How consumers perceive the sustainability of a product with a short food supply chain certification: the case of the Catalan proximity sales label

How consumers perceive the sustainability of a product with a short food supply chain certification: the case of the Catalan proximity sales label | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article How consumers perceive the sustainability of a product with a short food supply chain certification: the case of the Catalan proximity sales label Adrià Menéndez i Molist, Zein Kallas, Omar Vicente Guadarrama Fuentes This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4648856/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 08 Apr, 2025 Read the published version in Discover Sustainability → Version 1 posted 12 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Enhancing the sustainability of the agri-food supply chain is dependent on the active and informed participation of consumers. Food product certifications can aid consumers in making better-informed purchasing decisions. In this research, we examined the consumer's perceptions of the sustainability features of two institutional short chain certifications, which indicate the product's local and short supply chain origins. Data was obtained from a sample of 300 Catalan consumers, who were stratified by gender, age, and income level. Respondents were surveyed face-to-face in an experimental environment and asked to rate 20 sustainability indicators on a 7-point Likert scale based on FAO’s sustainability assessment for food and agriculture systems (SAFA), with fig jam as the case study. The study showed that consumers believe purchasing certified fig jam contributes to improving agri-food supply chain sustainability, particularly concerning the farmers’ economic and governance aspects. The heterogeneity analysis revealed a correlation between trust in the certification and purchase intention of certified fig jam and higher sustainability perceptions, particularly among the enthusiastic cluster of consumers. However, prior knowledge of the certification was not a significant factor. The results highlight the significance of implementing direct sales and short chain certifications through institutional bodies to encourage consumers to make sustainable purchasing choices. This represents a road map for producers, policymakers and marketers in the agri-food sector. sustainability certification direct sales short chains proximity consumers Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 1. Introduction The current food system faces major challenges as it becomes increasingly evident that climate change is already affecting global food security [1]. Currently prevailing forms of agriculture conflict with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially concerning the enhancement of sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG 12) [2]. In this context, consumers' decision-making when purchasing food is critical for the sustainability of agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) [3]. The socio-environmental impact of their purchase depends on factors such as product components, energy expenditure, production methods, carbon footprint, and origin, but this information is not always available or clear to the consumer [4]. For this reason, regulatory agencies have encouraged the use of certifications to enable consumers to make better-informed purchasing decisions [5]. But to what extent certification helps consumers better understand their contribution to more sustainable AFSCs is still a research subject. Consumers are presented with a plethora of labels in the market, which typically attest to a variety of characteristics such as place of origin, local production, health benefits, and organic farming practices among others [6]. However, the relationship between these elements and sustainability in the agri-food sector is not entirely evident, particularly in relation to local food, and the current literature has not comprehensively examined the purchase of local products as an environmentally responsible action [7]. On the other hand, labeling these attributes independently may provide insufficient information on their sustainability [8], as well as not taking into account other determining factors, such as the distribution channel. The number of intermediaries the product has passed through may influence consumers’ perception of the socio-environmental impact of the purchase. This is why the public institution Generalitat de Catalunya, the regional government of Catalonia, has issued the certification “Venda de proximitat” (Decree 24/2013, of 8 January, on the accreditation of the proximity sale of agri-food products) to indicate the product's short food supply chain (SFSC) origin. The certification has two variants: “Directa” (Direct sales) and “Circuit Curt” (Short chain) (Figure 1). The main objective of this study is to assess consumers' perceptions of a range of sustainability indicators associated with agri-food products that have been certified with the proximity certification granted by the Generalitat de Catalunya. To accomplish this objective, we conducted a survey of 300 local consumers and selected fig jam as our case study. This decision was based on the fact that figs are a high-value fruit crop that is produced locally in the fruit-growing region of Lleida (Catalonia). Furthermore, using a processed product such as fig jam was deemed appropriate because it is suitable for year-round consumption and offers greater commercialization potential compared to fresh fruit. As indicated in the literature review, there is a lack of agreement on two key issues in this study: firstly, the dimensions of sustainability that SFSCs contribute to the most, and secondly, which sustainable attributes consumers prioritize when making purchasing decisions. This study contributes to these two debates by presenting the subjective views of consumers. Therefore, the first two questions described below focus on their assessment of proximity certification: Question 1 . To what extent do consumers consider the proximity sales certification to be more sustainable in its economic, environmental, social, or governance dimensions? Question 2 . What is the difference in perception of sustainability between direct sales and short chain modalities of the proximity sales certification? Hypothesis 1 . Consumers tend to perceive the acquisition of proximity-certified fig jams as an opportunity to endorse sustainability, highlighting environmental concerns. Hypothesis 2 . The direct sales channel is generally considered to be a more sustainable choice than the short chain model. Identifying the factors that influence this perception of sustainability is of the utmost importance. This investigation endeavors to address the subsequent questions in order to establish a target audience for the proximity certifications that have been examined: Question 3 . Is there a correlation between the perception of sustainability and the higher level of awareness, trust in the certification, and intention to purchase certified products? Question 4 . Would it be possible to identify a socio-demographic profile that exhibits a higher level of purchase intention and assigns a higher degree of sustainability to certified products? Hypothesis 3 . The consumers who place the highest importance on the sustainability of certified fig jams are typically those who are familiar with the label, have confidence in it, and are more inclined to buy these products. Hypothesis 4 . The target audience for certified products consists of financially well-off and ecologically minded adult households. This research contributes to the existing literature by bringing consumer perceptions into the discussion on how to achieve fairer and more sustainable AFSCs. In addition, it is a pioneering study in the evaluation of the Catalan institutional certification of SFSC products. The results may be considered for the replicability of similar sustainability certification policies. The next section reviews the literature on the role of certifications in agri-food products. The methodology of this study and the results are then presented, followed by a discussion and conclusions. 2. Background: certifying sustainable attributes Research studies have consistently highlighted an increasing awareness of environmental and social issues among consumers when making purchasing decisions [ 9 , 10 ]. Agri-food companies are increasingly targeting consumers with a preference for green consumption values, as these individuals represent a growing market segment [ 11 ]. Likewise, there has been a rise in the demand for locally-grown food among consumers [ 12 ]. Cappelli et al. [ 7 ], in a literature review, proposed three dimensions of local food based on its definition: geographical (the product's proximity to the consumer), geopolitical (the state or region of the consumer's residence), and organic (a combination of local and organic attributes); the second being the most widely used in the literature. What are the factors that lead consumers to support local procurement? Consumers may support local food based on their self-identity, sustainable expectations, ethnocentrism [ 13 ], healthiness, or the stimulation of local economies [ 14 ]. In terms of product perception, consumers may associate local food with freshness, nutritional value, tastiness, and safety [ 12 ], but other negative perceptions may also prevail, such as poorer appearance and higher price [ 13 ]. However, the consumers’ preference for local food is a bone of contention in the published literature. In a literature review, Li and Kallas [ 15 ] revealed a growing demand for sustainable fruits and vegetables prompted more by organic-related attributes than by product proximity. In other cases, pricing, taste, and individual health concerns were given a bigger role than sustainability [ 3 , 16 ]. Other research backed up the notion that consumers favor locally-produced food [ 7 ], or prioritize geographical proximity over social proximity (the perceived distance in the relationship among all agents of the supply chain) [ 17 ]. In a non-hypothetical choice experiment, de-Magistris & Gracia [ 18 ] found that consumers were willing to pay a positive premium for locally grown and organic almonds, implying that distance was an attribute consumers considered when given this information. When the researchers investigated the influence of labeling a product's