Search results

This paper sets out to profile the activities and consumers of a unique and successful local food retail outlet in the UK that is based on weekly community markets.

The seminal literature on local food in the UK is reviewed prior to providing a case study on a local food outlet, the True Food Co‐op. This is followed by the results from a detailed survey of its customers.

The increase in availability of and interest in local food over the last decade has been matched by new research findings. Although there is a consensus on the reasons why people buy local food, there are significant gaps in other areas of one's understanding, such as the lack of a clear definition of what local food is. This is frustrating further developments in the sector.

Business development strategies that rely on niche markets, such as local food, in fast‐moving consumer goods categories are enjoying rapid growth. However, there are many difficulties with research in this area that emerge from the multitude of purchases made by numerous people, of various products, and in different places.

Innovative community‐based food retail outlets, such as the True Food Co‐op, provide an example of a business model that links consumers and producers in local food networks. As such they contribute to food security by filling a vital role in a diversified, resilient and environmentally friendly food system.

The paper publicises recent research findings in the local food sector that have practical implications for policy. In addition, these findings are important for individual businesses in the local food sector which are aiming to develop and secure their position in the marketplace.

The purpose of this paper is to understand what motivates consumers, in particular consumers of local food products or locavores, to purchase in local retail channels vs traditional supermarkets. Using the Theory of Reasoned Action, and reviewing the literature on traceability, social relationships, involvement, values, motivation, and distribution channels, the authors propose a model explaining the antecedents and consequences of local food consumption for both locavores and traditional supermarket consumers.

Face to face interviews were conducted in supermarket and farmers market contexts in a mid-sized city in France. A structural equation modelling was used to explain the relationship between the examined variables.

The results suggest that consumers in traditional food distribution channels are not very involved with local food products. Alternatively, this research shows that for locavores, traceability and social links are positively related to involvement with local food products, which lowers price perceptions and positively influences utilitarian shopping value.

The research provides a first empirical and academic perspective on local food consumption within different food retail channels in Europe. Much of the recent results on locavores and their behaviours have been conducted in North America and/or have remained rather conceptual.

The objective of the research is to understand Indian consumers' definition of retail service quality with respect to small retailers and influence of hedonic and utilitarian shopping values in determining their expectations towards small retail service quality.

Data were collected through a small retail store‐intercept technique in four cities of Northern India (n=386).

The results indicate that small retail service quality for Indian consumers comprises ambience, layout, and service/relationships dimensions. Hedonic and utilitarian shopping values influence consumers' service quality evaluations.

The study did not consider demographic variables like income, education, and occupation as factors that might affect consumers' perceptions towards retail service quality.

The findings can help small retailers in improving their service quality by focusing on Indian consumers' hedonic and utilitarian shopping values. The research helps small retailers to combat the competitive pressures of organized retailing in the Indian retail landscape.

There has been limited research on understanding consumers' perceptions towards retail service quality in the Indian setting. Further, there is no research to examine Indian consumers' perceptions towards small retailers' quality attributes.

The purpose of the study was to understand influence of assortment, store facility, service and relationship on Indian consumers’ small retailer patronage behaviour. The determinant of small retailer–consumer relationships was studied.

Indian consumers were contacted through retail stores intercept method and requested to participate in the survey (n = 321). The questionnaire was adapted from the research conducted by Lee et al. (2008) and modified (some items on relationship were added). ANOVA and multiple regression tests were used to analyze the data.

The Indian consumers’ prefer small retailers due to assortment, service, store facility and relationship. The older and younger populations differ in their reasons for preferring small retail stores. The results show that service and assortment influence consumer-small retailer relationships.

The small retailers’ can harness the relationship and social interaction attribute of their service package for defending their turf against organized retail. The fast-moving consumer goods companies can use the competitive strength of small retailers for increasing their distribution in the interiors of the country and understanding market demand.

There is limited research in India to understand competitive advantage of small retailers over organized retailing.

To achieve a full understanding of the role of marketing from plan to profit requires a knowledge of the basic building blocks. This textbook introduces the key concepts in the art or science of marketing to practising managers. Understanding your customers and consumers, the 4 Ps (Product, Place, Price and Promotion) provides the basic tools for effective marketing. Deploying your resources and informing your managerial decision making is dealt with in Unit VII introducing marketing intelligence, competition, budgeting and organisational issues. The logical conclusion of this effort is achieving sales and the particular techniques involved are explored in the final section.

The market for goods and services is a continually changing environment influenced by many internal and external factors. The majority of economies in the World were deeply hit by the coronavirus epidemic (COVID-19) in the first half of 2020. This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the role of a crisis, COVID-19 in this case, in moderating the market environment and its ability to accelerate or slow down ongoing processes.

