Measuring the Economic, Environmental, and Social Sustainability of Short Food Supply Chains

Agata Malak-Rawlikowska, Edward Majewski, Adam Wąs, Svein Ole Borgen, Peter Csillag, Michele Donati, Richard Freeman, Viet Hoàng, Jean-Loup Lecoeur, Maria Cecilia Mancini, An Nguyen, Monia Saïdi, Barbara Tocco, Aron Torok, Mario Veneziani, Gunnar Vittersø and Pierre Wavresky
Additional contact information
Agata Malak-Rawlikowska: Faculty of Economic Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Edward Majewski: Faculty of Economic Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Adam Wąs: Faculty of Economic Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Svein Ole Borgen: SIFO Consumption Research Norway, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Peter Csillag: ECO-SENSUS Research and Communication Non-profit Ltd., 7100 Szekszárd, Hungary
Michele Donati: Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Università degli Studi di Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
Richard Freeman: Newcastle University Business School, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4SE, UK
Viet Hoàng: School of Economics, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
Jean-Loup Lecoeur: CESAER, AgroSup Dijon, INRA, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000 Dijon, France
Maria Cecilia Mancini: Department of Economics and Management, Università degli Studi di Parma, 43125 Parma, Italy
An Nguyen: School of Economics, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
Monia Saïdi: CESAER, AgroSup Dijon, INRA, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000 Dijon, France
Gunnar Vittersø: SIFO Consumption Research Norway, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Pierre Wavresky: CESAER, AgroSup Dijon, INRA, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000 Dijon, France

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 15, 1-23

Abstract: The production and distribution of food are among the hot topics debated in the context of sustainable development. Short food supply chains (SFSCs) are now widely believed to be more sustainable in comparison to mass food delivery systems. To date, very little quantitative evidence exists on the impacts of various types of food supply chains. Using a cross-sectional quantitative approach, this study assesses the sustainability of distribution channels in short and long food supply chains based on 208 food producers across seven countries: France, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam. Ten distribution channel types are used in this study. To provide a comprehensive sustainability assessment, a set of economic, social, and environmental indicators are applied. Indicators commonly used in the literature are used, supported by original indicators constructed specifically for the present study. In total, 486 chains are examined and the study confirms that individual producers participate simultaneously in several, short and long chains. Participation in SFSCs is beneficial for producers from an economic perspective. SFSCs allow producers to capture a large proportion of margin otherwise absorbed by different intermediaries. It appears, however, that ’longer’ supply channels generate lower environmental impacts per unit of production when measured in terms of food miles and carbon footprint. Finally, ambiguous results are found regarding social dimension, with significant differences across types of chains.

Keywords: short food supply chains (SFSCs); economic, social and environmental sustainability; indicators; impact assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (54)

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