distance on willingness to pay (WTP), they found that the WTP decreased as the product traveled further [ 19 ]. Nevertheless, the perception of consumers towards the sustainability of a food product remains indeterminate. Van Bussel et al. [ 3 ] pointed out that consumers found it difficult to define the concept of "sustainability" and to accurately assess the environmental impact of their food choices.. Therefore, it can be ascertained that there is an insufficient amount of crucial data regarding the global aspects of food sustainability. Unfortunately, it is challenging for consumers to differentiate between products that promote environmentally friendly behavior due to the extensive range of sustainability indicators that are currently accessible [ 9 ] and a confusion of certifications claiming different sustainability-related attributes [ 4 , 8 ]. Clarification is necessary [ 2 ] to determine whether certifications are an efficient method for communicating sustainable features. [ 20 ]. The objective of organic and local product certifications is to improve transparency in the value chain and minimize the imbalance of information [ 21 ]. A certification can empower consumers to make informed, eco-friendly purchasing decisions given the proper institutional support. In other circumstances, sustainability may seem to be ensured through trust-based direct sales arrangements, but this does not necessarily guarantee that the product is environmentally and socially responsible [ 22 ]. Therefore, a certification system is necessary. However, some limits on labeling have been identified: lack of trust among consumers, complexity of social and environmental issues, and information overload [ 23 ]. Major obstacles for producers include the costs associated with certification and the additional time required to obtain it [ 2 ]. Despite certain constraints, some studies have shown that local production certification can have a favorable influence, as evidenced by the increase in consumers' WTP in a strawberry jam experiment [ 12 ]. In a different study, it was discovered that consumers were willing to pay more for locally sourced items than for those that were organic certified [ 24 ]. In turn, according to Duckworth et al. [ 25 ] consumers often preferred products with labels over those without, and they showed a clear preference for "locally sourced" and "sustainably sourced" labels over "environmentally friendly" and "low greenhouse gas emissions" labels. Previous studies have indicated a limited distinction between "sustainable," "organic," and "local" certifications, yet they have also found a positive WTP for all of them [ 26 ]. The academic literature has produced mixed results on this topic; however, it demonstrates that obtaining proximity sales certification presents a chance to promote ethical consumption. However, organic and origin certifications only offer limited information regarding the sustainability of a product. For example, in the case of protected geographical indication (PGI), their focus on high-quality products limits their expansion to have an added sustainability value [ 2 ]. In addition, these certifications do not provide information on the channel used to reach the consumer, a factor that has a significant impact on their sustainability. Gómez & Maynou [ 22 ] studied the case of fisheries in Catalonia adopting direct sale and certification of origin schemes to add value to the catches and improve the sale prices. The Generalitat de Catalunya introduced a proximity sales certification comprising two labels, which denote SFSCs: direct sales and short chain sales. The difference is in the number of intermediaries involved. This division is similar to the categorization proposed by Renkema & Hilletofth’s [ 27 ]. On one hand, direct-to-consumer SFSCs involve consumers purchasing a product directly from the producer. One of the drawbacks of this approach is that it may lead to higher labor and marketing costs, as well as limited scalability and unpredictable revenue streams. On the other hand, indirect-to-consumer or intermediate SFSCs occur when intermediaries are involved in the transaction process, such as retailers or wholesalers, provided that origin information is communicated to consumers. The second is the SFSCs with the largest volume of sold produce and market share [ 28 ]. SFSCs are a set of distribution channels that farmers can use to reduce the distance between agricultural production and the consumer, with a minimum or "ideally non-existent" number of intermediaries [ 29 ]. Numerous investigations have been undertaken in the past two decades to discuss and evaluate their definition and influence [ 30 , 31 ], but its contribution to more sustainable AFSCs is discussed. Several investigations have demonstrated positive consequences, including increased income for farmers, enhanced engagement among stakeholders, the development of trust, a sense of community, heightened consumer awareness, greater transparency, diminished asymmetry of information, and a reduction in the ecological footprint [ 29 , 32 , 33 ]. However, the influence of SFSCs has at times been exaggerated, and the countervailing effects have not been adequately investigated [ 34 , 35 ]. In this discussion, it is relevant to explore how consumers perceive the sustainability of these alternative AFSCs. 3. Materials and methods Previously published research has used several methodologies for the sustainability assessment of AFSCs. Ainsworth et al. [ 36 ] collected data from workshops with stakeholders, while Von Geibler et al. [ 37 ] opted for interviews with experts. The use of statistical methods from quantitative data was also proposed [ 38 ]. In this article, we use a survey to measure consumers' subjective perceptions of the sustainability of SFSCs. 3.1. The selection of sustainability indicators The initial stage of this research entailed constructing a set of indicators to comprehensively address the challenges faced by the agri-food sector. It is essential to provide not only nutritious food but also other economic, social, and environmental benefits, such as job creation and biodiversity [ 39 ]. In ultra-competitive agri-food markets, sustainability performance can be seen as a differentiation strategy as there is a societal demand for sustainable products [ 40 ]. Many authors have proposed setting up indicators for a common strategy, using different dimensions of sustainability when assessing AFSCs (Table 1 ). The majority of studies have employed the triple bottom-line method, which evaluates sustainability by considering economic, social, and environmental factors [ 41 ] to adopt a more holistic research [ 34 ]. Other researchers extend their work by considering additional aspects, which include cultural and governance factors [ 42 ], health and ethics [ 43 , 44 ], or rely on official sets of indicators, such as SAFA (Sustainability Assessment for Food and Agriculture systems) and SDGs [ 45 , 46 ]. Our approach is an adaptation of the SAFA indicators proposed by FAO [ 47 ], a list of 118 indicators classified into 4 dimensions (economic resilience, social well-being, good governance, and environmental integrity). However, SAFA indicators are focused on the assessment of a single firm and require a substantial amount of data [ 5 ]. Thus, it was imperative to choose a set of indicators that could be used in a broader context. Table 1 Compilation of sustainability assessment methodologies and the dimensions they use Assessment AFSC Ref. Eco Env Soc Gov SAFA IYAFA Global Action Plan (GAP) Pillar targets Octopus [ 36 ] X X X X Sustainability performance of certified and non-certified food Multiple agri-food products [ 5 , 48 ] X X X SAFA sustainability impact assessment (SIA) Urban SFSCs [ 34 ] X X X Sustainability of agroforestry systems Agro-forestry [ 2 ]: SDG Ethiopia banana value chain Banana [ 49 ] X X X SAFA Urban food systems strategies [ 46 ] X X X X SDG Indicators of economic, environmental, and social sustainability of SFSC Multiple case studies [ 35 ] X X X Sustainability Indicator Scoring (SIS) Matrix [ 38 ] X X X The contributions of short food supply chains to territorial development [ 50 ] X X X value chain sustainability (VCS) metrics Pork [ 40 , 51 ] X X X EFORWOOD sustainability indicator sets Forestry [ 52 ] X X X Sustainability comparison of a local and a global milk value chains Milk [ 43 ] X X X + Health + Ethics SAFA Comparing the Sustainability of Local and Global Food Chains Cheese [ 44 ] X X X + Health + Ethics SAFA Sustainability assessment of entire forest value chains Forestry [ 37 ] X X X The objective of this study is to establish a comprehensive and straightforward framework by incorporating 20 indicators derived from the SAFA guidelines (Table 2 ) allowing a homogeneous, comparable, robust, and synthetic analysis. The indicators were chosen by Delphi methodology [ 2 , 43 , 53 ]. The Delphi method is an appropriate method where there is a lack of authoritative objective information, and instead, the opinions of experts are sought. In this case, the selection of indicators was consulted with experts from three universities in the Mediterranean area (Spain, France, and Morocco), as well as stakeholders of the fig value chain in these countries. A preliminary selection of indicators was validated in a second round of the Delphi survey. Table 2 List of the 20 selected sustainability indicators and relation with SAFA indicators and SDGs Indicator When buying proximity sales labeled products, I contribute to: SAFA [ 47 ] SDGs and Urban Food Systems Strategies related themes [ 46 ] Economic sustainability indicators 1.1Eco Reducing production and distribution costs for producers C 1.4.1 Net Income SDG 2: No Hunger, Improved Nutrition, and Sustainable Agriculture. Agricultural productivity and infrastructure 1.2Eco Providing higher income for producers C 1.4.1 Net Income SDG 1: No poverty. General 1.3Eco Ensuring more stable trade relations C 2.2.2 Stability of Supplier Relationships SDG 8: Good jobs and economic growth. Market 1.4Eco Ensuring that suppliers are locally based C 4.2.1 Local Procurement SDG 8: Good jobs and economic growth. Short supply chains 1.5Eco Paying a price adjusted to the quality of the product C 1.4.3 Price Determination SDG 8: Good jobs and economic growth. Market Environmental sustainability indicators 2.1Env Maintaining locally adapted plant varieties or animal breeds E 4.3.3 Locally Adapted Varieties/Breeds SDG 15: Life on land. Biodiversity 