Sustainability and authenticity: are they food risk relievers during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Abstract

PurposeThe study jointly investigates sustainability and authenticity concepts in the food context during the COVID-19 outbreak with a fourfold objective: (1) understanding whether sustainability and authenticity are equivalent concepts in consumers' perceptions; (2) advancing knowledge on the role played by them about food frauds' perception; (3) investigating whether these concepts are considered as “risk relievers” by consumers, (4) comparing the concepts to understand which one has a greater weight on the consumer's perception.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a Combination of a Uniform and a shifted Binomial distribution (CUB models) on data gathered in Spain between June and August 2020 through an online questionnaire.FindingsThe findings reveal that: (1) consumers perceive sustainability and authenticity as different concepts in the food context and (2) as two important indicators of fraud protection of a product for consumers; (3) besides, authenticity is seen as a “risk reliever” in buying a food product, as well as sustainability, (4) although results underline high uncertainty in the latter case.Originality/valueBy considering that the COVID-19 outbreak seriously threatens food safety, security and nutrition, this research elucidates the relevant role of food sustainability and authenticity concepts as “risk relievers” in terms of food frauds and negative issues related to COVID-19.

The use of smart biosensors during a food safety incident: Consumers' cognitive‐behavioural responses and willingness to pay

“…This is because smart biosensors can help consumers to reduce perceived risk subjectivity on the basis of scientific evidence and thus to plan less frequent shopping and reduce waste of high perishable food when they might be unsure about their consumption in proximity of shelf‐life expire. Biosensors could also become relevant during pandemic crises like COVID‐19 because they can reduce perceived risk in the face of consumers' increasing uncertainty and pressuring demand for safety and thus they can offer marketers and other stakeholders to take advantage of ad hoc pricing strategies (Bresciani et al, 2021; Marozzo et al, 2022).…”

Employee emotional competence and service recovery satisfaction: the mediating role of consumer forgiveness

“…Following previous studies (e.g. Marozzo et al. , 2022) the questionnaire was distributed by using the virtual snowball sampling technique, which is a non-probability sampling technique in which research participants recruit other participants.…”

“…Following previous studies (e.g. Marozzo et al, 2022) the questionnaire was distributed by using the virtual snowball sampling technique, which is a non-probability sampling technique in which research participants recruit other participants. Data collection was carried out between July 2021 and Feb 2022 and a sample of 204 consumers was considered for final analysis.…”

Examining ecological strategies adopted by agricultural exporting firms in an emerging country

“…, 2021; Severo et al. , 2021) and has challenged the sustainability of the global food supply chains (Marozzo et al. , 2022).…”

“…This is highlighted by Lee and Rhee (2007, p. 197) that "the environmental decision areas that firms have to consider in their environmental management include product, process, organization and systems, supply chain and recovery, and the external relationshiprelated decision area". ESs are expected to receive increasing practical attention in the context that COVID-19 has driven people to further acknowledge the importance of the ecosystem (Nguyen et al, 2021;Severo et al, 2021) and has challenged the sustainability of the global food supply chains (Marozzo et al, 2022).…”