Alessandro Graciotti and Morven G. McEachern
This study aims to investigate consumers’ construction of food localness through the politics of belonging in a regional context.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate consumers’ construction of food localness through the politics of belonging in a regional context.
Design/methodology/approach
Following a socio-spatial lens and considering the “realm of meaning” of place, this research focusses on local consumers’ lived meanings of “local” food choice, and hence adopts a phenomenological approach to the data collection and analysis of 20 in-depth interviews with residents of the Italian region of Marche.
Findings
Drawing on Trudeau’s (2006) politics of belonging, this study reveals three interconnected themes which show how local consumers articulate a local food “orthodoxy” and how their discourses and practices draw and maintain a boundary between local and non-local food, whereby local food is considered “autochthonous” of rural space. Thus, this study’s participants construct a local food landscape, conveying rural (vs urban) meanings through which food acquires “localness” (vs non-“localness”) status.
Research limitations/implications
There exists further theoretical opportunity to consider local consumers’ construction of food localness through the politics of belonging in terms of non-representational theory (Thrift, 2008), to help reveal added nuances to the construction of food localness as well as to the complex process of formulating place meaning.
Practical implications
The findings provide considerable scope for food producers, manufacturers and/or marketers to differentiate local food products by enhancing consumers’ direct experience of it in relation to rural space. Thus, enabling local food producers to convey rural (vs urban) meanings to consumers, who would develop an orthodoxy guiding future choice.
Social implications
The findings enable regional promoters and food policymakers to leverage the symbolic distinctiveness of food autochthony to promote place and encourage consumers to participate in their local food system.
Originality/value
By using the politics of belonging as an analytical framework, this study shows that the urban–rural dichotomy – rather than being an obsolete epistemological category – fuels politics of belonging dynamics, and that local food consumers socially construct food localness not merely as a romanticisation of rurality but as a territorial expression of the contemporary local/non-local cultural conflict implied in the politics of belonging. Thus, this study advances our theoretical understanding by demonstrating that food “becomes” local and therefore, builds on extant food localness conceptualisations.
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Emma Sutton, Morven McEachern and Kevin Kane
By using the lens of the social enterprise mark (SEM) accreditation which enables social enterprises to “prove” that the interests of people and planet are put before shareholder…
Abstract
Purpose
By using the lens of the social enterprise mark (SEM) accreditation which enables social enterprises to “prove” that the interests of people and planet are put before shareholder gain, this study aims to enhance the knowledge of how effectively the social agenda is communicated by higher education institutions (HEIs).
Design/methodology/approach
By using a qualitative research design, this exploratory study uses a combination of both a focus group and in-depth interviews with HEI holders of the SEM.
Findings
With a particular focus on University A, this study advances the knowledge around how social agendas and the role of the SEM in particular are used to communicate to HEI employees as a key stakeholder group.
Research limitations/implications
At the time of this study, fewer SEM accredited HEIs existed, and therefore, the following conclusions are based upon a small select sample of HEIs that held the SEM. Further studies are needed to provide a more representative view of each university’s use of and commitment to the SEM/ Social Enterprise Gold Mark.
Practical implications
Building on Powell and Osborne’s (2015) observations regarding the role of marketing in social enterprises, the findings of this study offer practical insight into current and or prospective HEI SEM holders as to the role of “social” accreditations, stakeholder perceptions of such marketing initiatives and how they can be used as a vehicle to improve social communications in the future.
Originality/value
The area of social enterprise and social impact has been evolving in recent decades, but literature in relation to its promotion and communication in the higher education sector remains scant. This study responds to this gap in the literature by providing greater insight into how social agendas and engagement with the SEM, specifically, are communicated by HEIs.
