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US Consumers’ Perception of Local and Organic Food: An Analysis Based on Means-End Chain Analysis and Word Association

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  • Haas, Rainer
  • Sterns, James
  • Meixner, Oliver

Abstract

The market of local and organic food is still a niche market in the USA, despite its strong growth rates. Both offer consumers an alternative to a globalized anonymous food supply chain. Yet local food and organic food seem to be overlapping and to some degree competing food concepts. While the organic food market somehow has managed to “mature”, being widely distributed in national supermarket chains, local food in the US still seems to be tied to a “grassroots food movement”, being mainly distributed over short food supply chains. With several trends indicating sustained growth for local and organic consumption, this paper first addresses different connotations of local food and compares them to standard definitions of organic food. The main focus is to explore the perception of US consumers towards local and organic food, using results from two different studies, both using laddering techniques and word association tests, which were undertaken at Cornell University in New York State and at the University of Florida in the city of Gainesville. These findings are used to arrive at a better understanding of the image of local and organic food, and the motives and values of local and organic food consumers’.

Suggested Citation

  • Haas, Rainer & Sterns, James & Meixner, Oliver, 2013. "US Consumers’ Perception of Local and Organic Food: An Analysis Based on Means-End Chain Analysis and Word Association," 2013 International European Forum, February 18-22, 2013, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 164759, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:iefi13:164759
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.164759
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Low, Sarah A. & Vogel, Stephen J., 2011. "Direct and Intermediated Marketing of Local Foods in the United States," Economic Research Report 118025, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    2. Martinez, Stephen W. & Hand, Michael S. & Da Pra, Michelle & Pollack, Susan L. & Ralston, Katherine L. & Smith, Travis A. & Vogel, Stephen J. & Clark, Shellye & Lohr, Luanne & Low, Sarah A. & Newman, , 2010. "Local Food Systems: Concepts, Impacts, and Issues," Economic Research Report 96635, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
      • Martinez, Steve & Hand, Michael & Da Pra, Michelle & Pollack, Susan & Ralston, Katherine & Smith, Travis & Vogel, Stephen & Clarke, Shellye & Lohr, Luanne & Low, Sarah & Newman, Constance, 2010. "Local food systems: concepts, impacts, and issues," MPRA Paper 24313, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Kim Darby & Marvin T. Batte & Stan Ernst & Brian Roe, 2008. "Decomposing Local: A Conjoint Analysis of Locally Produced Foods," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 90(2), pages 476-486.
    4. House, Lisa & Patel, Payal & Thomas, Spreen, 2009. "How do Different Countries use PDO/GI Standards: A Case Study Comparing Wisconsin Cheddar to Parmesan-Reggiano," 2009 International European Forum, February 15-20, 2009, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 59176, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
    5. Zanoli, Raffaele & Naspetti, Simona, 2002. "Consumer motivations in the purchase of organic food. A means-end approach," MPRA Paper 32712, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Zepeda, Lydia & Leviten-Reid, Catherine, 2004. "Consumers' Views on Local Food," Journal of Food Distribution Research, Food Distribution Research Society, vol. 35(3), pages 1-6, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bianca Polenzani & Chiara Riganelli & Andrea Marchini, 2020. "Sustainability Perception of Local Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Consumers’ Attitude: A New Italian Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-18, January.
    2. Iliriana Miftari & Rainer Haas & Oliver Meixner & Drini Imami & Ekrem Gjokaj, 2022. "Factors Influencing Consumer Attitudes towards Organic Food Products in a Transition Economy—Insights from Kosovo," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-14, May.
    3. Rainer Haas & Alina Schnepps & Anni Pichler & Oliver Meixner, 2019. "Cow Milk versus Plant-Based Milk Substitutes: A Comparison of Product Image and Motivational Structure of Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-25, September.

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