What is it about?
This paper shows that attitudes to local food are shaped less by whether someone is a producer or a consumer, and more by their underlying values. In Hungary, we found two broad groups: one more community- and sustainability-oriented, and another more focused on practical personal benefits. We also found that producers often misread what consumers value, especially underestimating concerns about packaging waste. The findings suggest that better communication and value-sensitive policies could help strengthen local food systems.
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Why is it important?
This paper examines producers and consumers within a shared framework and shows that values matter more than roles in shaping local food attitudes. It is timely because food systems are under pressure to become more sustainable, resilient, and trusted. The findings can help improve communication, policy, and market strategies by showing how better alignment between producers and consumers can strengthen local food systems.
Perspectives
What I personally find most interesting about this paper is that it shows local food attitudes are shaped less by whether someone is a producer or a consumer, and more by their underlying values. To me, that makes the findings both more human and more useful, because it points toward better communication, trust, and policy in local food systems.
Professor Imre Fertő
Eotvos Lorand Tudomanyegyetem
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Beyond roles: shared value orientations and attitudes in local food systems, Agriculture and Human Values, February 2026, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/s10460-026-10862-0.
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