IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/bstrat/v34y2025i2p1792-1809.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unpacking Proximity for Sustainability in Short Food Supply Chains

Author

Listed:
  • Verónica León‐Bravo
  • Belinda Borrello
  • Federica Ciccullo
  • Federico Caniato

Abstract

Short food supply chains (SFSCs) have been frequently named as sustainable alternatives to global chains, associated with the concept of local chain, and emphasizing the role of geographical proximity for achieving sustainability. However, it is also recognized that geographical proximity is not enough to build SFSCs and create a sustainable impact. A multi‐dimensional approach identifies three types of proximity: geographical, relational, and informational proximity to define SFSCs. Hence, the aim of this study is to extend that body of literature by investigating the role of relational and informational proximities in SFSCs. We analyze a set of 23 companies in four food industry sectors in Italy to characterize the practices implemented to build proximity, upstream and downstream, in their supply chains. Our findings reveal a combination of different practices along the three proximity dimensions that define SFSCs. These results allow also to underline how specific practices for relational and information proximity are paramount for attaining sustainability objectives in SFSCs.

Suggested Citation

  • Verónica León‐Bravo & Belinda Borrello & Federica Ciccullo & Federico Caniato, 2025. "Unpacking Proximity for Sustainability in Short Food Supply Chains," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(2), pages 1792-1809, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:34:y:2025:i:2:p:1792-1809
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.4079
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.4079
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/bse.4079?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:34:y:2025:i:2:p:1792-1809. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-0836 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.