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The tourist industry is not a single entity but consists of a heterogeneous group of firms and establishments providing a wide range of services for tourists. Some of these businesses are entirely or mainly dependent upon tourist spending, whilst others cater primarily for the resident population and their income from holiday‐makers forms only a marginal addition to their revenue. Yet tourist spending becomes diffused through a region with multiplier effect and many other sectors of the economy receive secondary benefits from the initial round of tourist spending.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the layout has an effect on cross-contaminations levels at farmers markets.

We used social cognitive theory's triadic reciprocity model to investigate how influencing the environment could change the behaviors of farmers’ market consumers and reduce the risk of microbial cross-contamination using a Fluorescent Compound (FC). For this purpose, a 3 × 2 experimental between-subject factorial design was utilized in this study: three farmers market layouts (i.e. U-shaped [U-S], L-shaped [L-S] and square-shaped [S–S]) and two different set-ups per market (i.e. produce and non-produce vendors completely separated, and alternating produce and non-produce vendors). FC was utilized to simulate microbial contamination on the participants (n = 54) hands. The participants were allowed to walk through the layout for 3 min and touch items after which a total of 475 swab samples were processed and recorded for absorbance levels.

The results indicated that the cross-contamination level of the U-S market was significantly lower (p < 0.001) than those of the L-S and S–S markets. The best market layout and set-up based on the average levels of simulated cross-contamination were the U-S market, particularly with the A set-up, where produce and non-produce booths were scattered.

This study is the first to use the quantification of FC to identify the impact of a farmers’ market layout/design on cross-contamination levels. These results can be used to provide guidance to market managers on layout and design from a safety standpoint to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

This paper aims to report results from an exploratory study of farmers' markets, taking particular interest in the motives for participation of customers, and their perceptions of the functioning of markets as co‐created sites of local food production, retail and consumption. Customer perceptions are also compared between farmers' markets and supermarkets.

Questionnaires were completed by 252 customers at 11 farmers' markets around New Zealand in 2008‐2009. Customers rated the importance of 31 constructs that might influence their involvement. For comparison, 257 supermarket shoppers in Auckland completed a similar questionnaire. Student t‐tests are used to distinguish between samples and subsample groups.

The paper finds that product quality is the key motivator for patronage, with price not a significant barrier to purchase or visits to farmers' markets. The “retail environment” has only a modest influence on market customer choices, and markets are only partially co‐created, with customers not highly valuing interaction with producers. Customers rated price, location and store environment constructs to be much more important at supermarkets than at markets.

Farmers' markets have experienced recent rapid growth and diffusion in many parts of the world, including Australasia, becoming popular sites of small retail trade and local cultural exchange. This paper contributes to the understanding of what motivates customers to participate in them, and what distinguishes markets from other food retailing sites such as supermarkets, at least in the New Zealand context.

The purpose of the research was to extend on previous research by studying latent consumers’ attitude to farmers’ markets. Findings will be used to improve the marketing and publicity of farmers’ markets in order to attract other consumers groups. The people surveyed were not always aware of the term farmers’ market. Some think it is a place where farmers go to buy what they need. Around 94 per cent of people who have already been to a farmers’ market will return because they enjoy the food which is fresh, different, local, etc. and to support farmers. Latent consumers think that farmers’ markets sell fresh, quality, locally produced, tastier, healthier and seasonal food. However they do not expect the food to be cheaper. The most important criteria are quality, freshness and the fact that food is produced locally. Latent consumers would enjoy supporting local producers, information about the products and how to prepare them.

Despite modern retail formats, for many cultures, informal markets (street markets, farmers’ markets, or wet markets in Asia), fleas, and bazaars still remain an important part of life. The purpose of this paper is to provide further insight into the characteristics of informal retailers, and to explain their growth and longevity in markets.

In order to explore what attracts customers to informal retail markets, a survey conducted on the sample of Croatian consumers was carried out.

The results show that consumers point out fresh, affordable, and healthy products and relationships with vendors as the main advantages, while weather conditions, unattractive food, and crowds are the disadvantages and barriers of purchasing at informal markets.

The results presented give directions for various subjects on how to increase the popularity of informal markets.

