The Role of Credence Attributes in Consumer Choices of Sustainable Fish Products: A Review

Defining Traceability Attributes and Consumers' Segmentation Based on Fish Attributes: A Case Study in Italy and Spain

Consumers' involvement in the development of new goods and services is growing, and thus understanding food motives is crucial for various fisheries stakeholders to manage fish value chains. In addition, traceability is becoming more prominent in guiding consumers' behaviour. Yet, the latter can be considered a source of confusion, as the multiplicity of certifications and labelling systems can be overwhelming. A national web-based survey was conducted on a representative sample of Italian and Spanish consumers. From the literature, a set of 13 attributes was chosen to identify the most important factors guiding consumers' choice, and various groups in each population were identified using hierarchical cluster analysis. Our findings provide valuable insights for fish value chain stakeholders, enabling them to optimize fisheries supply chains, educate consumers about diverse fish species, and promote more sustainable decision-making.

Consumption Patterns and Willingness to Pay for Sustainable Aquatic Food in China

China, as the world's largest producer, trader, and consumer of aquatic foods, lacks comprehensive research on consumption patterns and willingness to pay for sustainable aquatic food. This study addressed this gap through an online survey of 3403 participants across Chinese provinces. A majority of consumers (34.7% of the participants) consume aquatic food twice or more per week, mainly from traditional markets (26%). Most prefer fresh or live products (76%), with 42% seeing no difference between farmed and wild options. Consumption is higher among older, affluent, urban, and coastal residents. Crustaceans, especially shrimp, are frequently consumed species, with growing interest in luxury species like salmon and abalone. Taste and quality emerge as the primary factors motivating consumer choices in aquatic food purchases. Food safety is the primary concern, followed by environmental impact. Notably, 92.4% of participants would pay extra for certified products. Factors influencing a higher willingness to pay include higher income, inland residence, price sensitivity, origin consciousness, and concerns about food safety and the environment. The findings highlight that China's aquatic food industry and consumption can become more sustainable by aligning with consumer preferences for high-quality and diverse aquatic food through both production and import, while also addressing concerns related to food safety and environmental impact. This research provides valuable insights into China's rapidly transforming aquatic food market landscape, offering implications for industry innovation and the promotion of sustainable consumption patterns.

Microplastics in seafood: Consumer preferences and valuation for mitigation technologies

Microplastics, an emerging pollutant, have garnered widespread attention due to potential repercussions on human health and the environment. Given the critical role of seafood in food security, growing concerns about microplastics might be detrimental to meeting future global food demand. This study employed a discrete choice experiment to investigate Chilean consumers' preferences for technology aimed at mitigating microplastic levels in mussels. Using a between-subjects design with information treatments, we examined the impact of informing consumers about potential human health and environmental effects linked to microplastics pollution on their valuation for the technology. We found that the information treatments increased consumers' willingness to pay for mussels. Specifically, consumers were willing to pay a premium of around US$ 4 for 250 g of mussel meat with a 90 % depuration efficiency certification. The provision of health impact information increased the price premium by 56 %, while the provision of environmental information increased it by 21 %. Furthermore, combined health and environmental information significantly increased the probability of non-purchasing behavior by 22.8 % and the risk perception of microplastics for human health by 5.8 %. These results emphasized the critical role of information in shaping consumer preferences and provided evidence for validating investment in research and development related to microplastic pollution mitigation measures.

Circadian rhythm in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus): daily variation of blood metabolites in recirculating aquaculture systems

INTRODUCTION

Animal welfare in aquaculture is becoming increasingly important, and detailed knowledge of the species concerned is essential for further optimization on farms. Every organism is controlled by an internal clock, the circadian rhythm, which is crucial for metabolic processes and is partially influenced by abiotic factors, making it important for aquaculture practices.

OBJECTIVE

In order to determine the circadian rhythm of adult turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), blood samples were collected over a 24-h period and plasma metabolite profiles were analyzed by 1H-NMR spectroscopy.

METHODS

The fish were habituated to feeding times at 9 am and 3 pm and with the NMR spectroscopy 46 metabolites could be identified, eight of which appeared to shift throughout the day.

RESULTS

We noted exceptionally high values around 3 pm for the amino acids isoleucine, leucine, valine, phenylalanine, lysine, and the stress indicator lactate. These metabolic peaks were interpreted as either habituation to the usual feeding time or as natural peak levels in turbot in a 24-h circle because other indicators for stress (glucose, cortisol and lysozymes) showed a stable baseline, indicating that the animals had no or very little stress during the experimental period.

