eTrust-Food

Understanding consumer behaviour is of crucial importance for the countries that are aiming at accession to the large structured markets (such as EU) where understanding consumer needs represent one of the most important tools for being competitive. This is especially the case for the Western Balkan countries where agriculture has a high stake in total GDP and employment.
The main aim of this research is to identify links between consumers and agro-food supply chain actors in Western Balkan when it comes to consumer trust towards agricultural production and product origin. Identifying determinants of consumer trust will provide guidance for the marketing promotion strategies of the agro-food companies, and thus foster their further transparency and competitiveness. The main research questions are:
1. What are the main determinants of consumer trust towards agro-food supply chain actors and stakeholders when it comes to agricultural and food production in selected Western Balkan countries?
2. How should agro-food companies improve their marketing promotion strategies to regain or empower consumer trust and thus improve the competitiveness of the respective supply chains?
 

• Prof. Dr. Dr. Vlade Zaric (University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture, Serbia)
• Dr. Irina Dolgopolova (TUM School of Management, Technical University Munich, Germany)

• German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)