What makes a devoted local-food-buying club customer?

Local food-buying clubs (LFBCs) are special types of consumer-driven grassroots groups that are particularly well suited to enhancing the transition to a post-growth economy, given the finite growth potential of individual communities, the tendency of groups to distribute rather than accumulate capi...

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Main Authors: Zsófia Benedek, Imre Fertő
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Heliyon
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024160616
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author Zsófia Benedek
Imre Fertő
author_facet Zsófia Benedek
Imre Fertő
author_sort Zsófia Benedek
collection DOAJ
description Local food-buying clubs (LFBCs) are special types of consumer-driven grassroots groups that are particularly well suited to enhancing the transition to a post-growth economy, given the finite growth potential of individual communities, the tendency of groups to distribute rather than accumulate capital, and the prospects of the movement for expansion. This paper analyses consumers of LFBCs and analyses how the different constructs proposed by the theory of planned behaviour are applicable according to engagement with LFBCs. A representative survey was run in May 2020 in Hungary. Respondents who were classified as devoted (regular) LFBC customers, occasional LFBC customers, and consumers not interested in local food were compared pairwise through matching-based treatment effect analysis approaches. Consumers of LFBCs comprised a heterogeneous group based on their pre-existing beliefs and attitudes. Occasional LFBC customers emphasised the broad quality-related features of local food and the potential for supporting local farmers. For more devoted customers, environmental aspects were very important. As belonging to a group has been shown to shape attitudes, targeted messages applied by LFBC managers may increase the level of engagement, contributing to the more efficient scaling up of local food systems.
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spelling doaj-art-b2edd87fd504465d8bc7e442a8a69bc72024-12-13T10:58:30ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402024-12-011023e40030What makes a devoted local-food-buying club customer? Zsófia Benedek0 Imre Fertő1HUN-REN Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Budapest, Tóth K. U. 4. H-1097, HungaryHUN-REN Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Budapest, Tóth K. U. 4. H-1097, Hungary; Corvinus University of Budapest, Budapest, Fővám tér 8, H-1093, Hungary; Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129 165 00 Praha - Suchdol, Czech Republic; Corresponding author. HUN-REN Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Budapest, Tóth K. U. 4. H-1097, Hungary.Local food-buying clubs (LFBCs) are special types of consumer-driven grassroots groups that are particularly well suited to enhancing the transition to a post-growth economy, given the finite growth potential of individual communities, the tendency of groups to distribute rather than accumulate capital, and the prospects of the movement for expansion. This paper analyses consumers of LFBCs and analyses how the different constructs proposed by the theory of planned behaviour are applicable according to engagement with LFBCs. A representative survey was run in May 2020 in Hungary. Respondents who were classified as devoted (regular) LFBC customers, occasional LFBC customers, and consumers not interested in local food were compared pairwise through matching-based treatment effect analysis approaches. Consumers of LFBCs comprised a heterogeneous group based on their pre-existing beliefs and attitudes. Occasional LFBC customers emphasised the broad quality-related features of local food and the potential for supporting local farmers. For more devoted customers, environmental aspects were very important. As belonging to a group has been shown to shape attitudes, targeted messages applied by LFBC managers may increase the level of engagement, contributing to the more efficient scaling up of local food systems.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024160616Sustainability transitionsAlternative food networksShort food supply chainsTheory of planned behaviourTreatment effect estimates
spellingShingle Zsófia Benedek
Imre Fertő
What makes a devoted local-food-buying club customer?
Heliyon
Sustainability transitions
Alternative food networks
Short food supply chains
Theory of planned behaviour
Treatment effect estimates
title What makes a devoted local-food-buying club customer?
title_full What makes a devoted local-food-buying club customer?
title_fullStr What makes a devoted local-food-buying club customer?
title_full_unstemmed What makes a devoted local-food-buying club customer?
title_short What makes a devoted local-food-buying club customer?
title_sort what makes a devoted local food buying club customer
topic Sustainability transitions
Alternative food networks
Short food supply chains
Theory of planned behaviour
Treatment effect estimates
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024160616
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