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Isabelle T. Szmigin, Deirdre Mary O'Loughlin, Morven McEachern, Kalipso Karantinou, Belem Barbosa, Grigorios Lamprinakos and María Eugenia Fernández-Moya
In the context of European consumers’ experiences of austerity, this study aims to advance current resilience theory in marketing through developing persistent resilience from a…
Abstract
Purpose
In the context of European consumers’ experiences of austerity, this study aims to advance current resilience theory in marketing through developing persistent resilience from a context of austerity influenced consumption.
Design/methodology/approach
Following an interpretivist approach, 38 face to face, in-depth interviews were conducted with European consumers from Ireland, UK, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece who were affected in some way by the global financial crisis.
Findings
Building upon limited conceptual and empirical investigations in social geography, the analysis identifies the themes of persistent stressors and temporal orientation as constants, alongside day-to-day coping, relating and pragmatism, consumer adjustment, repertoires of resistance and transformation as key elements of persistent resilience within the consumption context of austerity.
Research limitations/implications
The study addresses the limited theoretical and empirical focus on persistent resilience and austerity and directly contributes to consumer behaviour and marketing theory in understanding persistent resilience and its implications.
Practical implications
Changes to behaviours as a result of persistent resilience included reducing and stopping consumption, discount shopping, alternative consumption in the form of growing or making and mindful consumption through wastage reduction and re-use.
Social implications
The study highlights the significant social impact of austerity while also identifying positive outcomes for social relations among family, friends and the wider community.
Originality/value
This study develops and extends Golubchikov’s (2011) theory of persistent resilience through exploring European consumer responses to austerity, identifying key consumption characteristics relevant for marketing theory and practice.
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Morven G. McEachern and Claire Seaman
To identify factors that could influence consumer perceptions relating to meat production and areas where further development would be of assistance to British agriculture.
Abstract
Purpose
To identify factors that could influence consumer perceptions relating to meat production and areas where further development would be of assistance to British agriculture.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative semi‐structured interviews of a quota sample of Scottish meat purchasing consumers.
Findings
Results indicate that consumer views on meat production vary widely and that while there are some differences between rural and urban consumers the differences are rarely simple. Views were expressed on a variety of factors including livestock producers, agricultural production, certification and traceability. Relatively few consumers were routinely concerned with assurance labels. Consequently, knowledge of underpinning standards was limited. Primary sources of meat were the major supermarket groups with a distinct bias towards older consumers among those who preferred to shop in small butchers shops. Attitudes towards producers were mainly positive but some consumers remained sceptical about producer behaviour during hard times.
Research limitations/implications
While more research would clearly be required to consider a broader spectrum of UK consumers, these current data indicate that consumer understanding of food information and indeed their interest and credibility of the current systems is a subject that would benefit from much wider research. The practical implications for the development of Government policy and for the idividual producers are substantial and would benefit from considerable clarification.
Originality/value
Prior research concerning meat production and the views of consumers is limited. Theses findings have implications for future sector‐based communications to consumers, in that equal emphasis should be given to both rural and urban consumers. More collaborative communications measures must be implemented to ensure consumer awareness/understanding of underpinning assurance label standards and bring about loyal purchase preferences for British produce.
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Monika J.A. Schröder and Morven G. McEachern
A highly‐fragmented UK beef industry today faces large, powerful retailers, potentially giving rise to mistrust and lack of common purpose. Consumer confidence in beef has been…
Abstract
A highly‐fragmented UK beef industry today faces large, powerful retailers, potentially giving rise to mistrust and lack of common purpose. Consumer confidence in beef has been undermined by BSE and similar crises. The beef supply chain has responded with a number of initiatives designed to improve the quality and marketing of the product, and Government has put in place risk management controls. This paper uses ISO 9001:2000 as an audit frame to assess quality assurance for beef in Scotland, focusing specifically on supply chain integration and integrity of product specification. Identification of responsibilities for quality within the chain, standard setting and audit are also highlighted.
