In addition, the COVID-19 outbreak, and the mitigating measures as well, have had huge negative effects on citizens' everyday life, including confinement, separation of families and friends, restriction of movement and personal freedom. These factors, together with the unpredictable duration and likelihood of resurgence of the pandemic, contribute to future uncertainty. The aim of current research is to contribute to the understanding of citizens' compliance with rules and future uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We explored the relations-scarcely investigated so far-of compliance with rules and future uncertainty with three possible antecedents: trust in government, trust in scientists, and perceived threat. In addition, regarding the last factor, two dimensions have been distinguished, namely perceived seriousness and perceived probability of the threat. Results suggest that compliance is positively associated with trust in government, whereas future uncertainty is negatively correlated with trust in scientists. Perceived threat correlates with both compliance and uncertainty, and the association with perceived seriousness is larger than with perceived probability
Perceived risk of insect-based foods: An assessment of the entomophagy attitude questionnaire predictive validity
Full text linkInsects are a promising alternative protein source and their possible integration in the human diet has been extensively studied, also with reference to the degree of consumer acceptability and the main factors determining reluctance among Western consumers. Several studies have also proposed the use of protein meals derived from insects in animal feed as a possible way to promote the development of the insect chain. Consumer attitudes, perceived risks, and intention to eat insect-based foods have been extensively researched, yet the relationships between those factors are still unclear. On a sample of 202 Italian consumers, the present research used the Entomophagy Attitude Questionnaire (EAQ) to analyse the degree of acceptability of insects as food and meat obtained from animals raised on insect-based feeds with a specific focus on the role of attitudes and perceived risk. The research also evaluated the differences in acceptability between different types of animals fed with insects. The results show that the intention to engage in entomophagy is significantly correlated with all three of the EAQ’s subscales, as well as with perceived risk. However, the effect of perceived risk does not significantly improve the predictive validity of EAQ with respect to the intention to eat insect-based food. The results also show that the degree of acceptability for different insect meal-reared animals changes among consumers: beef and pork are characterized by a lower degree of acceptability, while poultry and fish are more accepted by consumers
Measuring the economic sustainability of Italian farms using FADN data
No full textIn recent literature, the issue of sustainability and its measure has been addressed with different approaches that depend on the multidimensional nature of the concept and the specific sector and context to which it applies. The present work focuses on the economic sustainability component and suggests an operative measure at the farm level. The measure of economic sustainability has been applied to Italian family farms using Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN). Based on this data, an efficiency indicator (EI) and two income indicators [a factor profitability indicator (FPI) and a comparable income indicator (CII)] expressing the ability to remunerate the entrepreneur's production factors at their opportunity cost and the farm's income capacity have been used in a principal component analysis (PCA) to build an economic sustainability index (SI). The index was used to describe Italian farms' economic sustainability levels but was also the cue to discuss problems related to identifying economic sustainability thresholds and the trade-off between efficiency and income components
A future of sustainable wine? A reasoned review and discussion of ongoing programs around the world
No full textRecently consumers through their more conscious purchases are called to act as citizens working towards a more sustainable future. As a consequence, today many countries are investing a significant amount of effort in encouraging the adoption of sustainable practices in vineyards and wineries. While other important transnational institutions (as the OIV) are strongly committed to adopt and develop wide-ranging roadmaps to develop sustainable vitiviniculture practices. In this scenario, the wine industry has witnessed a proliferation of voluntary labels and programs aimed at certifying sustainable practices. The present paper systemically analyzes the many sustainable systems for wine around the world in order to outline the current complex landscape of voluntary, industry and third-party codes and certification processes that have emerged in specific countries and the international arena. Furthermore the paper highlights the core features and key differences of the main programs currently active
Personal values and pro-social behaviour: The role of socio-economic context in fair trade consumption
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of socio-economic context in affecting the relationship between personal values and the purchase of fair trade (FT) products. Design/methodology/approach: The study was based on data and information collected by means of a web-administered survey and was performed in two steps. First, an explanatory factor analysis on the Schwartz value system and a confirmatory factor analysis on socio-economic context variables were carried out. Second, the per capita GDP at provincial level and the predicted factor scores were used in an ordered probit model to explain the expenditure level of FT products. Findings: The results provide evidence that the value system has an effect on the consumption of FT products, but the economic context, in particular the average wealth at province level, is also relevant and plays a role by either affecting FT product purchasing levels directly or interacting with personal values. Research limitations/implications: Because of the electronic submission and the specific channel used in the survey, the sample cannot be considered as representative of Italian consumers, and thus the analysis has a merely descriptive (non-inferential) function. Originality/value: While several studies investigated how personal values affect consumers’ behaviour directly or indirectly, very few studies analysed the way socio-economic context interacts with the value structure and the way both aspects influence ethical consumption. The present study analyses this last aspect and provides evidence of the role economic context plays in affecting the relationship between personal values and FT products consumption
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