2.2Env Reducing the use of non-renewable materials E 5.1.1 Material Consumption Practices SDG 12: Sustainable consumption and production. Consumption 2.3Env Reducing the energy consumption per unit of produce E 5.2.3 Energy Consumption SDG 7: Renewable energy. Resiliency 2.4Env Reducing the use of water E 2.1.2 Water Conservation Practices SDG 12: Sustainable consumption and production. Consumption 2.5Env Reducing food waste and loss E 5.3.2 Waste Reduction Practices SDG 12: Sustainable consumption and production. Waste prevention and reduction from farm to fork Social Sustainability indicators 3.1Soc Generating employment with decent conditions S 3.1.1 Employment Relations SDG 16: Peace and justice. Protection of workers’ rights 3.2Soc A greater presence of women employees in the value chain S 4.2.1 Gender Equality SDG 5: Gender equality. Leadership 3.3Soc Fulfilling producers’ rights S 2.2.1 Rights of Suppliers SDG 10: Reduced inequalities. Livelihood 3.4Soc Providing fair and transparent contracts for producers S 2.1.1 Fair Pricing and Transparent Contracts SDG 10: Reduced inequalities. Livelihood 3.5Soc Providing safer working conditions S 5.1.2 Safety of Workplace, Operations and Facilities SDG 16: Peace and justice. Protection of workers’ rights Governance sustainability indicators 4.1Gov Making market information more transparent G 2.3.1 Transparency SDG 16: Peace and justice. Decision-making process 4.2Gov Engaging producers with the other stakeholders in the supply chain G 3.1.2 Stakeholder Engagement SDG 17: Partnership for the goals. Organizational infrastructure 4.3Gov Making value chain stakeholders more engaged and cohesive G 3.1.3 Engagement Barriers SDG 17: Partnership for the goals. Organizational infrastructure 4.4Gov Making producers’ participation more effective G 3.1.4 Effective Participation SDG 17: Partnership for the goals. Participation 4.5Gov Achieving more responsible supply chains G 4.3.1 Civic Responsibility SDG 16: Peace and justice. Civic engagement 3.2. Survey design A survey was conducted among 300 consumers, with a margin of error of 5.66% and a 95% confidence level. The individuals, aged 18 or above, were invited to partake in a consumer study on fig jam (Fig. 2 ) that took place between October and December 2023 and were rewarded with 25 euros for their participation. In addition, participants were asked to answer the following question for each indicator, on a Likert scale from 1 to 7: “By buying products labeled as proximity sales, I contribute to the fulfillment of this indicator”. Responses were collected using the Qualtrics platform and the presentation of the indicators was randomized for each respondent to avoid order bias. The survey was approved by the ethics committee of the Center for Agri-Food Economics and Development (CREDA) and was conducted following ethical principles while safeguarding personal information in compliance with national and European regulations. The Hypothesis and research questions were assessed with bivariate and multivariate statistical analysis tools. The primary objective of the present investigation was to outline the sociodemographic characteristics of the sample and provide a comprehensive summary of the typical scores associated with the perceived sustainability of the indicators. Additionally, statistical differences between the indicators and the two categories of labels under investigation were assessed. In order to discern differences in perception depending on consumers’ profiles, a cluster analysis was also carried out [ 8 , 54 , 55 ]. 4. Results First, the sample's sociodemographic characteristics are presented. Next, the means of the perception of sustainability for the indicators are provided and statistical differences between the indicators and the two certification modalities analyzed are assessed. Third, a heterogeneity analysis is conducted. 4.1. Sample description The sociodemographic characteristics of the sample are presented in Table 3 . Table 3 Sociodemographic characteristics of respondents Variable Category Freq (N = 295) Percent Population (IDESCAT, S2/2023) Gender Male 131 44% 49% Female 157 53% 51% Other 7 2% - Age group 18 to 24 years old 138 47% 10% 25 to 39 years old 69 23% 23% 40 to 59 years old 71 24% 39% 60 to 85 years old 17 6% 28% Household size (number of people) 1 24 8% 19% 2 54 18% 33% 3 65 22% 23% 4 or more 152 52% 24% Household economic position Very bad 3 1% 9% Bad 10 3% 12% Neither good or bad 122 41% 55% Good 144 49% 20% Very good 16 5% 3% Working status Employed full-time 99 34% 50% Employed part-time 26 9% 3% Unemployed 13 4% 6% Student 133 45% 7% Retired 8 3% 23% Self-employed 14 5% 9% Unable to work 2 1% 2% 4.2 Sustainability assessment Table 4 illustrates the average assessment of the twenty sustainability indicators for both direct sales and short chain certifications. According to the survey findings, SFSC certificates are generally perceived to have a more substantial influence on governance and economic sustainability than on social and environmental dimensions of sustainability. Furthermore, direct sales are perceived to be more economically sustainable for producers than the short chain model, which involves only one intermediary. Direct sales have been widely regarded as a more economically sustainable option than short chains in all five key economic indicators: production and distribution costs (Eco1), producers' income (Eco2), stable commercial relations (Eco3), local origin of suppliers (Eco4), and fair prices (Eco5). Table 4 Consumers' sustainability indicators assessment of direct sales and short chain certifications Direct sales Short chain Indicators Mean (1 to 7) Std. Dev Mean (1 to 7) Std. Dev Eco1 Reduce production and distribution costs for producers 5.49 a 1.48 5.05 b 1.43 Eco2 Increase producers' income 5.91 a 1.21 5.33 b 1.24 Eco3 Guarantee more stable commercial relations for producers 5.82 a 1.12 5.47 b 1.14 Eco4 Ensure that suppliers are of local origin 6.15 a 1.10 5.59 b 1.28 Eco5 Pay a price corresponding to the quality of the product 5.73 a 1.18 5.35 b 1.19 ECO Economic average 5.82 a 0.76 5.36 b 0.88 Env1 Maintain traditional plant varieties or animal breeds adapted to local conditions 5.87 a 1.19 5.59 b 1.36 Env2 Reduce the use of non-renewable materials 5.86 a 1.27 5.07 b 1.45 Env3 Reduce energy consumption per product unit 5.77 a 1.28 5.49 b 1.26 Env4 Save on water consumption 5.02 a 1.45 5.30 b 1.40 Env5 Reduce food waste and loss 4.83 a 1.45 5.37 b 1.32 ENV Environmental average 5.47 a 0.87 5.37 b 0.91 Soc1 Generate well-paid employment with decent conditions 5.41 a 1.38 4.33 b 1.55 Soc2 Increase the presence of women in jobs in the value chain 5.76 1.19 5.75 1.20 Soc3 Ensure compliance with the rights of producers 5.25 1.45 5.16 1.42 Soc4 Ensure safer and healthier working conditions 4.26 a 1.49 5.36 b 1.27 Soc5 Obtain fair and transparent contracts for producers 5.36 a 1.21 5.09 b 1.40 SOC Social average 5.21 a 0.98 5.14 b 1.02 Gov1 Increase the transparency and accessibility of information on the market 5.94 a 1.03 5.74 b 1.09 Gov2 Improve the relationship between producers and the rest of the actors in the value chain 5.65 a 1.21 5.87 b 1.05 Gov3 Make the actors in the chain more engaged and cohesive with each other 5.97 a 0.99 5.56 b 1.19 Gov4 Ensure more effective participation of producers in the decision-making and actions of the value chain 5.46 1.09 5.49 1.17 Gov5 Achieving more responsible value chains 5.38 a 1.15 5.66 b 1.15 GOV Governance average 5.68 0.74 5.66 0.78 AVERAGE SUSTAINABILITY 5.54 a 0.66 5.38 b 0.74 a, b, denotes statistically significant differences between means (paired sample t test < 0.05). Regarding environmental indicators, consumers believe that direct sales outperform in the usage of local and traditional varieties (Env1) and reduction of non-renewable materials (Env2) and energy consumption (Env3). Short chains outperform in saving water consumption (Env4) and food waste reduction (Env5). Direct sales are often regarded as having the potential to create more respectable employment opportunities (Soc1), as compared to short supply chains, which are believed to offer safer working environments (Soc4). On average, consumers value short chains more highly than direct sales in terms of governance, especially in the case of the commitment and cohesion of the actors in the value chain (Gov3). 4.3 Heterogeneity analysis The results of the cluster analysis showed 3 consumer groups (Ward's method) based on 6 dependent variables presented in Table 5 . The first 3 dependent variables represent consumer intention towards the SFSC (Purchase intention). The second set of variables represents consumers' positive attitudes toward the certification (Label perception). Prior knowledge of the certification, which in the case of our study was 31.2% of the sample, did not report a significant effect on the analysis, so it was excluded from the variables used. Table 5 Clustering results Clusters C1 N = 110 C2 N = 89 C3 N = 96 Mean Std. Dev. Mean Std. Dev. Mean Std. Dev. Intention to purchase from SFSCs (1–5) 4.19 0.62 2.90 0.81 3.74 0.60 Plan to purchase from SFSCs (1–5) 4.12 0.60 2.79 0.66 3.70 0.65 Willingness to purchase from SFSCs (1–5) 4.32 0.46 3.48 0.81 3.74 0.69 The label is helpful (1–7) 6.23 0.74 5.76 0.90 4.79 1.44 The label is understandable (1–7) 6.05 0.80 5.40 1.13 3.84 1.18 The label is reliable (1–7) 6.05 0.85 5.69 0.84 4.19 1.24 C1, C2, and C3 are the three clusters identified. The clusters are summarized as follows: Cluster 1 . Enthusiastic: Consumers who have the intention, plan, and willingness to procure food from SFSCs, and place significant importance on the usefulness, comprehensibility, and dependability of the certification. Cluster 2 . Reluctant: Consumers who possess a moderate level of confidence in the utility, comprehensibility, and reliability of the certification but are less inclined to purchase from SFSCs or certified products. Cluster 3 . Distrustful: Consumers who are less confident in the usefulness, understandability, and reliability of the certification, yet are more inclined to purchase food from SFSCs or certified products. Furthermore, a Principal Component Factor was used on the 6 dependent variables mentioned before. The variables used were reduced into two main factors: assessment of the usefulness, understandability, and reliability of the certification (F1), and purchase intention of SFSC and certified products (F2). The scatter plot (Fig. 3 ) shows how enthusiastic (C1) and reluctant (C2) consumers share a positive assessment of the certification and what differentiates them is purchase intention. On the other hand, distrustful consumers (C3) share a lower certification assessment but are more heterogeneous in declaring their purchase intention to buy labeled or short chain products. Table 6 shows the heterogeneity and profile description of the 3 clustering groups using sociodemographic and personality variables [ 56 ]. The group comprising of enthusiastic consumers (C1) responds to a demographic profile of a middle-aged individual (33.32 years), with a slight predominance of females. This group is largely employed (50.0%), their household income is significantly high (3.58). and their personality is more characterized by sympathy and openness to new experiences. On the contrary, reluctant customers (C2) tend to be younger, with an average age of 29.3 years. They are also more likely to be students, comprising 51.7% of the group, and have fewer employed individuals, at 40.4%. Despite this, they generally report a favorable economic situation within their households, with an average score of 3.69 out of 5. This is a group of individuals who, while they hold certification in high regard, do not take the necessary steps to acquire certified products. They also show a less sympathetic and open to new experiences personality. The demographic characteristics of the distrustful consumer group (C3) show that their average age is 34.5 years, with a higher proportion of retirees (4.2%) and employed individuals (50.0%). Furthermore, their income level is slightly lower than the others, with a rating of 3.36, and they rate themselves as the most critical consumers. Table 6 Sociodemographic heterogeneity between clusters Clusters C1 N = 110 C2 N = 89 C3 N = 96 Mean Std. Dev. Mean Std. Dev. Mean Std. Dev. Age (years) * 33.32 a,b 15.71 29.29 b 14.01 34.54 a 14.74 Gender (% of women) * 62% a 0.49 44% b 0.50 56% a,b 0.50 Household size (1 to 8) 3.35 a 1.20 3.33 a 1.34 3.42 a 1.35 Highest degree of education completed 3.05 a 0.89 2.99 a 0.85 2.92 a 0.85 How would you evaluate the income position of your household? (1–5) ** 3.58 a,b 0.64 3.69 a 0.70 3.36 b 0.73 When someone does me a favor, I’m willing to return it (0–10) ** 9.45 a 0.89 8.93 b 1.46 9.01 b 1.45 Personality: critical (0–10) * 2.92 b 1.57 3.40 a,b 1.77 3.51 a 1.75 Personality: open to new experiences (0–10) * 5.89 a 1.15 5.38 b 1.32 5.54 a b 1.26 Personality: sympathetic, warm (0–10) * 6.01 a 0.97 5.55 b 1.20 5.69 a b 1.19 * Significance < 0.05 ** Significance < 0.01. a,b,c Superscript letters indicate that means were statistically different among clusters using the post hoc Tukey test at < 0.05. Lastly, it is intriguing to observe how the distinctions between clusters manifest in consumers' perceptions regarding the sustainability of certifications. Table 7 shows the comparison of averages by Clusters of the perception of sustainability of the direct sales and short chain certifications using ANOVA, taking into account the 20 sustainability indicators. For both certification modalities, enthusiastic consumers (C1) attribute a higher degree of sustainability to labeled products, in terms of economic, environmental, social, and governance indicators. Therefore, this constitutes a group of consumers who firmly believe in the significance of certification and its role in fostering more sustainable value chains. Moreover, they are inclined to adjust their purchasing habits in accordance with these values. It is essential to recognize the importance of this target audience and their influence on the market. Table 7 Comparison of sustainability perception averages by clusters and type of certification Sustainability indicators Direct sales Short Chain C1 C2 C3 C1 C2 C3 Eco1. Reduce production and distribution costs for producers 5.77 a 5.34 a 5.30 a 5.24 a 4.96 a 4.92 a (1.33) (1.51) (1.58) (1.32) (1.43) (1.54) Eco2. Increase producers' income 6.23 a 5.70 b 5.74 b 5.58 a 5.16 b 5.20 a,b (0.90) (1.16) (1.47) (1.18) (1.07) (1.40) Eco3. Guarantee more stable commercial relations for producers 5.98 a 5.73 a 5.73 a 5.63 a 5.39 a 5.35 a (1.09) (1.13) (1.13) (1.18) (1.08) (1.13) Eco4. Ensure that suppliers are of local origin 6.43 a 6.04 b 5.93 b 5.76 a 5.49 a 5.49 a (0.94) (1.09) (1.20) (1.32) (1.18) (1.31) Eco5. Pay a price corresponding to the quality of the product 6.01 a 5.49 b 5.63 a,b 5.53 a 5.11 b 5.35 a,b (0.96) (1.37) (1.15) (1.09) (1.27) (1.18) Env1. Maintain traditional plant varieties or animal breeds adapted to local conditions 6.20 a 5.69 b 5.67 b 5.79 a 5.44 a 5.51 a (1.06) (1.17) (1.27) (1.35) (1.33) (1.36) Env2. Reduce the use of non-renewable materials 6.17 a 5.72 b 5.64 b 5.12 a 4.89 a 5.19 a (1.09) (1.32) (1.36) (1.49) (1.30) (1.53) Env3. Reduce energy consumption per product unit 5.90 a 5.52 a 5.84 a 5.83 a 5.30 b 5.27 b (1.24) (1.36) (1.22) (1.16) (1.23) (1.31) Env4. Save on water consumption 5.19 a 4.89 a 4.94 a 5.48 a 5.20 a 5.19 a (1.52) (1.32) (1.47) (1.37) (1.29) (1.49) Env5. Reduce food waste and loss 4.84 a 4.69 a 4.96 a 5.45 a 5.13 a 5.50 a (1.55) (1.23) (1.5) (1.24) (1.39) (1.31) Soc1. Generate well-paid employment with decent conditions 5.66 a 5.08 b 5.43 a,b 4.65 a 3.91 b 4.33 a,b (1.20) (1.53) (1.35) (1.58) (1.50) (1.47) Soc2. Increase the presence of women in jobs in the value chain* 6.00 a 5.60 b 5.63 a,b 6.07 a 5.57 b 5.54 b (1.06) (1.35) (1.13) (0.96) (1.21) (1.36) Soc3. Ensure compliance with the rights of producers 5.43 a 5.16 a 5.15 a 5.35 a 5.03 a 5.06 a (1.38) (1.49) (1.45) (1.31) (1.51) (1.42) Soc4. Ensure safer and healthier working conditions 4.47 a 4.02 a 4.24 a 5.67 a 5.21 b 5.15 b (1.51) (1.53) (1.41) (1.18) (1.31) (1.27) Soc5. Obtain fair and transparent contracts for producers* 5.55 a 5.42 a,b 5.08 b 5.36 a 5.04 a,b 4.81 b (1.15) (1.17) (1.27) (1.28) (1.38) (1.48) Gov1. Increase the transparency and accessibility of information on the market** 6.27 a 5.69 b 5.79 b 6.05 a 5.31 b 5.77 a (0.82) (1.19) (0.99) (0.94) (1.27) (0.93) Gov2. Improve the relationship between producers and the rest of the actors in the value chain 5.85 a 5.44 b 5.61 a,b 6.17 a 5.62 b 5.76 b (1.04) (1.44) (1.11) (0.74) (1.27) (1.03) Gov3. Make the actors in the chain more engaged and cohesive with each other** 6.17 a 5.72 b 5.98 a,b 5.86 a 5.36 b 5.39 b (0.83) (1.14) (0.96) (1.19) (1.09) (1.22) Gov4. Ensure more effective participation of producers in the decision-making and actions of the value chain 5.72 a 5.24 b 5.38 a,b 5.71 a 5.34 a 5.39 a (0.97) (1.11) (1.14) (1.06) (1.35) (1.08) Gov5. Achieving more responsible value chains 5.72 a 5.17 b 5.19 b 5.91 a 5.51 b 5.53 a,b (0.93) (1.28) (1.15) (1.14) (1.03) (1.21) ECO. Average 6.08 a 5.66 b 5.66 b 5.55 a 5.22 b 5.26 a,b (0.62) (0.72) (0.85) (0.91) (0.82) (0.86) ENV average 5.66 a 5.30 b 5.41 a,b 5.53 a 5.19 b 5.33 a,b (0.79) (0.80) (0.96) (0.86) (0.83) (0.98) SOC. Average 5.42 a 5.05 b 5.10 b 5.42 a 4.96 b 4.98 b (0.92) (1.03) (0.97) (0.94) (1.02) (1.03) GOV. average 5.95 a 5.45 b 5.59 b 5.94 a 5.43 b 5.57 b (0.58) (0.80) (0.75) (0.68) (0.77) (0.81) Sustainability. Average 5.78 a 5.37 b 5.44 b 5.61 a 5.20 b 5.28 b (0.56) (0.65) (0.70) (0.68) (0.68) (0.77) a,b,c Superscript letters indicate that means were statistically different among clusters using the post hoc Tukey test at < 0.05. 5. Discussion Based on the results of the study, the majority of participants who were surveyed agreed that buying products with certifications for proximity sales was beneficial in promoting more sustainable AFSCs, as suggested in H1. The governance and economic sustainability of certified products are of particular importance, whereas agreement on environmental and social criteria is less widespread. Therefore, H1 has been partially validated, as environmental criteria do not hold the highest importance. The current body of literature does not provide a clear consensus on the effect of SFSCs on sustainability. Furthermore, other studies have emphasized superior economic and social outcomes for products with eco-labels as opposed to environmental criteria [ 5 ] and particularly focused on the outperforming of the social dimension [ 34 ]. Nevertheless, consumer perceptions may not always align with the opinions of experts or studies that attempt to quantify indicators. Instead, it is the consumer's subjective assessment that has been taken into account. Products that have been granted a direct sales certification are generally considered to be more sustainable than those with a short chain certification, which includes intermediaries (H2). This result contrasts with the observation that “consumers prefer a SFSC in terms of distance and proximity to the producer, but they are indifferent in terms of the number of intermediaries” [ 57 ], since the absence of intermediaries does seem to have a positive effect on the sustainability perception. Consumers perceive the biggest difference in the economic indicators, which are better evaluated in the case of direct sales. On the other hand, both modalities have a similar evaluation of governance performance, the area where the short chain is most highly rated. Back to the literature, certain studies indicate that SFSCs are perceived by farmers as a means of enhancing recognition, autonomy, bargaining power, and securing higher sales prices. However, the economic benefits they can offer remain inconclusive [ 35 , 50 ]. Examining each indicator separately, the analyzed consumers held the belief that purchasing fig jam through direct sales channels plays an important role in ensuring that suppliers are locally sourced (Eco4), to increasing transparency (Gov1) and supply chain commitment and cohesion (Gov3), to increasing producers' income (Eco2), to maintaining traditional varieties (Env1), and to reducing the use of non-renewable materials (Env2). Conversely, consumers were less convinced of contributing to safer (Soc4) and fairer (Soc3, Soc5) working conditions for producers, as well as to food waste reduction (Env5) and water saving (Env4). It is worth noting that the evaluation of reduced energy consumption (Env3) is not considered a highly significant factor: as some researchers pointed out, concentrated supply may have less carbon footprint than SFSCs [ 34 , 35 ]. For their part, short chain labeled products were believed to contribute the most to improving the relationship between producers and the rest of the actors in the value chain (Gov2), increasing the presence of women in jobs in the supply chain (Soc2), and achieving more transparent (Gov1) and responsible supply chains (Gov5). This is consistent with the fact that a more conventional chain, or intermediate SFSC, has been found to provide better governance [ 58 ], as well as can help to decrease production costs, reduce waste, deal better with consumption variations over the year, and perform better in terms of affordability and efficiency [ 43 , 44 ]. In contrast, consumers tend to view shorter supply chains as being less effective at creating well-paying employment opportunities (Soc1). However, it is noted that these shorter chains do generate more local job creation, although the productivity associated with these jobs may be lower [ 50 ]. In conclusion, consumers generally hold the view that purchasing from direct and short supply chains results in more cohesive, transparent, and locally-based AFSCs. Nevertheless, certain factors may affect this optimistic outlook, such as regional identity. It should be noted that the proximity sales certification is limited to Catalonia, which may cause consumers to place greater value on these products due to their regional rather than local origin [ 59 , 60 ]. Regarding the identification of the factors that most influence the perception of sustainability, the results showed that consumers who attributed more sustainability performance to proximity certifications were those who trusted them more and who had more intention to purchase products from SFSCs. This confirms H3 regarding trust and purchase intention of labeled products but, on the other hand, the previous recognition of the certification did not significantly influence the sustainability assessment. These results are in line with Elghannam et al. [ 61 ], who identified consumers’ unfamiliarity with the concept of SFSCs. These factors have allowed us to carry out a heterogeneity analysis of the sample, indicating that enthusiastic consumers (C1) coincide in the highest appreciation of sustainability, confidence in certification, and intention to buy. Lastly, the analysis of the sociodemographic profile of consumers who displayed greater interest in certified products was revealed by the cluster analysis. These results are consistent with those of Szegedyné Fricz et al. [ 54 ] and Vázquez et al. [ 55 ]. However, other researchers pointed out that sociodemographic data are not sufficient for profiling and segmenting consumers [ 8 ]. Cluster 1 comprises a group of enthusiastic consumers whose population composition is characterized by a slightly greater representation of families with a solvent economic situation, middle-aged individuals, employees, and women (H4). A similar sociodemographic profile in terms of gender, age, and income was identified for the “fan” cluster of consumers willing to purchase local food [ 54 ] and “convinced” consumers aware of sustainability labels [ 55 ]. For personality traits, other researchers highlighted that active and outgoing consumers are more likely to be involved in socially responsible attitudes and behaviors [ 62 ]. Another consumer profile (Cluster 2), represented more by young students, was more reluctant to buy products with the certification, although they value it positively. Reluctant consumers, especially in the case of students, may be guided more by price than certificated sustainability attributes [ 54 ]. Finally, Cluster 3 grouped those consumers who were more critical of the certification and with a certain reserve when buying certified products. These consumers were older and had a less favorable economic profile. While the certification's sustainability was widely acknowledged among consumers, its impact on their interest and purchase intentions was also evident. According to other researchers, the inclusion of comprehensive information about the sustainability of an agri-food product is essential, preferably through the use of a universal certification [ 8 ] or including a table with the most important sustainability information [ 63 ]. 6. Conclusions The objective of this research was to evaluate sustainable certification schemes for agri-food products, utilizing the proximity sales certifications granted by the Generalitat de Catalunya as a specific instance. The studied consumers believed that by purchasing labeled products they participate in more local, transparent, and cohesive AFSCs that are more environmentally friendly and more equitable. Hence, incorporating the distribution channel within a product's sustainability information is a reasonable strategy that encourages consumers to participate in environmentally responsible distribution practices in a more informed and responsible manner. There is a necessity for increased recognition of the presence of these certifications among the general public. Despite the general unfamiliarity of these certifications, most consumers generally viewed them as helpful, reliable, and comprehensible. As a result, they would be more likely to purchase more products with this information, regardless of their previous knowledge of the certification. In particular, an enthusiastic consumer profile was identified, with a higher perception of sustainability and a greater intention to purchase labeled products. Therefore, the certification of products from SFSCs should concentrate on a consumer who is ecologically conscious and possesses a middle-class, middle-aged socio-demographic profile. These results may be useful for policymakers who want to promote more sustainable forms of agri-food distribution, since direct sales and short-channel certification seem to improve consumer perception and attitudes. In turn, they may encourage producers using short marketing channels to adhere to certification. The procedures can be carried out on the website of the Catalan government's Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda. Nevertheless, it is crucial to acknowledge the constraints of this study. While this article examines consumer perceptions, it does not assess the environmental consequences of proximity certification, but rather their influence on public opinion. The study used self-reported variables, which may be susceptible to desirability and intention biases and therefore do not necessarily reflect actual behavior. In addition, the omission of some key variables, such as ethnicity may make the resulting picture incomplete. In light of this, it is deemed necessary to conduct additional research to examine the effect of certification on enhancing the sustainability of AFSCs and its bearing on consumer behavior. Declarations Funding: This study belongs to the project Lab4Supply, “Multi-agent agri-food living labs for new supply chain Mediterranean systems. Towards more sustainable and competitive farming addressing consumers’ preferences and market changes”, funded under the PRIMA—Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area—programme-Section 2. Call 2020, Thematic Area Agri-food Value Chain. PRIMA Lab4supply received funding from participating National Research Agencies: in Spain, by “Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación” (MCIN)—“Agencia Estatal de Investigación” (AEI) (DOI 10.13039/501100011033 ), under grant agreement PCI2021-121923. The PRIMA programme is supported by Horizon 2020, the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. The content of this paper reflects only the author’s view, and the funding agencies are not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. Conflicts of interest : The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results. Ethics approval : The study took place in Castelldefels (Spain) and was carried out in the Spanish and Catalan languages. Ethical approval was obtained from the ethics committee of the Center for Agri-food Economics and Development. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in this study. Author Contribution All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Conceptualisation, A.M.i.M., Z.K. and O.V.G.F.; experimental design, A.M.i.M., Z.K. and O.V.G.F.; data collection, A.M.i.M., Z.K. and O.V.G.F.; data curation, A.M.i.M., Z.K. and O.V.G.F.; formal analysis, A.M.i.M. and Z.K.; funding acquisition, Z.K.; investigation, A.M.i.M., Z.K. and O.V.G.F.; methodology, A.M.i.M., Z.K. and O.V.G.F.; project administration, A.M.i.M., Z.K. and O.V.G.F.; supervision, Z.K.; validation, Z.K.; visualization, A.M.i.M.; writing—original draft, A.M.i.M.; writing—review and editing, A.M.i.M. and Z.K. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Acknowledgement The authors would like to thank the respondents who participated in the study. Data Availability Research data that support the findings of this study have been deposited in LAB4SUPPLY Zenodo repository with restricted access. DOI: https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.11655634 References Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change. 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Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; 2014; ISBN 978-92-5-108485-4. Bellassen V, Arfini F, Antonioli F, Bodini A, Boehm M, Brečić R, et al. Sustainability performance of certified and non-certified food. Recherche Data Gouv. 2016. https://doi.org/10.15454/OP51SJ . Gebre GG, Fikadu AA, Gebeyehu TK. Is banana value chain in East Africa sustainable? Evidence from Ethiopia. Resour Environ Sustain. 2022;8:100060. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resenv.2022.100060 . Mundler P, Laughrea S. The contributions of short food supply chains to territorial development: A study of three Quebec territories. J Rural Stud. 2016;45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2016.04.001 . :218 – 29. Petit G, Yannou-Le Bris G, Trystram G, Lallmahomed A. Sustainability for the actors of a food value chain: How to cooperate? Int J Sustain Dev Plan. 2017;12:1370–82. https://doi.org/10.2495. /SDP-V12-N8-1370-1382. Pülzl H, Prokofieva I, Berg S, Rametsteiner E, Aggestam F, Wolfslehner B. Indicator development in sustainability impact assessment: balancing theory and practice. Eur J Res. 2012;131:35–46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-011-0547-8 . Mukherjee N, Zabala A, Huge J, Nyumba TO, Adem Esmail B, Sutherland WJ. Comparison of techniques for eliciting views and judgements in decision-making. Everard M, editor. Methods Ecol Evol. 2018;9:54–63; https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12940 . Szegedyné Fricz Á, Ittzés A, Ózsvári L, Szakos D, Kasza G. Consumer perception of local food products in Hungary. Br Food J. 2020;122:2965–79. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-07-2019-0528 . Vázquez J-L, Lanero A, García JA, Moraño X. Segmentation of consumers based on awareness, attitudes and use of sustainability labels in the purchase of commonly used products. Sustain Prod Consum. 2023;38:115–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2023.03.025 . Bazzani C, Caputo V, Nayga RM, Canavari M. Revisiting consumers’ valuation for local versus organic food using a non-hypothetical choice experiment: Does personality matter? Food Qual Prefer. 2017;62:144–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.06.019 . Lami O, Díaz-Caro C, Mesías FJ. Are short food supply chains a sustainable alternative to traditional retailing? A choice experiment study on olive oil in Spain. Econ Agrar Recur Nat. 2023;23:131–56. https://doi.org/10.7201/earn.2023.01.05 . Gusenbauer I, Bartel-Kratochvil R, Markut T, Hörtenhuber S, Schermer M, Ausserladscheider V, et al. How a region benefits from regionally labelled cheese products in Austria: a model-based empirical assessment along different value chains. Org Agric. 2019;9:13–27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-018-0209-y . Fernández-Ferrín P, Calvo-Turrientes A, Bande B, Artaraz-Miñón M, Galán-Ladero MM. The valuation and purchase of food products that combine local, regional and traditional features: The influence of consumer ethnocentrism. Food Qual Prefer. 2018;64:138–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.09.015 . Lim KH, Hu W. How Local Is Local? A Reflection on Canadian Local Food Labeling Policy from Consumer Preference. Can J Agric Econ Can Agroeconomie. 2016;64:71–88. https://doi.org/10.1111/cjag.12062 . Elghannam A, Mesias FJ, Escribano M, Fouad L, Horrillo A, Escribano AJ. Consumers’ Perspectives on Alternative Short Food Supply Chains Based on Social Media: A Focus Group Study in Spain. Foods. 2019;9:22. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9010022 . Kutaula S, Gillani A, Leonidou LC, Christodoulides P. Integrating fair trade with circular economy: Personality traits, consumer engagement, and ethically-minded behavior. J Bus Res. 2022;144. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.02.044 . :1087 – 102. Lazzarini GA, Visschers VHM, Siegrist M. Our own country is best: Factors influencing consumers’ sustainability perceptions of plant-based foods. Food Qual Prefer. 2017;60. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.04.008 . :165 – 77. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4648856","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":330916920,"identity":"7418bf85-6d2f-46a6-818c-3656b6a564b3","order_by":0,"name":"Adrià Menéndez i Molist","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA8klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFCCBIYDMKYEA4MNhMVDgpY04rTAAVDLYcJa+NtzHx74wbBNzpy99+CND3/OJ25nP8D44G0bbi0SZ54bHOxhuG1s2XMu2XIGz+3EnT0JzIZz8WhhuJHGcICH4Xbihhs5ZtI8EiAGA5s0Lx4t8kAtB/8w3K7fcP+NmfQfg3MgLey/8WkxAGo5DLQlweAGj5k0Q8IBsC3M+LQYnnnGcFjG4LbhhjM5QP8cSDbe2ZPYLDnnHG4tcsfTmD++qbgtb3D8jOGNH3/sZLezHz744U0ZHu9DnIfCZmwgpB6P9lEwCkbBKBgFIAAAHYFXM4VIhJgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Centre de Recerca en Economia i Desenvolupament Agroalimentari (CREDA-UPC-IRTA)","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Adrià","middleName":"Menéndez i","lastName":"Molist","suffix":""},{"id":330916922,"identity":"59813b52-cde6-41b4-afc5-db062ca9b9b0","order_by":1,"name":"Zein Kallas","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Centre de Recerca en Economia i Desenvolupament Agroalimentari (CREDA-UPC-IRTA)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Zein","middleName":"","lastName":"Kallas","suffix":""},{"id":330916923,"identity":"43dcdb2a-e787-47c1-b7e0-302d1a447cfd","order_by":2,"name":"Omar Vicente Guadarrama Fuentes","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Centre de Recerca en Economia i Desenvolupament Agroalimentari (CREDA-UPC-IRTA)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Omar","middleName":"Vicente Guadarrama","lastName":"Fuentes","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-06-27 13:25:59","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4648856/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4648856/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01107-x","type":"published","date":"2025-04-08T16:05:22+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":61197312,"identity":"44220cc2-aded-4490-86af-ef823f07f99f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-07-27 00:30:56","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":466674,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eInfographic of the proximity sales certification in Catalonia\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4648856/v1/3f76476fe2a780cf2a6856a5.png"},{"id":61198519,"identity":"e794cd13-11b2-4816-8fbf-97bf29432a09","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-07-27 00:46:56","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":365849,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eFig jam labeled as \"Venda de proximitat\" provided to consumers during the survey\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4648856/v1/aedc4dd9a85daa0519080922.png"},{"id":61198247,"identity":"3378d5d4-72be-409d-9348-39ba33727b7a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-07-27 00:38:56","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":132361,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eConsumers' assessment of the certification and purchase intention according to cluster affiliation (scatter plot) (software used: SPSS)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4648856/v1/48f2c5436fd114a9e631c8b5.png"},{"id":80558569,"identity":"8a0f6bf1-7b30-4571-b23d-f6b9ca9646c3","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-14 16:14:38","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2902043,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4648856/v1/0b197fc9-3a81-4cd5-93ae-f4b9fe203ea0.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"How consumers perceive the sustainability of a product with a short food supply chain certification: the case of the Catalan proximity sales label","fulltext":[{"header":"1.\tIntroduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe current food system faces major challenges as it becomes increasingly evident that climate change is already affecting global food security [1]. Currently prevailing forms of agriculture conflict with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially concerning the enhancement of sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG 12) [2]. In this context, consumers\u0026apos; decision-making when purchasing food is critical for the sustainability of agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) [3]. The socio-environmental impact of their purchase depends on factors such as product components, energy expenditure, production methods, carbon footprint, and origin, but this information is not always available or clear to the consumer [4]. For this reason, regulatory agencies have encouraged the use of certifications to enable consumers to make better-informed purchasing decisions [5]. But to what extent certification helps consumers better understand their contribution to more sustainable AFSCs is still a research subject. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsumers are presented with a plethora of labels in the market, which typically attest to a variety of characteristics such as place of origin, local production, health benefits, and organic farming practices among others [6]. However, the relationship between these elements and sustainability in the agri-food sector is not entirely evident, particularly in relation to local food, and the current literature has not comprehensively examined the purchase of local products as an environmentally responsible action [7]. On the other hand, labeling these attributes independently may provide insufficient information on their sustainability [8], as well as not taking into account other determining factors, such as the distribution channel. The number of intermediaries the product has passed through may influence consumers\u0026rsquo; perception of the socio-environmental impact of the purchase. This is why the public institution Generalitat de Catalunya, the regional government of Catalonia, has issued the certification \u0026ldquo;Venda de proximitat\u0026rdquo; (Decree 24/2013, of 8 January, on the accreditation of the proximity sale of agri-food products) to indicate the product\u0026apos;s short food supply chain (SFSC) origin. The certification has two variants: \u0026ldquo;Directa\u0026rdquo; (Direct sales) and \u0026ldquo;Circuit Curt\u0026rdquo; (Short chain) (Figure 1).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe main objective of this study is to assess consumers\u0026apos; perceptions of a range of sustainability indicators associated with agri-food products that have been certified with the proximity certification granted by the Generalitat de Catalunya. To accomplish this objective, we conducted a survey of 300 local consumers and selected fig jam as our case study. This decision was based on the fact that figs are a high-value fruit crop that is produced locally in the fruit-growing region of Lleida (Catalonia). Furthermore, using a processed product such as fig jam was deemed appropriate because it is suitable for year-round consumption and offers greater commercialization potential compared to fresh fruit. As indicated in the literature review, there is a lack of agreement on two key issues in this study: firstly, the dimensions of sustainability that SFSCs contribute to the most, and secondly, which sustainable attributes consumers prioritize when making purchasing decisions. This study contributes to these two debates by presenting the subjective views of consumers. Therefore, the first two questions described below focus on their assessment of proximity certification:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eQuestion 1\u003c/em\u003e. To what extent do consumers consider the proximity sales certification to be more sustainable in its economic, environmental, social, or governance dimensions?\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eQuestion 2\u003c/em\u003e. What is the difference in perception of sustainability between direct sales and short chain modalities of the proximity sales certification?