CONCLUSION

This study provides initial insights into the diurnal variation of metabolites in adult turbot; however, further studies are needed to confirm present findings of possible fluctuations in amino acids and sugars. Implementing optimized feeding times (with high levels of sugars and low levels of stress metabolites) could lead to less stress, fewer disease outbreaks and overall improved fish welfare in aquaculture facilities.

From egg to slaughter: monitoring the welfare of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, throughout their entire life cycle in aquaculture

The primary aim of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the welfare of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) throughout their entire life cycle within aquaculture, spanning from reproduction to slaughter. The methodology was structured to identify welfare indicators closely aligned with the principles of animal freedoms defined by the Farm Animal Council, encompassing environmental, health, nutritional, behavioral, and psychological freedom. Notably, psychological freedom was inherently considered within the behavioral and physical analyses of the animals. To accomplish this, an integrative systematic literature review was conducted to define precise indicators and their corresponding reference values for each stage of tilapia cultivation. These reference values were subsequently categorized using a scoring system that assessed the deviation of each indicator from established ideal (score 1), tolerable (score 2), and critical (score 3) ranges for the welfare of the target species. Subsequently, a laboratory experiment was executed to validate the pre-selected health indicators, specifically tailored for the early life stages of tilapia. This test facilitated an assessment of the applicability of these indicators under operational conditions. Building on the insights gained from this experimentation, partial welfare indices (PWIs) were computed for each assessed freedom, culminating in the derivation of a general welfare index (GWI). Mathematical equations were employed to calculate these indices, offering a quantitative and standardized measure of welfare. This approach equips tilapia farmers and processors with the tools necessary for the continuous monitoring and enhancement of their production systems and stimulate the adoption of more sustainable and ethical practices within the tilapia farming.

Consumer Interaction with Sustainability Labelling on Food Products: A Narrative Literature Review

Sustainability labelling on food products can help consumers make informed purchasing decisions and support the urgent transition to sustainable food systems. While there is a relatively robust body of evidence on health and nutrition labelling, less is known about the effectiveness of sustainability labelling in facilitating sustainable food choices. This paper investigates the impact of sustainability labelling on consumer understanding, attitudes, and behaviour to support a more nuanced, detailed, and holistic understanding of the evidence. Using a narrative literature review methodology, the paper assesses studies covering environmental, social, and/or animal welfare aspects of sustainability labelling on food products. We found that consumer understanding of sustainability information is often limited, which could hinder behaviour change. While sustainability labelling can influence consumer attitudes and purchasing behaviours, evidence from real consumer settings tends to show small effect sizes. Consumers are generally willing to pay more for sustainability-labelled products, and organic labelling often leads to the highest reported willingness to pay. The review emphasises the importance of trust, suggesting a preference for labelling backed by governments or public authorities. Sustainability labelling that uses intuitively understandable cues has an increased impact, with visual aids such as traffic light colours showing promise. We conclude that further research is needed in real-world settings, using representative populations and exploring the influence of demographic factors, values, and attitudes.

"A prized Pacific shark": the rise and fall (and rise again…?) of the world's first ecolabel certified sustainable shark fishery

There is intense public interest surrounding the conservation and management of sharks, including a debate over whether sustainable shark fisheries are possible or fishing bans on sharks are needed to conserve these animals. An important but rarely discussed data point in discussions of global shark fisheries is the case of British Columbia's fishery for Pacific spiny dogfish, Squalus suckleyi, which in 2011 became the first Marine Stewardship Council-certified shark fishery anywhere in the world. A few years later, despite reportedly healthy local stocks and thriving global markets for this shark, the fishery voluntarily withdrew its MSC certification, and in recent years more than 95% of the quota for Pacific spiny dogfish has been left in the water. This study provides insight into what happened to this fishery through a review of grey literature and a series of stakeholder interviews with British Columbian fishermen, fish processors, managers and environmentalists. It is a rare case study of a fishery that largely ceased operations without a clear mechanistic explanation like a stock collapse, a government mandate to limit fishing or a clear shift in market demand. This fishery appears to have been affected by the combination of several factors, including a temporary reduction in biomass due to oceanographic effects, potential blowback from overly broad environmental messaging that did not distinguish between sustainable and unsustainable shark fisheries, management changes resulting in altered fishing incentives and changes to processing capacity associated with consolidating the fishing industry into ownership by relatively few large companies.

