Purpose: In Europe fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, is one of the major growing segments in agro-food sector. Current literature reports a limited number of studies about consumers’ preferences towards these products. In particular, it lacks of studies focussed on fresh-cut salads and based on market data. In this paper, a study on consumer preferences towards the main attributes of Italian fresh-cut salads is proposed. More specifically the investigation is focussed on attributes assessable by consumers before purchase such as assortment, tenderness, product preparation and vegetable variety together with brand, size and type of packaging, presence of organic certification, promotion and product price. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate how much Italian consumers pay for those attributes with the aim to understand how much profitable could be different strategies in the sector. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis is based on IRI-Infoscan scanner data, consisting of 881 fresh-cut products. The impact of each attributes on pricing is measured by means of a hedonic price model. Findings: Main results show that, in Italy, fresh-cut salad price is greatly affected by tenderness, product preparation, assortment, brand, presence of organic certification, packaging attributes and vegetable variety. Practical implications: Findings offer to producers the possibility to set up products by composing the mix of attributes that gives back the highest price. In addition, they provide some insights to define manufacturer’s strategies. Originality/value: This paper represents a novelty in economic literature because it can be considered an example of consumer preferences analysis towards the different attributes of fresh-cut vegetables based on real market data.

This study investigated the comparative cultivation of six medicinal plant species (sage, oregano, rosemary, lavender, thyme, and mint) in a dynamic agrivoltaic (AV) system and a neighboring control plot exposed to full sun (referred to as “T”). Specifically, within the dynamic AV system, two distinct plot areas on the ground were identified due to the rotation of the panels: one consistently in the shade of the solar panels (UP), and another alternately in shade and sunlight (BP). The study involved the measurement of solar radiation, air temperature, and infrared leaf temperature during crop growth in these designated plots. Additionally, a weed survey was conducted at harvest time. The findings revealed that solar radiation, air temperature, infrared leaf temperature, and weed coverage were notably lower in the UP plot compared to both the BP and T plots. Furthermore, the yield of essential oils in sage, thyme, mint, and rosemary plants was higher in both the UP and BP plots than in the T plot. Hence, these factors seemingly positively impacted the performance of specific medicinal crops within the dynamic AV system. This information holds significance for producers and processors concerning crop quality.

This study, conducted in Southern Italy in 2023, investigated the effects of a dynamic agrivoltaics (AV) system on microclimate, water consumption, plant growth, and essential oil yield in six medicinal species: lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L. ‘Royal purple’), lemmon thyme (Thymus citriodorus (Pers.) Schreb. ar. ‘Aureus’), common thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus Spenn. ‘Severn seas’), mint (Mentha spicata L. ‘Moroccan’), and sage (Salvia officinalis L. subsp. Officinalis). Due to the rotating solar panels, two distinct ground zones were identified: a consistently shaded area under the panels (UP), and a partially shaded area between the panels (BP). These were compared to an adjacent full-sun control area (T). Microclimate parameters, including solar radiation, air and leaf infrared temperature, and soil temperature, were recorded throughout the cultivation season. Reference evapotranspiration (ET_O) was calculated using Turc’s method, and crop evapotranspiration (ET_C) was estimated with species-specific crop coefficients (K_C). Results showed significantly lower microclimatic values in the UP plot compared to both BP and especially T, resulting in ET_C reductions of 81.1% in UP and 13.1% in BP relative to T, an advantage in water-scarce environments. Growth and yield responses varied among species and treatment plots. Except for mint, all species showed a significant reduction in fresh biomass (40.1% to 48.8%) under the high shading of UP compared to T. However, no biomass reductions were observed in BP. Notably, essential oil yields were higher in both UP and BP plots (0.60–2.63%) compared to the T plot (0.51–1.90%). These findings demonstrate that dynamic AV systems can enhance water use efficiency and essential oil yield, offering promising opportunities for sustainable, high-quality medicinal crop production in arid and semi-arid regions.

To identify the key drivers of consumption, we analyzed consumer preferences and estimated the willingness to pay for craft beer compared with industrial products in Italy. For this purpose, we conducted an ad hoc survey of 469 craft beer drinkers and set up an econometric strategy using a machine learning estimation technique. The main results show that young consumers, the ability to perceive and evaluate quality, and the frequency of consumption are the main profile elements that, more than others, orient preferences. In the meantime, sustaining local beer producers, sharing good time with friends, and the perception of beer as healthier compared with other drinks are also important. The most preferable product attributes are can packaging and the search for unique taste.