Abstract
ABSTRACTThe exploratory study reviews locally produced foods and sustainable retailing via grocery outlets across two distinct consumer groups, Italian and U.S. consumers. Survey methodology and structural equation modeling were used to test for measurement and structural invariance across the groups. Results suggested that groups varied across measures of perceived consumer effectiveness and purchase intentions; and constructs of subjective norms, perceived consumer effectiveness, connectedness, and purchase intentions reflected factor mean differences across groups. Tests of structural paths were found to be partially invariant. Implications to retail grocers who source sustainable products are provided, as well as future research directions for academics.
Highlights
The worldwide agri-food system continues to be dominated by large industrial operations, as evidenced by the fact the “the ten largest U.S based multinational corporations control almost 60% of the food and beverage sold in the U.S.” (Lyson 2007, 21)
Our study fills a gap by considering two distinct countries where local foods are prevalent: Italy and the U.S The goal of our study is to address the following research question: RQ: Will consumer factors such as attitudes, normative influences, connectedness, perceived consumer effectiveness, and purchase intentions vary across Italian and U.S consumers of locally produced foods?
Integration of, food within the Italian culture (Brunori et al 2013), the cultural experience with the Slow Food Movement relating to local products over a number of years and the relevance of local foods to the entire Italian food system (Ventura et al 2006), and the previously noted sensitivity of Italian consumers toward local products and geographical identifiers of food (Ismea 2013), we suggest that Italian consumers of local foods will exhibit significantly different attitudes, subjective norms, perceptions of consumer effectiveness, and level of connectedness with outcomes such as purchase intentions than other consumers such as those from the U.S, where local food systems are still evolving
Summary
The worldwide agri-food system continues to be dominated by large industrial operations, as evidenced by the fact the “the ten largest U.S based multinational corporations control almost 60% of the food and beverage sold in the U.S.” (Lyson 2007, 21). Research conducted in the UK, U.S, Italy, and other European countries have identified local food products as a choice that consumers are appreciating and willing to pay higher prices for (Giraud, Bond, and Bond 2005). Research has suggested that consumers purchasing food produced in their local areas experience a wide variety of benefits (Guptill and Wilkins 2002) related to health and the environment. In Italy, for example, the concept of “Slow Food,” or a pushback to this proliferation of small farms by larger multinational companies, has supported a more traditional and environmentally friendly form of producing, growing, Jeffrey Campbell is affiliated with the Department of Retailing at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA. Ann Fairhurst is Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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