Non-Invasive Methods for Assessing the Welfare of Farmed White-Leg Shrimp (Penaeus vannamei)

Gradually, concern for the welfare of aquatic invertebrates produced on a commercial/industrial scale is crossing the boundaries of science and becoming a demand of other societal actors. The objective of this paper is to propose protocols for assessing the Penaeus vannamei welfare during the stages of reproduction, larval rearing, transport, and growing-out in earthen ponds and to discuss, based on a literature review, the processes and perspectives associated with the development and application of on-farm shrimp welfare protocols. Protocols were developed based on four of the five domains of animal welfare: nutrition, environment, health, and behaviour. The indicators related to the psychology domain were not considered a separate category, and the other proposed indicators indirectly assessed this domain. For each indicator, the corresponding reference values were defined based on literature and field experience, apart from the three possible scores related to animal experience on a continuum from positive (score 1) to very negative (score 3). It is very likely that non-invasive methods for measuring the farmed shrimp welfare, such as those proposed here, will become a standard tool for farms and laboratories and that it will become increasingly challenging to produce shrimp without considering their welfare throughout the production cycle.

Food Credence Attributes: A Conceptual Framework of Supply Chain Stakeholders, Their Motives, and Mechanisms to Address Information Asymmetry

Food credence attributes (e.g., food safety, organic, and carbon neutral production methods) are quality characteristics of products that cannot be assessed by buyers at the point of sale without additional information (e.g., certification labels). Hence, the ability to access credence attributes of a particular product can result in a situation termed as asymmetric distributed information among supply chain stakeholders (e.g., producers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, consumer) where one party of a market transaction is in possession of more information about a product than the other party. This situation can lead to potential inefficiencies, e.g., misinformation, risk of food borne illness, or opportunistic behavior such as fraud. The present study sought to develop a conceptual framework that describes a) the motivation for key stakeholders to participate in the market for food credence attributes, b) the type of food credence attributes that key stakeholders provide, and c) current mechanisms to address the issue of information asymmetry among the stakeholders in the food system. The study was conducted using an integrative literature review. The developed framework consists of two components: a) the food supply chain and b) the attribute assurance system among which multiple links exist. The findings suggest that retailers, processors, NGOs, and government authorities are influential stakeholders within the supply chain of food credence attributes by imposing food quality standards which can address information asymmetry among food actors. While the credence attribute assurance system (e.g., food standards, third party food attribute assurance providers) can potentially address the issue of asymmetric information among market stakeholders, a range of issues remain. These include food standards as a potential market entry barrier for food producers and distributors, limited food standard harmonization, and communication challenges of food attribute assurance (e.g., consumers' signal processing, signal use and trust). The syntheses presented in this study contributes to stakeholders' (e.g., supply chain actors, scientists, policy makers) improved understanding about the components of the credence food system and their integration as well as the drivers for change in this system.

Profiling of Croatian Consumers Based on Their Intention to Consume Farmed Fish

Today’s increased demand and consumption of fish would be impossible to ensure without aquaculture. Farmed fish, however, is often considered inferior among consumers in comparison to its wild counterparts. The aim of this study was to profile Croatian fishery consumers based on their intention to consume farmed fish. The participants in this study were a nationally representative sample of people responsible for food purchasing within the household (n = 977), whose responses were collected by the CAWI (computer-aided web interviewing) method. Four clusters were identified and described: farmed fish enthusiasts (21.1%), farmed fish supporters (17.4%), indifferents (44.7%), and farmed fish sceptics (16.8%). Results showed that consumer segments differed significantly with respect to age, income, employment status, living region, and physical activity. Furthermore, intention to consume farmed fish is related to fish consumption in general (those with higher intention are more frequent fish consumers). Interestingly, prejudices against farmed fish are present in all clusters; however, these prejudices are more pronounced among those with the weakest intention to consume farmed fish. Differences between clusters were observed also in respect to product information and preferences, knowledge about fish, places of usual purchase, and source of information about fishery products. The obtained results could be used in designing marketing strategies to promote farmed fish consumption.