A questionnaire survey was used to obtain the opinions of 100 customers and 100 local retailers on the digitisation of the shopping process in a medium-sized Czech town. After the first wave of crisis faded away, the respondents reflected on their opinions before, during and after the crisis. The data were processed using linear mixed models respecting repeated measures.

The crisis seems to have shifted the interest of both groups towards e-commerce but it did not change the disproportion in opinions between them. The interest of customers was significantly higher, even after the crisis.

The credibility of the results is limited mainly by the one-time gathering of the data after the crisis. However, the results indicate a persistent challenge to which small retailers are exposed.

The originality of the results comes from the specific situation brought about by the COVID-19 crisis and the structure of respondents, enabling us to catch an immediate shift of opinions caused by the crisis and to compare the changes in both groups of respondents.

This research examined changes in Dublin’s tertiary city centre shopping streets over a 30‐year period to 2002. An observational study of the occupancy of the city’s tertiary streetscape was undertaken in the summer of 2002 and compared with historical data. Results indicate significant change over the period examined: an increased vacancy rate, a very low survival rate, a considerable incidence of non‐retail specific activities, a decline in traditional retail offerings and the emergence of new categories of retailer. The paper concludes by suggesting a proactive approach is required by present day retailers in the tertiary streets to ensure future survival.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the perception and attitudes of urban consumers in the UK towards local food.

Four focus groups were conducted with participants from Birmingham, UK. A pre-focus group questionnaire was issued to participants to gather demographic data and to provide participants with the “Making Local Food Work” definition of local food. Following on from the focus groups, participants were e-mailed to enquire whether they had any additional comments to provide.

The results of the study revealed that despite urban consumer interest in local food, this did not necessarily translate in to purchase behaviour. Convenience of the “one-stop” offered by supermarkets along with availability, price and food labelling were found to be key barriers to the purchase of local food. Alternatively, key drivers were identified as freshness, health benefits and improved quality.

The findings are limited with respect to the lack of male participants and younger consumers (pre 45 years old) within the sample whose perceptions of local food may differ from those studied.

Findings support the need for supermarkets to increase their offering of local food for the urban consumer. In addition, supermarkets should improve merchandising, signposting and labelling of local food to encourage increased levels of purchase behaviour from the urban consumer.

The paper explores the somewhat “disconnected” urban consumers’ perceptions and attitudes towards local food. On the whole, previous studies of local food have not specifically explored this particular group of consumers.

Introduction: Artificial intelligence (AI) and digitisation offer substantial human potential and profit margins, making them promising retail solutions. Retail leaders have successfully integrated comprehensive uses into their daily operations, while competitors heavily invest in new projects. The Indian retail sector is undergoing a significant transformation, which can be attributed to factors such as growing income, demographic characteristics, and enhanced consumerism, as well as the rapid development of new technologies such as digitisation and AI, which is changing both consumers’ and retailers’ buying behaviour.

Purpose: This study aims to determine the influence of AI on elements that drive digitisation in the retailing sector, as well as the factors that lead to organised retailers adopting digitisation and its impact on their business.

Methodology: The study employs a standardised questionnaire distributed to organised stores via an online link, and the data are analysed with SmartPLS software 3.0.

Finding: The retail sector is driven by elements that promote digitalisation in food and groceries retailing, such as simplicity of operation, adoption of digital payment, quicker internet connection, retailer consumer interface, and the involvement of AI.

Research implication: AI has significant consequences for retailing, which serves as the interface between marketers and customers.

Theoretical implication: The study’s findings reflect the perspectives of retailers, store managers, and entrepreneurs on how digitalisation and AI are crucial for the creation and growth of long-term competitive advantages in retail.

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 directed the US Secretary of Agriculture to report on the profitability and viability of beginning farmers and ranchers. Many beginning operations use local food markets as they provide more control, or a premium over commodity prices, and beginning operations cannot yet take advantage of economies of scale and subsequently have higher costs of production. Little research assesses the relationship between beginning farmer profitability and sales through local food markets. In this paper, the profitability implications of sales through local food markets for beginning farmers and ranchers are explored.

The authors utilize 2013–2016 USDA agricultural resource management survey data to assess the financial performance of US beginning farmers and ranchers who generate sales through local food markets.

The results point to four important takeaways to support beginning operations. (1) Local food channels can be viable marketing opportunities for beginning operations. (2) There are differences when using short- and long-term financial performance indicators, which may indicate that there is benefit to promoting lean management strategies to support beginning operations. (3) Beginning operations with intermediated local food sales, on average, perform better than those operations with direct-to-consumer sales. (4) Diversification across local food market channel types does not appear to be an indicator of improved financial performance.

This article is the first to focus on the relationship beginning local food sales and beginning farmer financial performance. It incorporates short-term and long-term measures of financial performance and differentiates sales by four local food market type classifications: direct-to-consumer sales at farmers markets, other direct-to-consumer sales, direct-to-retail sales and direct-to-regional distributor or institution sales.