Are Local Food Chains More Sustainable than Global Food Chains? Considerations for Assessment

Brunori, Gianluca; Galli, Francesca; Barjolle, Dominique; Broekhuizen, R. van; Colombo, Luca; Giampietro, Mario; Kirwan, James; Lang, Tim; Mathijs, Erik; Maye, Damian; Roest, Kees De; Rougoor, C.W.; Schwarz, Jana; Schmitt, Emilia; Ja, Smith; Stojanović, Žaklina; Tīsenkopfs, Tālis; Touzard, Jean Marc

doi:10.3390/su8050449

Cited by 178 publications

(175 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Dynamics in the value chains, socio-economic and biophysical indicators, local/global categories, and their limits have been explored. A detailed overview is provided in the paper by Brunori et al [12] included in this special issue-here we indicate seven key points on which we think scholars should focus their attention when dealing with food supply chains sustainability assessment.…”

Section: Sustainability Assessment Of Local and Global Chains: Methodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainability of Local and Global Food Chains: Introduction to the Special Issue

Brunori

Galli

2016

Sustainability

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Sustainability assessment is one of the keys to competition by food supply chains over sustainability. The way it is conceived and embodied into decision-makers' choices affects the competitiveness of local and global chains. Science-based assessment methodologies have made substantial progress, but uncertainties-as well as interests at stake-are high. There are no science-based methods that are able to give an unchallenged verdict over the sustainability performance of a firm, let alone a supply chain. Assessment methods are more suited for medium-large firm dimensions, as planning, monitoring, and reporting are costly. Moreover, the availability of data affects the choice of parameters to be measured, and many claims of local food are not easily measurable. To give local chains a chance to operate on a level playing field, there is the need to re-think sustainability assessment processes and tailor them to the characteristics of the analysed supply chains. We indicate seven key points on which we think scholars should focus their attention when dealing with food supply chain sustainability assessment.Keywords: sustainability assessment; local; global; food chains Sustainability as a New Terrain of CompetitionAccording to neoclassical economic theory, market transactions are impersonal: all a buyer needs is knowledge of the price for a given commodity. In this ideal world, when the consumer makes a choice, she may only consider her expected utility. Many market policies tend to orientate to this ideal state; for example, by reducing tariff barriers, simplifying labelling rules, harmonizing common technical standards or sanitary rules, or reducing controls at borders. To guarantee the functioning of markets, public authorities set procedures, establish information and control systems, distribute roles and responsibilities among actors, and identify authorities to ensure that commodities are safe and compliant with a minimum set of quality rules. All these efforts should, in theory, make the food system a "black box" for consumers-an object whose internal mechanisms do not need to be known as long as it works effectively. Recurrent food scandals show that these efforts are not sufficient: free circulation of commodities on a global scale makes the system vulnerable to unforeseen and unintended disease outbreaks and fraudulent behaviour.Concerns and anxieties are amplified by a lack of information and transparency. As lack of information turns into lack of trust [1], consumers increasingly aim at "looking into the black box", and increasingly shape their food choices according to new claims and aspirations of how sustainable food systems should perform.In reaction to these concerns, information becomes a key component of the product and an object of competition: big players have invested in technologies, measurement tools, certification schemes, and social reporting to develop value-based coalitions with consumers and improve their sustainability performance.

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Section: Sustainability Assessment Of Local and Global Chains: Methodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainability of Local and Global Food Chains: Introduction to the Special Issue

Brunori

Galli

2016

Sustainability

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“…The overall assessment compared the economic, social, ethical, health, and environmental impacts of 39 food supply chains belonging to seven different sectors (apples, berries, bread, cheese, pork, tomatoes, and wine) (see Brunori et al [19] for details). This paper draws on work conducted in Switzerland and the UK for the cheese supply chain case study (see also Schmitt et al [20]).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is as such a typical "locality" product, combining localness with large-scale operations [19]. Its historical orientation to export markets made the recognition of the original Le Gruyère difficult at the international level and an agreement had to be concluded with French producers in order to allow the registration of a European PGI for French Gruyère as well.…”