Fish Consumption: Influence of Knowledge, Product Information, and Satisfaction with Product Attributes

Due to its numerous health benefits, fish consumption should be strongly encouraged. Fish consumption, however, is a complex phenomenon influenced by various factors. The aim of this research is to examine the influence of knowledge, product information, and satisfaction with product attributes on fish consumption in a nationally representative sample of people responsible for food purchasing within households in Croatia (n = 977) and Italy (n = 967). Fish consumption was well predicted (R2 = 15%) by the proposed structural model, using the partial least squares structural equation modelling method (PLS-SEM). The obtained results confirm that subjective knowledge (β = 0.277, p < 0.001) and satisfaction with product attributes (β = 0.197, p < 0.001) are predictors of fish consumption. Subjective knowledge was influenced by product information (β = 0.161, p < 0.001), as well as by satisfaction with product attributes (β = 0.282, p < 0.001), while objective knowledge had an influence on product information (β = 0.194, p < 0.001). Although satisfaction with product attributes was the strongest predictor of subjective knowledge in both countries (βCRO = 0.244, βIT = 0.398), it had a greater effect among Italians (p = 0.001), while the impact of product information (βCRO = 0.210, βIT = 0.086) was more pronounced among Croatians (p = 0.010). Since the mediating role of subjective knowledge in all models was confirmed, action focused on enhancing subjective knowledge should be taken to increase fish consumption.

Price Sensitivity of Fish Fed with Insect Meal: An Analysis on Italian Consumers

The importance of aquaculture in reducing pressure on wild stocks in the seas and meeting the demand for fish worldwide has increased greatly in recent years. However, sustainability of the sector can be jeopardized by the incessant use of fish meal as the main source of feed. For this reason, replacing, even partially, fish meal with other feeds such as insect meal is essential to make this sector more sustainable. However, this transition requires consumer acceptance of this innovation, which comes through price, one of the most powerful marketing tools affecting the evaluation of product alternatives (e.g., fish fed with traditional feed or insects) and the final purchase decision. The objective of this study is to explore the acceptable price and the limits of price thresholds of fish fed with insect meal using a direct measure of assessing consumers’ willingness to pay. In particular, the study uses the Price Sensitivity Meter (PSM) of Van Westendorp to evaluate the reaction of Italian consumers to the price of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) hypothetically fed with insect meal. The results showed a wide acceptable price range, an indifferent price point very close to the price of traditionally fed fish, and a high price stress factor. Consumers have shown considerable price sensitivity, which does not allow the additional costs arising from the use of this sustainable alternative feed to be passed on to them. Consumers with great subject knowledge showed major willingness to pay. The contribution of our study lies in providing detailed insights into the possible prices that consumers are willing to pay for sea bass fed with insect meal and thus on the product’s perceived quality, offering several implications for academics, practitioners, and policymakers.

More Than Fish-Framing Aquatic Animals within Sustainable Food Systems

Aquatic animals are diverse in terms of species, but also in terms of production systems, the people involved, and the benefits achieved. In this concept piece, we draw on literature to outline how the diversity of aquatic animals, their production, and their consumption all influence their impact within the food system. Built on evidence from an array of reductionist and non-reductionist literature, we suggest that food systems researchers and policymakers adapt current methods and theoretical frameworks to appropriately contextualise aquatic animals in broader food systems. We do this through combining current understandings of food systems theory, value chain, livelihoods, nutritional outcomes, and planetary boundaries thinking. We make several claims around understanding the role of aquatic animals in terms of nutritional output and environmental impacts. We suggest a need to consider: (1) the diversity of species and production methods; (2) variable definitions of an "edible yield"; (3) circular economy principles and the impacts of co-products, and effects beyond nutrient provision; (4) role of aquatic animals in the overall diet; (5) contextual effects of preservation, preparation, cooking, and consumer choices; (6) globalised nature of aquatic animal trade across the value chain; and (7) that aquatic animals are produced from a continuum, rather than a dichotomy, of aquaculture or fisheries. We conclude by proposing a new framework that involves cohesive interdisciplinary discussions around aquatic animal foods and their role in the broader food system.

