Food Consumption and Sustainable Agri-Food Chains

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Security and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2021) | Viewed by 49706

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
IAMO - Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies and Martin-Luther University, 06120 Halle, Germany
Interests: agricultural and food economics; econometric methods; Europe and Asia

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Globally, food consumption has changed dramatically with the exploding population, economic growth, and rapid urbanization, especially in developing countries. Consumers not only demand a sufficient amount of food, but also high-quality diets and nutrients. In many developing countries there is a shift towards more animal products, which tend to have a strong impact on natural resources. Consumers in high-income countries are becoming more and more concerned about food waste, animal welfare, organic foods, and overeating. Around the globe, there are still vast numbers of starving and malnourished people, and at the same time a growing number of obese people. International trade and well-functioning food value chains are considered to be essential factors in combating hunger, malnutrition, and overnutrition. Agri-food markets are facing serious uncertainties, such as international trade disputes and the COVID-19 pandemic, and have to increasingly cope with environmental regulations. Accelerated digitalisation is likely to play a crucial role in boosting the performance of the agri-food business. We invite experts from agricultural economics and related fields to contribute studies from industrialized and developing countries to improve the mutual understanding of changing food consumption patterns and the design of sustainable agricultural and food markets.

Prof. Thomas Glauben
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • food consumption
  • agri-food markets and value chains
  • sustainable development

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 1752 KiB  
Article
Export Competitiveness of Agri-Food Sector during the EU Integration Process: Evidence from the Western Balkans
by Bojan Matkovski, Stanislav Zekić, Danilo Đokić, Žana Jurjević and Ivan Đurić
Foods 2022, 11(1), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11010010 - 21 Dec 2021
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4002
Abstract
Trade agreements with the European Union (EU) and Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) significantly influenced the liberalisation of agri-food products in Western Balkan (WB) countries. In all Western Balkan countries, there has been an intensification of the trade of agri-food products and [...] Read more.
Trade agreements with the European Union (EU) and Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) significantly influenced the liberalisation of agri-food products in Western Balkan (WB) countries. In all Western Balkan countries, there has been an intensification of the trade of agri-food products and a partial change in the regional and commodity structures of trade. This paper aims to identify comparative advantages of agri-food sectors and consider its tendencies during the EU integration process. Additionally, this paper will discuss some opportunities for improvement of the export positions of agri-food products. In that context and based on the literature review, the indexes of revealed comparative advantages and its modified version will be used as a main method for analysis in this research. Results showed that all Western Balkan countries, except Albania, have comparative advantages in exporting agri-food products. It is evident that Serbia has the highest level of comparative advantages in this sector. Moreover, this paper suggests that all countries should aim to provide the best possible positions for their agri-food products during pre-accession negotiations for EU membership and take the necessary steps towards increasing the level of competitiveness in the common EU market. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Consumption and Sustainable Agri-Food Chains)
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18 pages, 1644 KiB  
Article
Exploring Chinese Consumers’ Online Purchase Intentions toward Certified Food Products during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Xin Qi, Xu Tian and Angelika Ploeger
Foods 2021, 10(11), 2729; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112729 - 08 Nov 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5718
Abstract
The outbreak of COVID-19 has significantly increased consumers’ demands for online groceries, as well as healthy, safe, and better-quality food products. In China, certified food products are commonly perceived as safe and good-quality products. Therefore, this study investigated potential factors that influenced Chinese [...] Read more.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has significantly increased consumers’ demands for online groceries, as well as healthy, safe, and better-quality food products. In China, certified food products are commonly perceived as safe and good-quality products. Therefore, this study investigated potential factors that influenced Chinese consumers’ online shopping intentions toward certified food during the COVID-19 crisis. An integrated model was proposed by combining the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) with the impact of COVID-19 (IOC). The empirical results of structural equation modelling analysis with 491 usable responses revealed that the proposed model showed a good model fit and satisfactory explanatory power (R2 = 53%) regarding consumers’ certified online food shopping intentions during the pandemic. The path analysis demonstrated that attitude, perceived behavioural control, perceived usefulness (PU), and IOC significantly affected consumers’ online purchase intentions of certified food. PU and perceived ease of use (PEOU) were important drivers of attitudes, and PEOU significantly influenced PU. Moreover, the IOC was significantly related to most factors, except subjective norms. These findings can be useful for detecting changes in consumer behaviour, and providing suitable strategic implications for stakeholders in the Chinese certified food sector during the current and post-pandemic eras. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Consumption and Sustainable Agri-Food Chains)
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18 pages, 1287 KiB  
Article
What Is the Environmental Impact of Wine Entering Global Value Chains? Studying the Evolution of CO2 Emissions from the Export of Spanish Denomination of Origin Wines
by Juan Sebastián Castillo-Valero, Inmaculada Carrasco, Marcos Carchano and Carmen Córcoles
Foods 2021, 10(7), 1664; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10071664 - 19 Jul 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3205
Abstract
The continuous growth of the international wine trade and the expansion of international markets is having significant commercial, but also environmental, impacts. The benefits of vineyards in terms of ecosystem service provision are offset by the increase in CO2 emissions generated by [...] Read more.
The continuous growth of the international wine trade and the expansion of international markets is having significant commercial, but also environmental, impacts. The benefits of vineyards in terms of ecosystem service provision are offset by the increase in CO2 emissions generated by transportation. Denominations of Origin, as quality labels, emphasise a wine’s links to the terroir, where specific elements of culture and environment merge together. However, Denominations of Origin can also have differentiating elements as regards environmental performance. Drawing on an extended multiregional input–output model applied to the Spanish Denominations of Origin with the largest presence in the international wine trade, this study shows that wines with the greatest exporting tradition are those that most reduced their carbon footprint per litre of exported wine in the period 2005–2018, thus being the most environmentally efficient. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Consumption and Sustainable Agri-Food Chains)
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15 pages, 1084 KiB  
Article
The Impacts of Urbanization and Dietary Knowledge on Seaweed Consumption in China
by Jingsi Peng, Shi Min, Ping Qing and Minda Yang
Foods 2021, 10(6), 1373; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10061373 - 14 Jun 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2695
Abstract
Edible seaweed, a nutrient-rich and sustainable food, has a long dietary history in China. To get a better understanding of the seaweed consumption of consumers in China, this study investigates the quantity and trend of seaweed consumption of Chinese residents and employs a [...] Read more.
Edible seaweed, a nutrient-rich and sustainable food, has a long dietary history in China. To get a better understanding of the seaweed consumption of consumers in China, this study investigates the quantity and trend of seaweed consumption of Chinese residents and employs a Tobit model to examine the effects of urbanization and dietary knowledge on seaweed consumption among residents. The results show an increasing trend of household seaweed consumption in China, including both seaweeds consumed at home (SAH) and seaweeds consumed away from home (SAFH). Households in urban areas consumed more seaweeds on average than those in rural areas. Urbanization promotes total household seaweed consumption, including SAH and SAFH, whilst dietary knowledge has a significantly positive impact on total household seaweed consumption and SAH. The findings supplement empirical evidence on the seaweed consumption behavior of Chinese residents and have important policy implications for further promoting Chinese seaweeds consumption in the context of urbanization and increasing dietary knowledge. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Consumption and Sustainable Agri-Food Chains)
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28 pages, 6573 KiB  
Article
Investigation of COVID-19 Impact on the Food and Beverages Industry: China and India Perspective
by Shafique Ul Rehman Memon, Vijayanta Ramesh Pawase, Tushar Ramesh Pavase and Maqsood Ahmed Soomro
Foods 2021, 10(5), 1069; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10051069 - 12 May 2021
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 25247
Abstract
The sudden breakout of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) rapidly spread across the globe, leaving no country behind in being affected by the global pandemic in the year 2019–20. As COVID-19 commenced, within months two major Asian giants initiated the norms of social distancing and [...] Read more.
The sudden breakout of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) rapidly spread across the globe, leaving no country behind in being affected by the global pandemic in the year 2019–20. As COVID-19 commenced, within months two major Asian giants initiated the norms of social distancing and lockdowns in their societies. The indiscriminate nature of the current pandemic has not only impacted the health and quality of life of people but has also disrupted the global economy, supply chains, and countries all over the world. In food and beverage manufacturing industries, the unanticipated disruption has encumbered its lock on the global food supply chain and service sector as major cities shut down for several months in China and India. Human existence is dependent upon food, which renders energy for activity, growth, and all functions of the body. Although both China and India have shown eminent response to tackle the ongoing pandemic, the food supply chain remains vastly exposed to significant COVID-19 risks. This research primarily investigates the ongoing COVID-19 scenario in two major economies (China and India), delivering insight into the pandemic’s impact within the food and beverage manufacturing sectors, and explores the policies adopted and strategies undertaken for sustainability in food supply chains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Consumption and Sustainable Agri-Food Chains)
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Review

