Exploring the Quality of Commercial Relations Between Producers and Buyers in the Fruit and Vegetable Supply Chain

Roberta Pietrangeli, Clara Cicatiello (), Francesca Galli, Anna Carbone, Luca Cacchiarelli, Alessandro Sorrentino and Carlo Russo
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Roberta Pietrangeli: Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems, University of Tuscia, Via San Camillo de Lellis Snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Clara Cicatiello: Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems, University of Tuscia, Via San Camillo de Lellis Snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Francesca Galli: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Anna Carbone: Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems, University of Tuscia, Via San Camillo de Lellis Snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Luca Cacchiarelli: Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization, University of Tuscia, Via del Paradiso 47, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Alessandro Sorrentino: Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization, University of Tuscia, Via del Paradiso 47, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Carlo Russo: Department of Economics and Law, University of Cassino and Lazio Meridionale, Via S. Angelo Loc. Folcara, 03043 Cassino, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-18

Abstract: The different bargaining power of actors is a long-standing problem in the fruit and vegetable supply chain, where buyers (e.g., retailers, industry, and wholesalers) have more power than agricultural producers and are, therefore, able to engage in commercial practices that may be perceived as unfavorable or even unfair by the weaker part. This study explores how producers perceive the quality of commercial relations. The methods include a focus group discussion with sales managers of producer organizations and a survey of agricultural producers in Italy. We measure their willingness to change buyer and their stated overall satisfaction with the commercial relation by analyzing ninety-eight commercial relations and five dimensions of quality in the relationship. We identify four clusters of relationships characterized by different quality levels. The satisfaction and willingness to change buyers significantly differ across the clusters; economically favorable commercial relations are associated with a low willingness to change buyers, even when the producer is not satisfied with the overall quality of the relationship. The highest levels of satisfaction and the lower willingness to change buyers are reached for commercial relations that are not only economically favorable but also include positive relational aspects such as trust and mutual commitment.

Keywords: commercial relations; quality of relations; retailers; agricultural producers; supply chain; cluster analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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