\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHypothesis 1\u003c/em\u003e. Consumers tend to perceive the acquisition of proximity-certified fig jams as an opportunity to endorse sustainability, highlighting environmental concerns.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHypothesis 2\u003c/em\u003e. The direct sales channel is generally considered to be a more sustainable choice than the short chain model.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIdentifying the factors that influence this perception of sustainability is of the utmost importance. This investigation endeavors to address the subsequent questions in order to establish a target audience for the proximity certifications that have been examined:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eQuestion 3\u003c/em\u003e. Is there a correlation between the perception of sustainability and the higher level of awareness, trust in the certification, and intention to purchase certified products?\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eQuestion 4\u003c/em\u003e. Would it be possible to identify a socio-demographic profile that exhibits a higher level of purchase intention and assigns a higher degree of sustainability to certified products?\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHypothesis 3\u003c/em\u003e. The consumers who place the highest importance on the sustainability of certified fig jams are typically those who are familiar with the label, have confidence in it, and are more inclined to buy these products.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHypothesis 4\u003c/em\u003e. The target audience for certified products consists of financially well-off and ecologically minded adult households.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis research contributes to the existing literature by bringing consumer perceptions into the discussion on how to achieve fairer and more sustainable AFSCs. In addition, it is a pioneering study in the evaluation of the Catalan institutional certification of SFSC products. The results may be considered for the replicability of similar sustainability certification policies.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe next section reviews the literature on the role of certifications in agri-food products. The methodology of this study and the results are then presented, followed by a discussion and conclusions.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Background: certifying sustainable attributes","content":"\u003cp\u003eResearch studies have consistently highlighted an increasing awareness of environmental and social issues among consumers when making purchasing decisions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e]. Agri-food companies are increasingly targeting consumers with a preference for green consumption values, as these individuals represent a growing market segment [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e]. Likewise, there has been a rise in the demand for locally-grown food among consumers [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]. Cappelli et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e], in a literature review, proposed three dimensions of local food based on its definition: geographical (the product's proximity to the consumer), geopolitical (the state or region of the consumer's residence), and organic (a combination of local and organic attributes); the second being the most widely used in the literature.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat are the factors that lead consumers to support local procurement? Consumers may support local food based on their self-identity, sustainable expectations, ethnocentrism [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e], healthiness, or the stimulation of local economies [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e]. In terms of product perception, consumers may associate local food with freshness, nutritional value, tastiness, and safety [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e], but other negative perceptions may also prevail, such as poorer appearance and higher price [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e]. However, the consumers\u0026rsquo; preference for local food is a bone of contention in the published literature. In a literature review, Li and Kallas [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e] revealed a growing demand for sustainable fruits and vegetables prompted more by organic-related attributes than by product proximity. In other cases, pricing, taste, and individual health concerns were given a bigger role than sustainability [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. Other research backed up the notion that consumers favor locally-produced food [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e], or prioritize geographical proximity over social proximity (the perceived distance in the relationship among all agents of the supply chain) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]. In a non-hypothetical choice experiment, de-Magistris \u0026amp; Gracia [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e] found that consumers were willing to pay a positive premium for locally grown and organic almonds, implying that distance was an attribute consumers considered when given this information. When the researchers investigated the influence of labeling a product's distance on willingness to pay (WTP), they found that the WTP decreased as the product traveled further [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNevertheless, the perception of consumers towards the sustainability of a food product remains indeterminate. Van Bussel et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e] pointed out that consumers found it difficult to define the concept of \"sustainability\" and to accurately assess the environmental impact of their food choices.. Therefore, it can be ascertained that there is an insufficient amount of crucial data regarding the global aspects of food sustainability. Unfortunately, it is challenging for consumers to differentiate between products that promote environmentally friendly behavior due to the extensive range of sustainability indicators that are currently accessible [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e] and a confusion of certifications claiming different sustainability-related attributes [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. Clarification is necessary [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e] to determine whether certifications are an efficient method for communicating sustainable features. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe objective of organic and local product certifications is to improve transparency in the value chain and minimize the imbalance of information [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e]. A certification can empower consumers to make informed, eco-friendly purchasing decisions given the proper institutional support. In other circumstances, sustainability may seem to be ensured through trust-based direct sales arrangements, but this does not necessarily guarantee that the product is environmentally and socially responsible [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, a certification system is necessary. However, some limits on labeling have been identified: lack of trust among consumers, complexity of social and environmental issues, and information overload [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e]. Major obstacles for producers include the costs associated with certification and the additional time required to obtain it [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. Despite certain constraints, some studies have shown that local production certification can have a favorable influence, as evidenced by the increase in consumers' WTP in a strawberry jam experiment [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]. In a different study, it was discovered that consumers were willing to pay more for locally sourced items than for those that were organic certified [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e]. In turn, according to Duckworth et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e] consumers often preferred products with labels over those without, and they showed a clear preference for \"locally sourced\" and \"sustainably sourced\" labels over \"environmentally friendly\" and \"low greenhouse gas emissions\" labels. Previous studies have indicated a limited distinction between \"sustainable,\" \"organic,\" and \"local\" certifications, yet they have also found a positive WTP for all of them [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe academic literature has produced mixed results on this topic; however, it demonstrates that obtaining proximity sales certification presents a chance to promote ethical consumption. However, organic and origin certifications only offer limited information regarding the sustainability of a product. For example, in the case of protected geographical indication (PGI), their focus on high-quality products limits their expansion to have an added sustainability value [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. In addition, these certifications do not provide information on the channel used to reach the consumer, a factor that has a significant impact on their sustainability. G\u0026oacute;mez \u0026amp; Maynou [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e] studied the case of fisheries in Catalonia adopting direct sale and certification of origin schemes to add value to the catches and improve the sale prices.