Examining the Role of Local Products in Rural Development in the Light of Consumer Preferences—Results of a Consumer Survey from Hungary

Konrád Kiss, Csaba Ruszkai, Antónia Szűcs and Gábor Koncz
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Konrád Kiss: Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Szent István University, H-2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Csaba Ruszkai: Centre for Research and Development—Innoregio Knowledge Centre, Eszterházy Károly University, H-3300 Eger, Hungary
Antónia Szűcs: Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Rural Development, Eszterházy Károly University—Gyöngyös Károly Róbert Campus, H-3200 Gyöngyös, Hungary
Gábor Koncz: Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Rural Development, Eszterházy Károly University—Gyöngyös Károly Róbert Campus, H-3200 Gyöngyös, Hungary

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 13, 1-24

Abstract: The scientific examination of short food supply chains is justified by consumer interest and their role in the European Unions’ subsidy policy and rural development. In our current article, we present the results of a consumer survey of more than a thousand people from Hungary. It was conducted in the North Hungarian (rural) region. Our research goals were: (1) To access consumer demand for short food supply chains and to determine the characteristics of consumers who prefer local foods; and (2) to examine the role of short food supply chains in rural development by a territorial comparison. The results showed that consumers’ willingness to pay a theoretical premium for local products was high (averagely +20.7%). Compared to that, we considered their monthly purchased quantity low. We found a statistically valid, yet weak, correlation that on a monthly basis, the purchase of local products was more significant for consumers from smaller settlements and villages than those from (greater) cities. Furthermore, there were factors in some consumers’ preferences that indicated a greater interest for small producers’ goods. Although it was not possible to assess the absolute demand of the studied rural area, these results (at a certain level) confirm the potential of short food chains in rural development.

Keywords: short supply chain; short food supply chain; local products; consumers’ survey; rural development; consumers’ attitudes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:13:p:5473-:d:381408

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