Abstract

The objective of this paper is to offer qualitative and quantitative insights on the perceptions of the actors in the EU food supply chain on a broad spectrum of topics that characterise its operation and conduct, highlighting also potential differences in North and South European countries. Issues explored pertained to actors’ relations with upand downstream partners, the future dynamic and challenges of the food sector, the influence of policy intervention and attitudes towards genetically modified products (GMPs) and organic production. For this purpose, a total of 34 food supply chain actors in Denmark and Greece were interviewed using a semi-structured interview process. A comparative analysis of the interviews pinpointed many similarities in the behaviour and the perceptions of the Greek and Danish farmers, cooperatives, processors and retailers alike. Still, while it is evident that companies and farmers of both countries struggle with a lot of the same problems, several differences in perceptions are also identified. These refer mainly to attitudes towards mergers and acquisitions, innovations, GMPs and the effects and limitations of EU policy intervention.

Keywords

Food supply chain structure; vertical integration; stakeholders’ survey

Published in

International Journal on Food System Dynamics
2011, Volume: 2, number: 3, pages: 274-280

UKÄ Subject classification

Business Administration


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18461/ijfsd.v2i3.236

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/42152