(Not) Communicating the Environmental Friendliness of Food Packaging to Consumers-An Attribute- and Cue-Based Concept and Its Application

While consumer understanding of and preferences for environmentally friendly packaging options have been well investigated, little is known about the environmentally friendly packaging attributes communicated to consumers by suppliers via packaging cues. We thus propose a literature-based attribute-cue matrix as a tool for analyzing packaging solutions. Using a 2021 snapshot of the wafer market in nine European countries, we demonstrate the tool's utility by analyzing the cues found that signal environmentally friendly packaging attributes. While the literature suggests that environmentally friendly packaging is increasingly used by manufacturers, our analysis of 164 wafer packages shows that communication is very limited except for information related to recyclability and disposal. This is frequently communicated via labels (e.g., recycling codes, Green Dot) and structural cues that implicitly signal reduced material use (e.g., less headspace and few packaging levels). Our attribute-cue matrix enables researchers, companies, and policymakers to analyze and improve packaging solutions across countries and product categories. Our finding that environmentally friendly packaging attributes are not being communicated to consumers underscores a pressing need for better communication strategies. Both direct on-pack and implicit communication should help consumers choose more environmentally friendly packaging. Governments are encouraged to apply our tool to identify communication gaps and adopt labeling regulations where needed.

How Do Italian Consumers Value Sustainable Certifications on Fish?—An Explorative Analysis

Sustainable certifications communicate the environmental benefits of food products to consumers, and allow producers to differentiate their products from conventional ones. This study expands existing knowledge on fish consumers by assessing the importance of sustainable certifications in fish selection. A best–worst analysis was applied to a convenient sample of Italian household members responsible for food shopping, segmented with a latent class clustering model based on their socio-demographic characteristics, fish purchase behaviors, as well as attitudinal features. The results show that sustainable certifications were of interest to consumers, as more than 1 out of 10 respondents valued sustainable certifications in purchasing fish. Respondents interested in sustainable certifications on fish were medium-aged consumers, with high working status, well educated, as well as living in a medium-size household without children. These consumers were more interested in organic foods and had an interest in food nutritional information; they likely have a healthy holistic lifestyle, and may purchase organic food, including fish, to improve their health by increasing their physical well-being.

Lifestyle, psychological and socio-demographic drivers in functional food choice: a systematic literature review based on bibliometric and network analysis

Food-related diseases are a topic of concern for the population and institutions; therefore, regulations have been envisaged to improve consumer knowledge about food properties and to guide them towards healthy food consumption. Europe has addressed the use of claims on labels with two important regulations in 2006 and 2012. The use of claims allows for the differentiation of food products, particularly functional foods, i.e., those that can provide health benefits as part of a standard diet. The study aims to describe the interest of researchers on the topic of functional foods and health claims by observing the trend of publications and highlighting the role of the country on the topic through a network analysis. Another objective is to evaluate the role of lifestyle, psychological and socio-demographic predictors in the choice of functional foods bearing label claims or not, using a systematic literature review. To this aims, a bibliometric and a network analysis were assessed. The results reveal a positive trend in publications and a growing interest in the topic, thus showing that socio-demographic characteristics and lifestyle variables partially influence consumer behaviour. In particular, it emerges that educated people and women are more interested in functional foods, showing a higher willingness to pay for them. In addition, physical activity and beliefs regarding the nutritional quality of functional foods are positively correlated with WTP. However, several contradictory results were observed for some variables in the collected studies. For these reasons and considering the high number of functional foods and claims yet to be evaluated, further investigations are recommended.

Credence Attributes in the Forestry Sector and the Role of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Factors

Credence or believability are paramount values in trade. The role of products’ credence attributes has been well-analysed in the agricultural and food sector. This study examined the application of credence attributes to forest management and forest products marketing for the first time. We describe specific credence attributes of forest products and highlight their values, benefits, and importance in international trade. We used Delphi interviews of experts and surveyed forest and trade experts to assess the perceived merits of credence attributes in the forestry sector. We also compared certification schemes and sustainable forest management (SFM) indicators against credence values. We found that credence attributes play an important role in the forestry sector for both timber forest products and non-timber forest products (NTFP). While some credence attributes, such as the legality of forest products, already form the basis for trade and certification and are standard practice, other credence attributes are rising in awareness and could potentially create new markets. This study revealed the potential value of health aspects of forest products, particularly regarding NTFP and recreational services. Certification schemes and SFM provide credence at a collective level, and must encompass the rising importance of individual credence attributes of these newer important values. Last, we summarized the emerging environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investment practices to assess how credence factors may help affect such investments. Awareness of credence attributes can inform ESG criteria, certification schemes, and sustainable forest management frameworks about present or potentially future market expectations. Sustaining and enhancing natural capital and the flow of ecosystem services they provide, as well as social and human capital, will play an increasingly important role for forestry companies in the next decade. A better understanding of forestry credence attributes can inform the management of ESG of forestry industries and markets more effectively.

