Sustainability of Food Placement in Retailing during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Jelena Končar, Radenko Marić, Goran Vukmirović and Sonja Vučenović
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Jelena Končar: Faculty of Economics, The University of Novi Sad, 24000 Subotica, Serbia
Radenko Marić: Faculty of Economics, The University of Novi Sad, 24000 Subotica, Serbia
Goran Vukmirović: Faculty of Economics, The University of Novi Sad, 24000 Subotica, Serbia
Sonja Vučenović: Faculty of Economics, The University of Novi Sad, 24000 Subotica, Serbia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-19

Abstract: This work aims to define the impact of different indicators on the sustainability of food placement in the retail sector, during periods of crisis and emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. An empirical survey conducted in the Western Balkans (WB) region showed that indicators such as developed infrastructure, consistency, and transparency of the supply chain, skilled workers, costs, food safety, food prices, energy consumption, and changes in consumer needs are statistically significant since they affect the sustainability of food placement in the retail sector. As food placement and the retail sector itself are inseparable from other participants in the food supply chain (FSC), an analysis was conducted at the level of all FSC sectors. The results showed some deviations viewed individually in the sectors of production, physical distribution, wholesale, and retail, and in selected Western Balkan countries. Based on the results obtained, the sustainability model of food placement in the retail sector has been defined. The model will serve as the basis for defining the set of measures and incentives that competent institutions and FSC management need to undertake, to minimize the impact of indicators that endanger sustainability. The originality of the study lies in the fact that it fills the research gap that exists in this subject matter in academic research and studies in the WB region. In addition, some indicators important for food placement have been precisely isolated, with the definition of the intensity of their impact, observed overall at the level of the entire FSC as well as by individual sectors. Guidelines and suggestions for future research are listed in the paper.

Keywords: food supply chain (FSC); food placement; retail sector; COVID-19 pandemic; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:11:p:5956-:d:561748

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