The purpose of this research is to examine how festivals can promote food products and influence customers' behavioral intentions by using a structural equation model. The aim of the study is to apply a model relating to the quality, satisfaction, and behavioral intention to a construct, such as awareness. The structural equation model was tested on a sample of 352 visitors who attended a local food and wine festival in Sauris' rural area in Friuli Venezia Giulia, northeast Italy. This food festival is considered to have a fundamental element of differentiation as it offers distinctive and unique local products such as the Sauris' smoked ham. The empirical validation of this model supports almost all the research hypotheses. These findings contribute to better ways of understanding that quality and satisfaction of a festival can affect awareness and behavioral intentions.

The paper investigates Italian consumers’ behavior towards characteristics of extra virgin olive oil, in particular organic production methods and geographical origin. On the basis of the existing literature, the concepts of sustainability of food systems, diets, and the olive oil supply chain are analyzed. A choice experiment (CE), using a face-to-face questionnaire with over 1000 participants, was conducted to quantify the willingness to pay (WTP) for these two attributes. Findings show positive preference for origin attributes, while the organic attribute is not highly valued. The article also offers some perspectives on future research to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of the Italian olive oil supply chain.

Purpose: – The purpose of this paper is to examine the usefulness of integrating measures of motivations in predicting purchase intentions of fresh cut products. In order to gain this purpose the authors developed a field study that involved about 425 consumers of fresh cut vegetables products.Design/methodology/approach: – Questionnaire data were gathered in Italy on a Likert scale. Questions focussed on intentions to purchase fresh cut lamb’s lettuce from environmental sustainable farms, simulating a fresh cut product with an Eco-label. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The SEM technique is used to develop propositions representing a theoretical approach in the context of the process for purchasing fresh cut products. With regard to distinguishing between the motives, the authors referred to the approach that sets out two different types of motive: health and green.Findings: – The resulting managerial implications make it possible to assess how much the different types of motive influence the attitude and affect the choices and the behavior of the consumers.Originality/value: – This implies important managerial implications for new marketing strategies for minimally processed food products, with the opportunity to take advantage of the potential adoption of an Eco-label.

Purpose: Consumers seem to be increasingly concerned about the environmental and social consequences of their purchases. For this reason, companies are involved in corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies for their supply chain to responsibly manage the consumption of the environmental resources and to support sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the Italian organic apparel consumer by investigating the importance of consumers’ attitudes towards CSR in agricultural products processing industries and their willingness to pay (WTP) for organic cotton clothing.Design/methodology/approach: Questionnaire data were gathered in Italy on a Likert scale. Questions focussed on WTP for organic cotton, with the aim to test consumer responsiveness to a CSR initiative in Italy. A structural equation model is proposed to shed some light into this relatively unexplored area.Findings: One of the direct implications of the authors’ study is that companies in apparel industry should try to improve their social and environmental performance to elicit the desired consumer responses.Originality/value: This implies important managerial implications for new marketing strategies. If consumers’ perception of CSR practices drives their behavioural intention, firms will be motivated to be involved and to invest in socially responsible practices.

Pest and disease management in the grapevine sector has become difficult due to several instances (e.g., pathogen resistance, agrochemicals withdrawals). Therefore, viticulture switched to more environmentally friendly practices. On these bases, the most promising tool is the use of a resistant variety of grapes. Luckily, genetic and genomic selection have made great steps in accelerating plant breeding. In recent years, several resistant varieties of grape were created and the wine obtained began to grow. This allowed vine growers and wine makers to drastically reduce the chemical inputs in vineyards. However, this specific wine market faces trouble regarding the consumer attitude towards buying the related crafted wines. In order to make these innovations acceptable, we undertook a literature review of the history and creation methods of the hybrid grapevines. We investigated young wine drinkers across north-east Italy using specific questionaries to better analyse consumer perception of wine from resistant vines and the related environmentally friendly issues to understand if consumers are prone towards this product. Our results clearly indicate that consumer attitude towards this type of beverage pays great attention to the reduction in agrochemicals.