This study explores the application and critical issues related to the implementation of blockchain technology (BT) to the aquaculture sector, in order to understand the possibilities of improving the relationship with the supply chain and the end consumer, with a view to a sustainability for the marine environment and circular economy. Starting from considerations of commercial and political challenges related to credibility and fairness for all parties involved—from producers, to retailers, to end consumers—the procedure adopted was applied to the case of an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture project, developed in the sea of Taranto (Italy). Furthermore, it considered two different end markets: the food market for farmed fish and the ornamental fish market for marine aquariums. The results of the study confirm that although the implementation of BT by industries and producers of marine species has the potential to lead to successful sustainability solutions, such adoption is feasible over time only if all actors in the supply chain, from aquaculture companies, to retailers, to consumers, are actively and consciously involved and can access common benefits.

The paper explores the “mix-and-match” consumption trend and the brand recognition of luxury fashion brands. Results show that consumer recognition of luxury fashion brands increases when pairing these branded products with those made by fast-fashion companies. Findings also show that luxury fashion brands are mainly recognized through accessories. Eye-tracking technology has been used to conduct the study

Purpose: This paper delves into evaluating the effectiveness of warning messages as a deterrent against excessive fat consumption. It examines how consumers perceive the fat content of food products when presented with two distinct label types: (1) a textual warning, providing succinct information about the fat content, and (2) a pictorial warning, offering a visual representation that immediately signifies the fat content.Design/methodology/approach: Two quantitative studies were carried out. Study 1 employed a questionnaire to evaluate the efficacy of textual and pictorial warning messages on high- and low-fat food products. Similarly, Study 2 replicated this comparison while incorporating a neuromarketing instrument to gauge participants’ cerebral reactions.Findings: Results indicate that pictorial warnings on high-fat foods significantly deter consumers’ purchasing intentions. Notably, these pictorial warnings stimulate the left prefrontal area of the cerebral cortex, inducing negative emotions in consumers and driving them away from high-fat food items.Originality/value: While the influence of images over text in shaping consumer decisions is well understood in marketing, this study accentuates the underlying mechanism of such an impact through the elicitation of negative emotions. By understanding this emotional pathway, the paper presents fresh academic and managerial perspectives, underscoring the potency of pictorial warnings in guiding consumers towards healthier food choices.Highlights: Textual warnings do not seem to discourage high-fat product consumption. A pictorial warning represents the fat content of an equivalent product. Pictorial warnings decrease the intention to purchase a high-fat product. Pictorial warnings determine an increase in negative emotions.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to demonstrate the effectiveness of pictorial warning labels that leverage the risk of obesity as a deterrent against alcohol abuse. It evaluates the impact of three different kinds of warning labels that can potentially discourage alcoholic drinking: (1) a claim, in text format, that cautions consumers about the product (i.e. a responsibility warning statement); (2) a textual warning label, text-format information on the content of the product or the consequences of excessive consumption (i.e. a synthetic nutritional table); (3) a pictorial warning label, an image depicting a food product with a caloric content equivalent to that of an alcoholic beverage.Design/methodology/approach: In Study 1, a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design is used to evaluate the intention to buy different alcoholic cocktails. The stimuli comprised two cocktails that are similar in alcoholic volume, but different in their caloric content. The images of the products were presented across eight warning label conditions and shown to 480 randomly selected Italian respondents who quantified their intention to buy the product. In Study 2, a different sample of 34 Italian respondents was solicited with the same stimuli considered in Study 1, and neuropsychological measurements through Electroencephalography (EEG) were registered. A post hoc least significance difference (LSD) test is used to analyse data.Findings: The results show that only the presence of an image representing an alcoholic beverage's caloric content causes a significant reduction in consumers' purchase intentions. This effect is due to the increase in negative emotions caused by pictorial warning labels.Originality/value: The findings provide interesting insights on pictorial warning labels, which can influence the intention to purchase alcoholic beverages. They confirmed that the use of images in the warning labels has a greater impact than text, and that the risk of obesity is an effective deterrent in encouraging consumers to make healthier choices.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the role of the heterosexual orientation on men’s product choices in different consumption contexts. The research provides empirical evidence for a bias – here called pink bias – that leads male consumers to avoid consumption of pink-colored products because of a gender-related prejudice. An experimental study investigated the interplay of the consumption context (private/public) and product type (utilitarian/hedonic), and used heterosexual orientation as moderator. The findings confirmed the existence of a pink bias, according to which men tend to avoid consumption of pink-colored products, especially in public circumstances. In male consumers who feel less heterosexual, this effect could be driven by the fear that consuming pink-colored products in public contexts would “expose” their sexual orientation and align them with femininity. Moreover, pink-colored products could find success among heterosexual males only when they are exclusively for private use.