Rural sustainability and food choice: the effect of territorial characteristics on the consumers’ preferences for organic lentils

Abstract

The importance of pulse cultivation and consumption is recognized by the scientific community in terms of human nutrition, food security, biodiversity and a valid substitute for animal protein. In some marginal areas, pulse cultivation represents also a protection against the abandonment of agricultural land, the preservation of traditional landscape and the maintenance of natural environments, besides contributing to the safeguard of traditional gastronomy and culture.This study explores how some characteristics connected with rural sustainability, like the preservation of the traditional rural landscape, production area in a Natura 2000 Site of Community Importance (SCI) and EU quality labels (PDO and PGI), might influence organic consumers’ choice of lentils. Data were collected in the Umbria region (Italy) in 2014 by interviewing 213 consumers’ members of Organic Solidarity Purchase Groups (O-SPGs). The Discrete Choice Experiment methodology was used, and three different models (Multinomial Logit Model (MNL), Mixed Logit Model (RPL) and Endogenous Attribute Attendance (EAA)) were applied to verify the reliability of the estimates. Attribute non-attendance (ANA) behaviour was taken into account. Results reveal that the presence of ANA had an impact on both the relative importance of the estimated attributes and the magnitude of the estimated mean WTP. Therefore, this study suggests that WTP mean estimates should be considered with caution for marketing purposes if ANA is not considered. Looking at pulses, the results help to understand the importance in monetary terms of the relationship between lentil choice and rural sustainability.

Understanding Consumers’ Preferences for Protected Geographical Indications: A Choice Experiment with Hungarian Sausage Consumers

“…When considering the nature of consumer demand within a particular product category, it is important not to overgeneralise but rather capture the heterogeneity of consumers, detailing relevant consumer segments. Much of the extant literature on the consumer appeal of GIs rests on a discussion of general sentiments and average ratings [ 82 ], including for WTP [ 4 ]. However, the latter approach fails to adequately understand consumer segments.…”

“…The research draws mainly on data for Europe (Spain and Italy, in particular), with most attention given to olive oil. In general, the findings indicate a preference for GI labels [ 4 , 27 ]. However, to be a local (and/or national) product was as, or more, important than possessing a PDO or PGI label [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ].…”

“…Applicants for GI status must demonstrate that their product is “traditional” within the geographical boundaries of the production area. Only goods produced in accordance with the Code of Practice may use the GI name, restricting the outsourcing of production from the designated area [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Typically, multiple producers within the designated geographical area are part of a consortium, such that use of the protected GI name is shared between members.…”

The state of the art of discrete choice experiments in food research

“…Mat.) -as with many application fields of DCEsare gradually adopting a Bayesian D-optimal design approach for the MNL model (e.g., Czine et al, 2020;Paffarini et al, 2021). Its use is often preceded by a pilot survey based on an orthogonal factorial design to obtain the priors for the Bayesian main design (e.g., Scarpa et al, 2013;Zanoli et al, 2013;De Marchi et al, 2016).…”

A Multi--Criteria Decision approach for the sustainable dairy farm management

“…The sustainable production theory (SPT) suggests to select the attributes using two criteria: i) attributes who comply with softer rearing techniques according with the recent EU policy goals; ii) attributes that match with the consumers' willingness to pay higher prices for cues about animal welfare and environmentally friendly products (Paffarini et al, 2021). Evidences are provided by the "pasture-raising method" that stimulates the credence cues about higher dairy product quality associated to perceptions of the clean environmental and ethical values embedded in animal welfare; these perceptions stimulate the willingness to pay (WTP) for additional value beyond the cues of milk quality solicited by sensorial attributes of milk quality, color, odor, image (Menozzi et al, 2017;Stampa et al, 2020;Van Calker et al, 2008).…”