Drivers of fish choice: an exploratory analysis in Mediterranean countries

Fish is an important source of healthy proteins and an important economic sector in Mediterranean countries. Despite the wealth of knowledge acquired in Western countries, a gap has been found in studies in developing countries, as in the Mediterranean southern shore. Therefore, we aimed to investigate consumers' perceptions of finfish attributes, with qualitative tools as focus groups, given the exploratory nature of the research. The focus groups have been held in Italy, Lebanon, Spain, and Tunisia; in each country, one was held in seaside areas and one in inland areas, in order to control for the availability of fish that shapes consumers' evaluations and expectations. The focus groups have been analysed through content and semantic analyses. Results of the study yielded main themes recurring in the discussions that have been categorized along such dimensions: (1) definition of fish products; (2) context; (3) search attributes; (4) experience attributes; and (5) credence attributes. Among attributes, the ones mostly guiding consumers' choices seem to be freshness and fish species, which are used as proxies for quality and sensory attributes. Most of the respondents preferred delicate white fish, while some exceptions were found in Tunisian respondents preferring blue fish and they also were the only ones who were not looking for convenient and already cleaned products. Trust also represented a critical element in guiding the decisions of consumers: with a lack of trust, consumers deviate from preferring local products, as noticeable especially in Lebanese respondents' opinions. Credence attributes such as animal welfare and sustainability received a minor attention from all the respondents.

Drawing the line between sustainable and unsustainable fish: product differentiation that supports sustainable development through trade measures

BACKGROUND

Unsustainable production practices and increased demand for fish have aggravated negative social, ecological, and environmental impacts in fisheries and aquaculture. Measures to correct bad practices have mainly been introduced by private actors. However, there is increased demand for state intervention, particularly regarding trade regulations for fish and other agricultural products. Building on discussions about product differentiation through trade measures that favour sustainable products, this study looked at how sustainable and unsustainable fish has been distinguished in Switzerland. In interviewing experts in the fish trade and sales business in Switzerland, the research aimed at understanding the actors and forces that shape the concept of sustainable fish in the country.

RESULTS

Three ways of product differentiation for sustainable fish by private actors were identified in Switzerland: ecolabels, "Swiss produce", and recommendations in the form of a "consumer guide for fish". Currently, price is the main constraint on consumption of sustainable products in the country. Defining "sustainable fish" is challenging and subject to interpretation. All existing measures to differentiate sustainable from unsustainable fish products in Switzerland have shortcomings, particularly in terms of discrimination and inclusiveness. Fish ecolabels play a key role in product differentiation, but experts believe that they fail to accommodate all aspects of sustainability.

CONCLUSION

Our findings imply that the Swiss state should play a more important role if it aims to fulfil the promise of article 104a of the Swiss Constitution, which seeks to foster sustainable production and cross-border trade relations that contribute towards this goal. Preferred trade treatment for sustainable fish products is a potential option to increase the production and consumption of sustainable fish. When designing measures for product differentiation, a careful choice is paramount to address sustainability in a holistic, inclusive, and transparent way and in order not to violate existing trade obligations. Due to similarities between the Swiss and other fish markets, we assume that governments in general and members of the European Union in particular must play an active role in shaping the definition and trade of sustainable fish products if they seek to comply with their sustainability commitments.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12302-021-00551-6.

Contributions from Literature for Understanding Wine Marketing

Marketing for wines is a determinant tool for several stakeholders within the wine sector, but there are not many studies concerning the topic “wine marketing” and even fewer that take a bibliometric approach. In turn, wine is a strategic agri-food product for the economy of several countries around the world, particularly in Mediterranean countries. Beyond the economic level, wine has an environmental, social, and cultural dimension. All these dimensions have implications in any plan for the wine sector and should be taken into account. In addition, these dimensions change around the world in accordance with different local factors. In this way, sometimes, it is not easy to design adjusted marketing plans for the wine sector, namely, in international markets. Taking the frameworks into account, the main objective of this study is to explore the scientific documents available on scientific platforms, namely, in the Web of Science, related to “wine marketing”. These studies (87 documents) were first explored through bibliometric software, such as the VOSviewer and the Atlas.ti, and then analyzed individually to capture the main insights shown by the scientific literature about wine marketing. To better organize the literature survey, with the information obtained from the bibliometric analysis, the following indexes were identified through factor analysis: “supply index”, “demand index”, “winery strategy index”, “tourism index”, “innovation index”, and “wine characteristics index”. The supply index highlights questions related to new technologies, climate change, logistics in international markets, institutions and regulations, being the main factors that influence wine producers. The demand index stresses the relevance, for consumers, of the relationship between the price and quality of a wine. On the other hand, younger consumers, in general, consume wine outdoors while socializing, giving importance to the label, often when the wine is recommended by someone. Older consumers give greater importance to the wine’s variety and to its region of origin. The winery strategy index shows the importance of questions relating to agri-chains, market differentiation, the history, and the brand. The tourism index brings together aspects associated with the complementarity between activities in the wine sector, wine routes, and contributions from culture and landscape. The innovation index highlights aspects related to the quality and the perceptions of the consumers. Finally, the wine characteristics index shows the little importance given by scientific literature relating to wine marketing and to attributes such as alcohol. A search on the Web of Science for the topic addressed here and “bibliometric” showed that there has been no research carried out with the approach taken here, showing the novelty of this study.

