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Is Buying Local Food a Sustainable Practice? A Scoping Review of Consumers’ Preference for Local Food

Author

Listed:
  • Lucio Cappelli

    (Department of Economic and Law, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, 03043 Cassino, Italy)

  • Fabrizio D’Ascenzo

    (Department of Management, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Roberto Ruggieri

    (Department of Management, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Irina Gorelova

    (Department of Management, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

Access to healthy food and the introduction of sustainable nutrition practices are two important issues today. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges to food security but it has also provided opportunities for local food production. The discussion on local food has been gaining attention in recent years, but there is still a lack of clear understanding of the term ‘local food’ in the literature. The relationship between local food and sustainability issues is still unclear and has various connotations. This discordance leads to further discussions on whether buying local food should be considered a sustainable behavior and whether consumer preference for local food can be perceived as a sustainable practice. A scoping literature review was conducted in order to fill this gap and to shed light on the main tendencies of the scientific literature regarding this topic. The outcomes of the research revealed three dimensions of ‘local food’ definitions in the literature: geographical, geopolitical, and organic; while the problem of a unified local food definition remains open. The studied literature did not show any sound evidence for sustainability attributes in the definition of local food and consumer perception of local food.

Suggested Citation

  • Lucio Cappelli & Fabrizio D’Ascenzo & Roberto Ruggieri & Irina Gorelova, 2022. "Is Buying Local Food a Sustainable Practice? A Scoping Review of Consumers’ Preference for Local Food," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-17, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:2:p:772-:d:722118
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jitka Kalábová & Stanislav Mokrý & Jana Turčínková, 2013. "Regional differences of consumer preferences when shopping for regional products," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 61(7), pages 2255-2259.
    2. Azucena Gracia & Jesús Barreiro-Hurlé & Belinda López- Galán, 2014. "Are Local and Organic Claims Complements or Substitutes? A Consumer Preferences Study for Eggs," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 65(1), pages 49-67, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mark Schoor & Ana Patricia Arenas-Salazar & Irineo Torres-Pacheco & Ramón Gerardo Guevara-González & Enrique Rico-García, 2023. "A Review of Sustainable Pillars and their Fulfillment in Agriculture, Aquaculture, and Aquaponic Production," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-20, May.
    2. Liga Proskina & Lana Janmere & Sallija Cerina & Irina Pilvere & Aija Pilvere & Aleksejs Nipers & Daniela Proskina, 2024. "Potential Impacts of Diversification of Food Retail Working Hours on Consumer Behaviour and the Benefits for Local Producers in Latvia," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-35, October.
    3. Groth, Carolin & Wegmann, Christoph & Meyerding, Stephan G.H., 2023. "Perception of product sustainability: The case of processed tomatoes – A qualitative study in Germany," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    4. Magdalena Raftowicz, 2022. "Prospects for the Development of the Demand for Carp in Poland among Young Consumers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-17, March.

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