Angulo, Ana M. (author), Gil, Jose M. (author), and Gracia, Azucena (author)
Format:
Book chapter
Publication Date:
1997
Published:
International
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C20445
Notes:
Pages 275-294 in Berend Wierenga, Aad van Tilburg, Klaus Grunert, Jan-Benedict E.M. Steenkamp and Michel Wedel (eds.), Agricultural marketing and consumer behavior in a changing world. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, Massachusetts. 314 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 142 Document Number: C21827
Notes:
Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 3 pages., A study suggests that Southerners, more than other Americans, have maintained the tradition of having an evening meal at home.
21 pages., Credibility is particularly important in organic food systems because there are only marginal visual and sensorial differences between organic and conventionally produced products, requiring consumers to trust in producers’ quality claims. In this article I explore what challenges the credibility of organic food systems and I explore how credibility of organic food systems can be maintained, using the Danish organic food system as a case study. The question is increasingly relevant as the sale of organic food is growing in Denmark as well as globally, and consumers’ expectations of organics continuously evolve. The inquiry is threefold, first I outline a conceptual framework for understanding trust and credibility in the food system, secondly I explore the developments in Danish organic food systems and thirdly discuss the challenges and opportunities for maintaining trust in the Danish organic food system. In the analysis I indicate eight key challenges: (1) unrealistic expectations, (2) blind trust and little motivation for extending their knowledge, (3) consumers assess the overall credibility of organic products, (4) ambitious ethical principles, (5) new consumer groups introduce new expectations, (6) frozen requirements in a changing world, (7) growing imports and labelling and (8) multiple versions of organics and the diversity is growing, as well as four aspects which may maintain the credibility of organics if implemented: (1) coordinate expectations, (2) communicate requested information, (3) institutional reform and (4) open communication of pros and cons of organic production.
