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.

Italy is witnessing an unprecedented success for sushi even if Italian consumers have a historical reluctance towards eating raw fish. It is important to understand what is behind this major shift in preferences, since it may set an example for the process of adoption of global products and/or diets. To this aim, we investigated which food motives drive sushi consumption (i.e., health, mood, convenience, sensory appeal, natural content, price, weight control, familiarity, and ethical concern), including also individual factors (i.e., social norms, food neophobia, traceability) on a national representative sample of 798 consumers. Data analysis yielded that social norms were the main drivers behind sushi consumption, while sensory appeal, price and neophobia reduced sushi frequency consumption. Traceability was associated with naturalness, and ethical concern, and hindered sushi consumption frequency. These results may pave the way for forthcoming marketing strategies and policies aimed at promoting the consumption of novel, healthy and sustainable food.

Over the last few decades, regenerative agriculture has emerged as a promising approach to redefine sustainability in agricultural practices. It aims to restore ecosystems, improve soil health and enhance biodiversity while maintaining agricultural productivity. This review analyses the primary social, economic and environmental motivations behind the adoption of regenerative agriculture. Additionally, it examines the roles various stakeholders play in either adopting, accelerating or hindering the implementation of regenerative agricultural practices. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology, 49 articles published between 2014 and 2025 were selected. The sustainability pillars (environmental, economic and social) were used to systematize the core findings. Key results indicate that environmental motivations are key drivers for adopting regenerative agriculture, though economic and social factors also play a role. Regenerative agriculture is identified as a significant contributor to sustainability; however, key challenges include the transition period, lack of incentives and inadequate regulations. These barriers are particularly challenging for farmers attempting to shift to regenerative practices. This review underscores the need for policy reforms, integration of regenerative agriculture into incentive and subsidy schemes and improved knowledge transfer to farmers about the long-term benefits of regenerative practices. Additionally, ensuring the replicability of regenerative agriculture models in countries where small- and medium-sized farming is predominant is crucial for enhancing the scalability of these practices.

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.

Food sovereignty has gained significant political attention in recent years, proven by the recent change of the name of Italian Ministry of Agriculture. Coined by the transnational movement “La Via Campesina” in 1996, food sovereignty emphasizes sustainable food security and the right of populations to determine their own food policies. However, the concept is often misunderstood in the light of rising sovereigntist debate, and its original meaning, intertwined with long-term sustainability, is gradually disappearing. This study uses Q methodology to explore consumer perspectives on food sovereignty, identifying distinct groups that reflect how the concept has evolved and how it is perceived by the general population. The analysis is based on a sample of 24 participants from Italy. Starting from all sustainability issues contained in food sovereignty, relevant opinion groups have been identified. Results show that half of the groups still recognize their traditional meaning, while the other half understands food sovereignty as a modern form of autarchy.