Section: Market Impactmentioning

confidence: 99%

PDO as a Mechanism for Reterritorialisation and Agri-Food Governance: A Comparative Analysis of Cheese Products in the UK and Switzerland

et al. 2016

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Abstract:The protection of geographical indications (European regulation 1151/2012) is arguably the most significant initiative, certainly within Europe, that promotes foods with territorial associations and reorganises agri-food chain governance through a strategy of reterritorialisation. Research on Protected Designation of Origins (PDOs) and Protected Geographical Indications (PGIs) suggests that they generate significant economic value at an EU-level, especially in certain countries. They can also help to deliver territorial rural development policy and develop new food markets. In this paper we examine the way the PDO scheme has been developed and applied in one commodity sector (cheese) in two countries (Switzerland and the UK), where the uptake of PDOs is variable. We adopt a food chain approach and examine specific cheese product case studies (at micro and meso levels) in both countries to better understand how the PDO scheme (as a territorialisation and respacing strategy) is implemented. L'Etivaz and Le Gruyère are examined in Switzerland. Single Gloucester and West Country cheddar are examined in the UK. The PDO scheme is an important governance strategy and regulatory system, but despite strict guidelines regarding implementation and geographical infrastructure there are notable differences between the UK and Switzerland in terms of how the label is used to organise and respatialise food chains: it is framed as a strategy to protect the rural economy in Switzerland but is promoted more as a mechanism to communicate and reconnect with consumers in the UK.

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“…The development of multicriteria sustainability assessments enhances the knowledge basis for making decisions towards sustainability transformation through better tools and more appropriate tool choices (e.g., [44]). However, it has proven harder than expected to put into practice the principles of sustainability assessment [45,46]. Many sustainability attributes are not (yet) measurable and "hard" methodologies need to be complemented by "soft" methodologies which are at least able to identify critical issues and trade-offs [45].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Performance versus Values in Sustainability Transformation of Food Systems

et al. 2017

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Abstract:Questions have been raised on what role the knowledge provided by sustainability science actually plays in the transition to sustainability and what role it may play in the future. In this paper we investigate different approaches to sustainability transformation of food systems by analyzing the rationale behind transformative acts-the ground that the direct agents of change act upon-and how the type of rationale is connected to the role of research and how the agents of change are involved. To do this we employ Max Weber's distinction between instrumental rationality and value-rationality in social action. In particular, we compare two different approaches to the role of research in sustainability transformation: (1) Performance-based approaches that measure performance and set up sustainability indicator targets and benchmarks to motivate the agents in the food system to change; (2) Values-based approaches that aim at communicating and mediating sustainability values to enable coordinated and cooperative action to transform the food system. We identify their respective strengths and weaknesses based on a cross-case analysis of four cases, and propose that the two approaches, like Weber's two types of rationality, are complementary-because they are based on complementary observer stances-and that an optimal in-between approach therefore cannot be found. However, there are options for reflexive learning by observing one perspective-and its possible blind spots-from the vantage point of the other, so we suggest that new strategies for sustainability transformation can be found based on reflexive rationality as a third and distinct type of rationality.Keywords: complementarity; food systems; perspectives; rationality; sustainability assessment; sustainability transformation; sustainability transition; sustainability science "Like any action, social action may be determined as: (1) instrumentally rational through expectations of the behavior of objects in the environment and of other human beings, and the use of these expectations as "conditions" or "means" to attain one's own rationally pursued and calculated ends; (2) value-rational through a conscious belief in

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Are Local Food Chains More Sustainable than Global Food Chains? Considerations for Assessment

Cited by 178 publications

References 30 publications

Sustainability of Local and Global Food Chains: Introduction to the Special Issue

Sustainability of Local and Global Food Chains: Introduction to the Special Issue

PDO as a Mechanism for Reterritorialisation and Agri-Food Governance: A Comparative Analysis of Cheese Products in the UK and Switzerland

Performance versus Values in Sustainability Transformation of Food Systems

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