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Morven G. McEachern, Monika J.A. Schröder, Joyce Willock, Jeryl Whitelock and Roger Mason
This paper aims to explore ethical purchasing behaviours and attitudes, relating to the Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and their brand‐extension…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore ethical purchasing behaviours and attitudes, relating to the Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and their brand‐extension “Freedom Food”.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed methodology was adopted. This involved both in‐depth interviews with 30 consumers and a postal survey of 1,000 consumers. Beliefs, attitudes, normative and control issues were measured within the context of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Structural equation modelling was used to explore a series of dependence relationships simultaneously.
Findings
Overall, consumers' moral obligations towards food‐animals as well as consumer location are confirmed as influencing ethical brand choice. Both variables provide additional predictive capability improvements, raising the percentage of explained variance by 28 per cent to 80 per cent. The RSPCA's brand extension is clearly successful in terms of the positive, association value between the parent brand and the extended brand. However, market opportunities to increase market potential exist. These opportunities are discussed.
Originality/value
Despite the plethora of brand extensions amongst conventional fast‐moving consumer goods, the success of the brand extension concept remains unexplored amongst ethical products. Similarly, within the ethical consumption literature the majority of ethical research focuses either on environmental issues or Fair Trade purchasing behaviour, with much less attention given to societal concern for animal welfare. Additional originality is gained by exploring consumer purchase activities of “Freedom Food” branded meat by adopting the TPB as a theoretical framework.
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Morven G. McEachern and Monika J.A. Schröder
Superior knowledge of customers’ perceptions of value is recognised as a critical success factor in today's competitive marketplace. Despite this, the voice of the consumer is…
Abstract
Superior knowledge of customers’ perceptions of value is recognised as a critical success factor in today's competitive marketplace. Despite this, the voice of the consumer is often poorly integrated within the value chain, the UK fresh‐meat sector being one example. This supply chain has attempted to add value through the implementation of value‐based labelling schemes. Few studies, however, have assessed the value created for consumers. Using both in‐depth interviews and a postal survey of 1,000 fresh‐meat consumers based in Scotland, this paper offers a strategic insight into how coordinators of value‐based labelling schemes might integrate the voice of the consumer within the fresh‐meat value chain. Structural equation models are used to develop marketing recommendations. The main attitudes driving consumer purchases of fresh meat bearing a value‐based label are identified and the market potential for further differentiation of each value‐based label is examined. Future research opportunities are also explored.
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Susanne Padel and Carolyn Foster
The purpose of the paper is to explore the values that underlie consumers purchasing decisions of organic food.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to explore the values that underlie consumers purchasing decisions of organic food.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws on data from focus groups and laddering interviews with a total of 181 regular and occasional consumers of organic food that were contrasted with survey results of other studies.
Findings
The results show that most consumers associate organic at first with vegetables and fruit and a healthy diet with organic products. Fruit and vegetables are also the first and in many cases only experience with buying organic product. The decision‐making process is complex and the importance of motives and barriers may vary between product categories.
Research limitations/implications
While further research would be required to facilitate full understanding of the consumer‐decision making process with regard to organic produce, this work indicates the complexity of the process and the likelihood of variation between different product categories. Future research should consider tradeoffs that consumers make between values and product as well as consumer segmentation.
Originality/value
Prior research concerning the consumer decision‐making process with regard to organically produced food is limited. Theses findings have implications for future sector‐based communications to consumers and, potentially, for product development and labelling.
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Morven G. McEachern and Joyce Willock
Research into organic production is internationally widespread but has rarely focused on producer's motivations for adopting organic farming techniques and whether organic…
Abstract
Research into organic production is internationally widespread but has rarely focused on producer's motivations for adopting organic farming techniques and whether organic consumers share their values. As conventional agricultural prices remain depressed, questions arise surrounding producer's motivations towards organic production. For example, are motivations based on economic rather than ethical decisions? Additionally, what motivations underpin consumer's organic purchases and are those values shared between producers and consumers? Using postal questionnaires, the attitudes and motivations of both producers and consumers towards organic livestock production, are explored. Future recommendations are made to the industry with regard to the UK market for organically produced meat.