The current study examines the impact of health claims on consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for functional snack bars, focusing on anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Through an experimental auction involving 175 participants, this study investigates how providing clear information on product health benefits influences consumer interest and WTP while analysing the role of individual health consciousness (HC) in shaping these preferences. The results indicate that detailed health claims positively affect consumer WTP for functional snack bars compared to standard options. Although both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant claims attract consumer interest, no significant difference in WTP was observed between the two, suggesting similar perceived value for these distinct benefits. However, highly health-conscious consumers demonstrate a stronger preference and WTP for anti-inflammatory options, indicating that HC influences specific health claim valuation. These findings underscore the importance of effective health-related messaging in promoting functional foods and suggest that general health claims may resonate more broadly with consumers than specialised ones. This study’s results enhance the current knowledge on functional foods, especially snack bars, offering valuable insights for manufacturers aiming to implement targeted marketing strategies and public health initiatives focused on promoting healthier dietary choices.

Social farming (SF) spread across Europe in recent decades. It represents an expression of agriculture diversification and performs a social function expressed through vulnerable individuals’ social inclusion. As a result, SF is able to generate positive externalities and thus contribute to social wellbeing. Despite benefits, SF faces several issues related to its dissemination. Although in recent years scholars have been approaching this topic, much remains to be researched. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate, through a systematic review, drivers and barriers related to the spread of this phenomenon. Results showed that factors such as the lack of information on SF, farmers’ mental limitations and the lack of economic resources, as well as excessive bureaucratization, could hamper the spread of SF. On the other hand, ethical production, new income sources, sustainable rural development and new employment opportunities can encourage the dissemination of such practices. In order to overcome the barriers and emphasize the drivers pointed out by this study, the role of policymakers is essential, as they should promote information and training activities for farmers and consumers in order to increase awareness of SF social value and encourage a collective approach to SF practices.

The social dimension of sustainability in the agri-food sector is gaining more and more attention from both scholars and policymakers. In Europe, among different countries, Italy stood out for the active role played in including social conditionality in the Common Agricultural Policy. Despite such interest, there is still confusion concerning the concept of social sustainability, and tools aimed at measuring the social performance of farms are still lacking. The current study aims to identify indicators to measure the social sustainability of farm practices in the Italian agri-food system. The methodology included an analysis of the most relevant literature, legislation, and guidelines to identify five macro-areas of interest, which served as the foundation for developing theoretical social sustainability key performance indicators. The results of this study provide useful insights for both practitioners and policymakers to develop strategies and policies focused on social sustainability.

Background/Objectives: The increasing global population and rising demand for protein-rich foods present significant challenges for the agri-food system. Cultivated meat, produced through cellular agriculture, is emerging as a promising alternative to traditional livestock farming, offering potential environmental and ethical benefits. However, its adoption remains controversial due to concerns about sustainability, safety, and cultural acceptance. This study investigates Italian consumers’ perceptions, knowledge, and willingness to purchase cultivated meat, considering psychological, demographic, and social factors. Methods: A structured online survey was conducted involving 437 Italian meat consumers, integrating established psychometric scales to assess key attitudes. Logistic regression analysis was applied to identify determinants of consumer acceptance. Results: Findings reveal that while awareness of cultivated meat is relatively high (81.92%), willingness to purchase it is low, at just 35.47%. The main motivations for interest are environmental sustainability (54.61%) and innovation appeal (25.00%), while the primary barriers are health concerns (31.58%) and doubts about production processes (34.59%). The results also show that food neophobia, environmental awareness, and inclination toward food innovation significantly influence purchasing decisions. Additionally, demographic factors, such as age, gender, income, and household size, play a crucial role. Conclusions: This study provides insights into consumer behavior toward food innovations, informing policymakers and industry stakeholders on strategies to enhance acceptance and promote sustainable food alternatives.

COVID-19 pandemic highlighted food systems’ fragility, especially concerning global trade. On the other hand, the pandemic underlined the resilient character of Short Food Supply Chains (SFSCs), as citizen-consumers continued to buy through such sales channels, in order to limit virus spread, and farms developed innovations and rapid strategic responses. In a fragile context, such as that of inner areas, SFSC may represent, for farms, a significant competitive tool to increase their resilience. This study aims to investigate the degree of resilience of farms in inner areas of Campania Region (South Italy) and the role of SFSC during the pandemic. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of wineries in inner areas of Campania in order to detect their resilience score, which was measured, according to literature, through three variables: effectiveness, flexibility, and responsiveness. A linear regression was run to identify variables affecting farms’ resilience. Results show that both farmers’ and farms’ characteristics turned out to affect farms’ resilience score, such as the turnover, the use of SFSC, and farmers’ age and education. This study’s findings could be helpful for decision-making in the development of inner areas, and for providing targeted policies to manage unexpected events in different scenarios.