Despite their environmental value and important role in human nutrition and food security, legumes, including lentils, have been underestimated. Nevertheless, nowadays there is a renewed interest in their consumption due to regional specialization, varietal diversity and their role in the transition towards sustainable production and consumptions systems. Recent years have also witnessed a rise in consumer awareness regarding sustainable food, healthier and plant-based diet and regional or local food systems. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the influence of attributes linked to sustainability, such as biodiversity, organic certification, origin indication, and packaging type, on lentils’ market prices in Italy. Based on the Hedonic Price Model, and following a review of scientific literature, eight lentil characteristics are defined. Data were collected on 228 valid observations of dry and precooked lentils across 20 different retail stores. Results indicate that Italian consumers have a positive appreciation for lentils with organic certifications and references to geographic and territorial characteristics. Some lentil varieties hold unique market positions, suggesting opportunities for diverse product offerings. Packaging materials influence consumer valuation, reflecting trends towards healthy and convenient food options. These insights will aid stakeholders in fostering sustainable practices and enhancing market competitiveness in the Italian lentil market.

The fishing sector in the Adriatic Sea is exposed to stricter regulations due to the negative ecological impact of large-scale fisheries, while increasing socio-economic challenges threaten the profitability of the industry. We apply Stochastic frontier and Price formation analysis to the rapido fishery of Chioggia (Italy) in order to investigate potential strategies to enhance the economic performance of the fishery, considering both effort restrictions and market trends. The use of two different methodological approaches emphasizes the need for a comprehensive and flexible approach to fisheries management, taking into account seasonal fluctuations in efficiency and average prices. The results reveal that efficiency variations are significantly influenced by seasonal factors and stock availability, thus indicating a limited capacity of fishers to adapt to changing market conditions. We emphasize the importance of flexible scheduling of fishing days and discuss the opportunity for implementing mixed management systems incorporating a Total Allowable Catch or quotas.

Sustainability has become a central objective of agricultural policies and business strategies as resource constraints and societal expectations increasingly affect production systems. The global wine industry is undergoing a structural transformation in which sustainability is no longer voluntary but increasingly required for market access. In this context, upstream strategies adopted by wine farms, such as agri-environmental measures, certification schemes, and labor-related practices, may influence not only environmental and social outcomes but also their productive performance. In Italy, the world’s leading wine producer by volume, these dynamics are particularly evident among Geographical Indication (GI) producers, for whom sustainability is a strategic lever to preserve the terroir underpinning product value. This study investigates whether sustainability-oriented strategies are associated with differences in technical efficiency among Italian GI winegrape producers. The analysis adopts a one-step Stochastic Frontier Analysis framework in which technical inefficiency is modelled as a function of farm characteristics and sustainability-related determinants, using a balanced panel of 2,044 observations from the Italian Farm Accountancy Data Network for the period 2021–2023. The results reveal significant heterogeneity in technical efficiency. Participation in agri-environmental schemes is associated with higher efficiency, while organic certification, diversification, and on-farm processing are linked to higher inefficiency in the short run. Overall, the findings highlight the presence of short-term trade-offs and potential long-term complementarities between sustainability strategies and efficiency, with implications for agricultural policy and the transition of the Italian GI wine value chain.