Thinking locally, acting locally? conscious consumers & farmers’ markets

McEachern, M, Warnaby, G, Carrigan, M and Szmigin, I 2010, 'Thinking locally, acting locally? conscious consumers & farmers’ markets' , Journal of Marketing Management, 26 (5-6) , pp. 395-412.

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Abstract

The emergence of a more reflexive and discerning customer has created inter alia a demand for ‘better’ food (i.e. quality and ‘authenticity’) in terms of sourcing, processing, and specialist distribution/retailing. As a consequence, the food production/distribution industry is under pressure to change many of its practices. One manifestation is the emergence of farmers' markets and the associated emphasis on ‘local’ food. This paper aims to identify the extent to which ‘conscious’ consumers are committed to buying local foodstuffs and supporting local food producers, especially from farmers’ markets. Given the exploratory nature of this research, a qualitative approach was undertaken using in-depth interviews with ‘conscious’ consumers. The results reveal that ‘conscious’ consumers recognise their own limitations (i.e. time, convenience, and price) but also demonstrate that integrating ethical considerations into their consumption behaviour is a complex and flexible task. A number of strategic actions for farmers’ markets are proposed to help differentiate their provision, particularly in terms of capitalising on perceptions of authenticity and locality.

Item Type:	Article
Themes:	Subjects outside of the University Themes
Schools:	Schools > Salford Business School
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Marketing Management
Publisher:	Westburn, Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group
Refereed:	Yes
ISSN:	0267-257X
Related URLs:	Publication
Funders:	Non funded research
Depositing User:	Dr Morven G. McEachern
Date Deposited:	23 Apr 2013 11:11
Last Modified:	25 Apr 2018 18:06
URI:	http://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/28841

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