This paper addresses consumers’ perception of informal markets in the context of an emerging country. With the literature review, and the results of the explorative survey, it contributes to the knowledge on this type of retailing.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the possibilities of increasing the benefits to be derived from farmers markets (FMs) in Wales, through utilisation of networks augmented by information communications and technology (ICT). In particular, the paper explores recent developments in the use of ICT in the agri‐food sector and the need to develop networks to utilise such technology fully. The paper explores the administrative structures that may be required to allow these arrangements to be effectively organised. The use of FMs in Wales as a conduit for such networked arrangements, and the introduction of the South East Wales Association of Farmers’ Markets (SEWAFM) Web site, are then considered against this backdrop.

Farmers' markets have provided new alternatives for small producers to obtain direct distribution to consumers over the past few years. The growth has been spectacular in several countries and this paper aims to understand this growth and how value might be created by looking at participation and cooperation amongst the traders at these markets.

A survey of farmers' market members was undertaken and findings are reported with descriptive statistics and exploratory analysis to profile aspects of cooperation amongst stallholders.

Over 80 per cent of the traders at the markets were involved in some form of cooperative activity, reinforcing the idea of markets as community‐based activities with high levels of interdependence amongst participants. Cooperation could be identified in different categories and increased over the length of time trading at the market but could not be directly related to performance or the reasons traders offered for doing business at the market.

The research was designed as an exploratory study and provides potential issues for further research as opposed to testing particular hypotheses.

The categorisation of cooperation methods offers traders ways in which they might seek to more formally organise joint efforts. Monitoring the degree of cooperation between traders and linking to performance would also provide the organisers of markets with a potential way of managing aspects of competitive advantage against competing food retailers.

This is the first paper to examine value creation and cooperation in this context and it provides a potential base for working towards sustainable competitive advantage for farmers' markets.

Developed countries are demanding more quality assurance activities from their health care sectors. Briefly reviews the history of quality assurance in the health care sector and the reasons for the renewed demand for quality assurance. Discusses recent developments in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Forecasts that the demand for accountability and high standards will increase. Discusses the problems of resources and information needs, and the deficit of practical outcome measures.

The purpose of this paper is to examine consumer demands for local foods at a farmers’ market. This includes examining both what products consumers want more of at the market and also what factors influence consumers’ attendance for a weekday farmers’ market.

This study was based on open-ended comments from a market survey of 270 participants in a farmers’ market in the USA.

This study revealed that consumers want more products at the farmers’ market that require significant resources and time to grow, such as meat and fruit. Consumers reported that they would be more likely to attend a weekday market if it had better hours of operation and better selection. Consumer comments also revealed that consumers often perceive the market to run out of products and not have the full supply that they want to purchase.

This research represents qualitative insights at one farmers’ market in the USA. While there are observations that may transfer to other markets, caution should be used when generalizing these findings.

This research is informative for farmers in providing them a list of consumer demands and also highlights the ways farmers need to make their market convenient to consumer work and life patterns.

This work adds value to the literature by expanding our understanding of specific foods customers see as limited in the farmers’ market, and it also provides much needed information regarding consumer behavior and weekday market attendance, which is not discussed as often in the literature.

This study aims to investigate consumers' perceptions and barriers in relation to fresh, frozen, preserved and ready‐meal fish products in a geographically diverse selection of European countries.

Cross‐sectional data were collected through a consumer survey (n=3,213), conducted in June 2008 in the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Sweden and the UK. Items measured were self‐reported consumption frequencies, consumer perceptions of different fish product categories, and perceived barriers for increased fish consumption levels. Country specificities are discussed.

The overriding healthy perception consumers have about fish was confirmed, and contributed very strongly to the general perception consumers have about fish. Fresh fish was perceived the most healthy fish product, followed by frozen, preserved and ready‐meal fish products. Perception scores were highest correlated with self‐reported fish consumption in the Mediterranean countries. With the exception of Romania, perceived barriers only poorly explained self‐reported consumption frequencies of the different fish product categories. This finding is related to the possible influence of habit and tradition with regard to eating fish, to the absence of measures related to motivations or drivers to consume fish, or to the possibility that some of the perceived barriers reinforce each other. In the Mediterranean countries, fish consumption frequency is on a very high level, independently of perceived barriers and motivational aspects, and part of the traditional Mediterranean diet.

The strength of this study pertains to its international scope and geographical spread. Further, consumer perceptions and perceived barriers in relation to fresh, frozen, preserved and ready‐meal fish products have rarely been studied in parallel. Findings are relevant to support efforts on national and international level to stimulate or modify fish consumption, and to explore opportunities to trade fish products.