Under the context of increasing demand for transparency, efficiency, and trust in food systems, digital traceability is emerging as a key strategy for improving value creation across agri-food supply chains. This study investigates how different governance structures influence the design and effectiveness of digital traceability systems. We develop an analytical framework linking four guiding questions (why, where, how, and who) to traceability performance and apply it to five Italian supply chains (wine, olive oil, cheese, pasta, and dairy) through 28 semi-structured interviews with companies, cooperatives, and technology providers. The results show that governance models shape traceability adoption and function. In captive systems (e.g., wine), traceability ensures compliance but limits flexibility, while in modular or relational systems (e.g., pasta and cheese), it fosters product differentiation and decentralized coordination. Across cases, digital traceability improved certification processes, enhanced consumer communication (e.g., via QR codes), and supported premium positioning. However, upstream–downstream integration remains weak, especially in agricultural stages, due to technical fragmentation and limited interoperability. The diverse experience data from company interviews reveal that only 30% of firms had fully integrated systems, and fixed costs remained largely unaffected, though variable cost reductions and quality improvements were reported in the olive oil and cheese sectors. The study concludes that digital traceability is not only a technical solution but a governance innovation whose success depends on the alignment between technology, actor roles, and institutional arrangements. Future research should explore consumer-side impacts and the role of public policy in fostering inclusive and effective traceability adoption.

Traceability plays a critical role in ensuring the quality, safety, and transparency of supply chains, where transportation stakeholders are fundamental to the efficient movement of goods. However, the diversity of actors involved poses significant challenges to achieving these goals. Each organization typically operates its own information system, tailored to manage internal data, but often lacks the ability to communicate effectively with external systems. Moreover, when data exchange between different systems is required, it becomes critical to maintain full control over the shared data and to manage access rights precisely. In this work, we propose the concept of interoperable traceability. We present a model that enables the seamless integration of data from sensors, IoT devices, data management platforms, and distributed ledger technologies (DLT) within a newly designed data space architecture. We also demonstrate a practical implementation of this concept by applying it to real-world scenarios in the agri-food sector, with direct implications for transportation systems and all stakeholders in a supply chain. Our demonstrator supports the secure exchange of traceability data between existing systems, providing stakeholders with a novel approach to managing and auditing data with increased transparency and efficiency.

Purpose: The Norwegian retail market for alcoholic beverages is controlled by a state monopoly. Wine and other alcoholic beverages above 4.75 per cent alcohol, can only be bought in government stores called The Wine Monopoly (Vinmonopolet in Norwegian) or consumed in hotels, restaurants, bars, pubs, or catering firms. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the Norwegian wine market and present some of the major opportunities and constraints facing foreign producers.Design/methodology/approach: The objective of this article is twofold: first, to explain the role of the actors in the Norwegian wine market and second, to identify the market opportunities for Italian and other foreign producers. The organisation of the monopoly, the strategies wine producers may use to introduce new wines into the market, and the marketing levers that can be used to utilise the market opportunities are of special interest. The key informant techniques as well as official statistics are used.Findings: Comparing the outcome of the authors' field research, done during the winter of 2010, with government statistics on wine consumption, it is clear that the competitive environment evolves daily. Consumers' tastes and perceptions play a crucial role in this dynamism.Originality/value: There have not been many studies of the effects of the alcohol monopoly on the Norwegian market. Therefore, it is of particular interest to investigate the organisation of the Norwegian alcohol monopoly and how wine producers may successfully introduce new wines into this market. This paper makes a positive contribution to the literature in this field, giving some promotion strategies which could be achievable and could work in the Norwegian wine market.

Nowadays there is an acknowledged need for greater transparency, operational efficiency and stakeholder trust inside the food supply chain. The integration of traceability system within value networks is therefore of considerable importance in the context of contemporary food globalized markets. Despite growing research and policy interest in digital traceability systems, significant implementation challenges persist. In this paper, we propose an analytical framework for understanding the role of digital traceability systems in the optimization of value networks and in the value creation for agri-food companies, by answering the research question: ‘What are the implications of different supply chain governance structures for digital traceability?’, applying it to real-world scenarios in the agri-food sector considering different supply chains. Through theoretical grounding and empirical research as well, the findings underscore several common themes that contribute to the effectiveness and value creation of traceability systems in these sectors. Finding out how governance structures have profound and multifaceted implications for traceability systems. In supply chains with high transaction complexity, such as wine, governance structures tend to ensure compliance and standardization but may limit innovation and flexibility. Conversely, in olive oil and cheese supply chains, there is greater room for innovation and differentiation, which is crucial for building consumer trust and meeting market demands.