The production and distribution of food are among the hot topics debated in the context of sustainable development. Short food supply chains (SFSCs) are now widely believed to be more sustainable in comparison to mass food delivery systems. To date, very little quantitative evidence exists on the impacts of various types of food supply chains. Using a cross-sectional quantitative approach, this study assesses the sustainability of distribution channels in short and long food supply chains based on 208 food producers across seven countries: France, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam. Ten distribution channel types are used in this study. To provide a comprehensive sustainability assessment, a set of economic, social, and environmental indicators are applied. Indicators commonly used in the literature are used, supported by original indicators constructed specifically for the present study. In total, 486 chains are examined and the study confirms that individual producers participate simultaneously in several, short and long chains. Participation in SFSCs is beneficial for producers from an economic perspective. SFSCs allow producers to capture a large proportion of margin otherwise absorbed by different intermediaries. It appears, however, that ’longer’ supply channels generate lower environmental impacts per unit of production when measured in terms of food miles and carbon footprint. Finally, ambiguous results are found regarding social dimension, with significant differences across types of chains.

In the context of the marginalising effects of agro-food chain dynamics on upstream suppliers, this paper examines the extent to which geographical indications may improve the positioning of small-scale producers. Making an original distinction between established and nascent geographical indication systems, the paper undertakes a case study of the latter type (the Makó Onion Protected Designation of Origin, Hungary), hitherto overlooked in the literature. The study adopts a global value chain perspective to analyse three means by which geographical indications may facilitate upgrading (capturing higher margins, stimulating collective action and enabling diversification), finding that none have been delivered via the Makó Onion Protected Designation of Origin. The paper examines the reasons for this, identifying the role played by the political and institutional context. Recommendations are made for improving the upgrading potential of geographical indications when applied to nascent systems.

Improving the eco-efficiency of food systems is one of the major global challenges faced by the modern world. Short food supply chains (SFSCs) are commonly regarded to be less harmful to the environment, among various reasons, due to their organizational distribution and thus the shortened physical distance between primary producers and final consumers. In this paper, we empirically test this hypothesis, by assessing and comparing the environmental impacts of short and long food supply chains. Based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach, we calculate eco-efficiency indicators for nine types of food distribution chains. The analysis is performed on a sample of 428 short and long food supply chains from six European countries. Our results indicate that, on average, long food supply chains may generate less negative environmental impacts than short chains (in terms of fossil fuel energy consumption, pollution, and GHG emissions) per kg of a given product. The values of eco-efficiency indicators display a large variability across analyzed chains, and especially across different types of SFSCs. The analysis shows that the environmental impacts of the food distribution process are not only determined by the geographical distance between producer and consumer, but depend on numerous factors, including the supply chain infrastructure.

In our study, we tried to collect empirical studies focusing on the economic impact of Geographical Indications (GIs). Using a systematic literature review approach, we investigated three different aspects: market size, price premium and impacts on rural development. Based on the findings of studies both from the grey and academic literature, the results are quite mixed. Though the number of GI-related empirical studies has risen in recent years, there is a lack of economic data to support policies related to GIs, even in the European Union (EU), where the most important GI system exists. Overall, it is impossible to draw any general conclusions about the economic impact of GIs. Some countries have remarkable GI market size, and some GI products have a determinative role in both domestic and export markets; however, it is not general. Again, some particular GI products of some regions could gain significant price premiums, but due to the associated higher production costs and unequal distribution in the value chain, it might not result in higher producer incomes. The most conflicting empirical results were found in how GIs can contribute to regional prosperity, as evidences of the harmful effects of GIs on rural development were also identified.

This paper investigates consumers’ preferences for egg purchase in two European countries, Hungary and Italy. We utilize random parameter logit models to interpret the results of discrete choice experiments (DCE) for the elicitation of preference of the egg consumers. A sample of 403 in the Hungarian survey and 404 in the Italian survey were recruited in summer 2018. The DCE questionnaire includes the following product and process characteristics: organic labels, nutrition and health claims, and price. Our results show that for Hungarian and Italian consumers, the price is the most important attribute, followed by the nutrition and health claim and the organic production labelling. Three egg consumer segments can be identified via latent class models for each country. In both countries, we found similar consumer groups, the Price Sensitive and Quality Optimizing Opportunist Consumers and Health Conscious Buyers, respectively. Particularly, compared to the other segments the Health Conscious Buyers (46% in Hungary and 49% in Italy) exhibited stronger preference for and are willing to pay a higher price premium for eggs with organic label and nutrition claims. In Italy, we identified a third segment with consumers preferring simpler labelling approach, whilst in Hungary we found a consumer segment distrusting the EU organic logo.