Position and Role of Social Supermarkets in Food Supply Chains

Blazenka Knezevic, Škrobot Petra () and Žmuk Berislav ()
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Škrobot Petra: University of Zagreb, Faculty of Economics and Business, Zagreb, Croatia
Žmuk Berislav: University of Zagreb, Faculty of Economics and Business, Zagreb, Croatia

Business Systems Research, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 179-196

Abstract: Background: Social supermarkets were developed in Europe after the economic crisis 2008-2014. Their purpose is to decrease food waste that occurs in traditional food supply chains and to ensure access to food to socially endangered citizens. Objectives: This paper analyses the general perception of consumers regarding the mission and purpose of social supermarkets in four Central Eastern European (CEE) countries: Croatia, Poland, Lithuania, and Serbia. Methods/Approach: The paper brings the results of the survey research conducted in the observed CEE countries measuring attitudes towards the relevance and the role of social supermarkets. Results: There is a positive attitude regarding the existence of social supermarkets in all the analysed CEE countries. Less than 10% of respondents claim that there is no need for such organizations. In Croatia, Lithuania, and Poland examinees claim that reduction of food waste rather than reduction of poverty should be emphasized as a mission of social supermarkets. Conclusions: Social supermarkets require improvement of a legal framework, welfare system integration, and implementation of state monitoring. Moreover, larger involvement of religious communities, national and local governments, as supporting institutions is observed as a necessity in all the countries.

Keywords: supply chain; social supermarkets; food distribution; CEE (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I3 M3 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bit:bsrysr:v:12:y:2021:i:1:p:179-196:n:8

DOI: 10.2478/bsrj-2021-0012

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