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19 pages, 1128 KiB  
Review
Innovative Digital Technologies for Purchasing and Consumption in Urban and Regional Agro-Food Systems: A Systematic Review
by Antonella Samoggia, Francesca Monticone and Aldo Bertazzoli
Foods 2021, 10(2), 208; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10020208 - 20 Jan 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 6252
Abstract
The use of digital technologies in the agro-food sector is growing worldwide, and applications in the urban and regional food systems represent a relevant segment of such growth. The present paper aims at reviewing the literature on which and how digital technologies support [...] Read more.
The use of digital technologies in the agro-food sector is growing worldwide, and applications in the urban and regional food systems represent a relevant segment of such growth. The present paper aims at reviewing the literature on which and how digital technologies support urban and regional agro-food purchasing and consumption, as well as their characteristics. Data collection was performed on Scopus and Web of Science. Articles were selected using a research string and according to specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flow approach was adopted to explain data screening and selection. The 57 resulting studies were included in the final qualitative analysis, which explored the characteristics of the research studies and of the digital technologies analysed. Most of the studies analysed concerned the implications of digital technologies on local food consumption, especially focusing on consumption, primary production and hotel-restaurant-café-catering sector (HORECA), and to a limited extent on the retail sector. Consumers and farmers are the main targets of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) tools, whose principal aims are providing information on agro-food products and enhancing networking along the food supply chain. Analysing digital technologies allows a better understanding of their most popular features in order to support their spread among citizens. Digital technologies, and particularly Apps, can be a valuable instrument to strengthen agro-food chain actor relations and to promote urban and regional food systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Consumption and Sustainable Agri-Food Chains)
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