Small-Scale Coastal Fisheries in the Midst of Adaptation and Diversification: Insights from Southern Italy

The study looks at the problems facing coastal fishing communities. It highlights the impacts that, in the complex framework of the EU reforms, have manifested themselves on economic activities and on society. The aim of the paper is twofold: to examine small-scale artisanal fishing in an area of Southern Italy in order to develop resilience and diversification and at the same time to outline the profiles of local bluefish buyers to highlight development strategies for the sector. The research carried out through a direct survey by administering a questionnaire to fishermen operating in areas of Southern Italy and the data cross-referenced with the opinions of local consumers. A conjoint experiment, followed by a multiple correspondence analysis and cluster identification, was used to outline the profiles of local bluefish buyers. The results of the analysis reveal that the fish market and the restaurant sector are the main distribution channels preferred by fishermen. Furthermore, fishermen are very sensitive to environmental issues and are willing to collaborate and actively participate in the environmental protection of the sea. Consumers recognise the quality of local bluefish, and they implicitly perceive the sustainability of the method of capture. The results show the need to undertake synergistic actions for the fishing industry, capable of activating marketing strategies adequately to support, promote and develop the sector. The results of the study provide helpful information for food companies in order to better segment their market and target their consumers, as well as to effectively promote their product using brands, certifications and traceability.

Innovative Contract Solutions for the Provision of Agri-Environmental Climatic Public Goods: A Literature Review

Lack of public funding and environmental deterioration are promoting the search for innovative mechanisms enabling to boost farmers’ provision of agri-environmental climate public goods. This work aims to contribute to the current debate by highlighting the role of innovative contractual solutions through a systematic review of more than 60 articles. The review analyses the potential of result-based and collective contracts as innovative solutions compared to action-based instruments, which are those currently most used. The design of innovative contracts and other mechanisms, e.g., auction and screening contracts, can reduce the policy failures due to asymmetric information. The paper emphasises the trade-off between an accurate design of agri-environmental schemes and the related administrative burden, highlighting the need for a better understanding of the role of mechanisms design into the policy cycle. Some new instruments were not analysed in the review, due to the scarcity of literature, and there is the need of more case studies providing information on the effectiveness of instruments when implemented in different contexts. We fill the gap in empirical evidence through a SWOT analysis that evaluates the effectiveness and acceptability of innovative instruments for policy purposes.

Research on the Supply Efficiency of Marine Ecological Products in the Yangtze River Delta Costal Urban Agglomerations Based on DEA-Tobit Model

In this research, we choose the coastal cities in the Yangtze River Delta as the subjects of study, including Shanghai, Lianyungang, Yancheng, Nantong, Jiaxing, Ningbo, Zhoushan, Taizhou, and Wenzhou, nine cities in total. With marine ecological products as the starting point and the supply efficiency of marine ecological products in each city as the subjects of research, and after collecting a quantity of data and by constructing the efficiency analyzing modes, we analyze the supply efficiency of those cities with the involved supplying service, cultural service, and value of regulating service as the output, and the operation of related authorities as the input of marine ecological products. Meanwhile, combining with the outside factors affecting the supply efficiency, we explore and identify the existing problems of marine ecology products in this region, such as the unreasonable supply structure, regional development imbalance, marine environment quality degrading, etc., and present the corresponding solutions and rationalization proposal for the existing problems, thus providing a new thought for promoting the development of the Yangtze River Delta, especially for marine activities.