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Generalitat de Catalunya introduced a proximity sales certification comprising two labels, which denote SFSCs: direct sales and short chain sales. The difference is in the number of intermediaries involved. This division is similar to the categorization proposed by Renkema \u0026amp; Hilletofth\u0026rsquo;s [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e]. On one hand, direct-to-consumer SFSCs involve consumers purchasing a product directly from the producer. One of the drawbacks of this approach is that it may lead to higher labor and marketing costs, as well as limited scalability and unpredictable revenue streams. On the other hand, indirect-to-consumer or intermediate SFSCs occur when intermediaries are involved in the transaction process, such as retailers or wholesalers, provided that origin information is communicated to consumers. The second is the SFSCs with the largest volume of sold produce and market share [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSFSCs are a set of distribution channels that farmers can use to reduce the distance between agricultural production and the consumer, with a minimum or \"ideally non-existent\" number of intermediaries [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e]. Numerous investigations have been undertaken in the past two decades to discuss and evaluate their definition and influence [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e], but its contribution to more sustainable AFSCs is discussed. Several investigations have demonstrated positive consequences, including increased income for farmers, enhanced engagement among stakeholders, the development of trust, a sense of community, heightened consumer awareness, greater transparency, diminished asymmetry of information, and a reduction in the ecological footprint [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e]. However, the influence of SFSCs has at times been exaggerated, and the countervailing effects have not been adequately investigated [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. In this discussion, it is relevant to explore how consumers perceive the sustainability of these alternative AFSCs.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"3. Materials and methods","content":"\u003cp\u003ePreviously published research has used several methodologies for the sustainability assessment of AFSCs. Ainsworth et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e] collected data from workshops with stakeholders, while Von Geibler et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e] opted for interviews with experts. The use of statistical methods from quantitative data was also proposed [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e]. In this article, we use a survey to measure consumers' subjective perceptions of the sustainability of SFSCs.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1. The selection of sustainability indicators\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe initial stage of this research entailed constructing a set of indicators to comprehensively address the challenges faced by the agri-food sector. It is essential to provide not only nutritious food but also other economic, social, and environmental benefits, such as job creation and biodiversity [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e]. In ultra-competitive agri-food markets, sustainability performance can be seen as a differentiation strategy as there is a societal demand for sustainable products [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e]. Many authors have proposed setting up indicators for a common strategy, using different dimensions of sustainability when assessing AFSCs (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe majority of studies have employed the triple bottom-line method, which evaluates sustainability by considering economic, social, and environmental factors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e] to adopt a more holistic research [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e]. Other researchers extend their work by considering additional aspects, which include cultural and governance factors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e], health and ethics [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e44\u003c/span\u003e], or rely on official sets of indicators, such as SAFA (Sustainability Assessment for Food and Agriculture systems) and SDGs [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e46\u003c/span\u003e]. Our approach is an adaptation of the SAFA indicators proposed by FAO [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e], a list of 118 indicators classified into 4 dimensions (economic resilience, social well-being, good governance, and environmental integrity). However, SAFA indicators are focused on the assessment of a single firm and require a substantial amount of data [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]. Thus, it was imperative to choose a set of indicators that could be used in a broader context.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompilation of sustainability assessment methodologies and the dimensions they use\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"8\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAssessment\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAFSC\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRef.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEco\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnv\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoc\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGov\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSAFA\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIYAFA Global Action Plan (GAP) Pillar targets\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOctopus\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSustainability performance of certified and non-certified food\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMultiple agri-food products\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e48\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSAFA\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003esustainability impact assessment (SIA)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eUrban SFSCs\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSustainability of\u0026nbsp;agroforestry systems\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAgro-forestry\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]:\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEthiopia banana value chain\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBanana\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e49\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSAFA\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eUrban food systems strategies\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e46\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndicators of economic, environmental, and social sustainability of SFSC\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMultiple case studies\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSustainability Indicator Scoring (SIS) Matrix\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe contributions of short food supply chains to territorial development\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e50\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003evalue chain sustainability (VCS) metrics\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePork\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e51\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEFORWOOD sustainability indicator sets\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eForestry\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e52\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSustainability comparison of a local and a global milk value chains\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMilk\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e+ Health\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;Ethics\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSAFA\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eComparing the Sustainability of Local and Global Food Chains\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCheese\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e44\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e+ Health\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;Ethics\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSAFA\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSustainability assessment of entire forest value chains\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eForestry\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe objective of this study is to establish a comprehensive and straightforward framework by incorporating 20 indicators derived from the SAFA guidelines (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e) allowing a homogeneous, comparable, robust, and synthetic analysis. The indicators were chosen by Delphi methodology [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e53\u003c/span\u003e]. The Delphi method is an appropriate method where there is a lack of authoritative objective information, and instead, the opinions of experts are sought. In this case, the selection of indicators was consulted with experts from three universities in the Mediterranean area (Spain, France, and Morocco), as well as stakeholders of the fig value chain in these countries. A preliminary selection of indicators was validated in a second round of the Delphi survey.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eList of the 20 selected sustainability indicators and relation with SAFA indicators and SDGs\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndicator\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen buying proximity sales labeled products, I contribute to:\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSAFA [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDGs and Urban Food Systems Strategies related themes [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e46\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEconomic sustainability indicators\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.1Eco\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReducing production and distribution costs for producers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC 1.4.1 Net Income\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 2: No Hunger, Improved Nutrition, and Sustainable Agriculture. Agricultural productivity and infrastructure\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.2Eco\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProviding higher income for producers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC 1.4.1 Net Income\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 1: No poverty. General\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.3Eco\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnsuring more stable trade relations\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC 2.2.2 Stability of Supplier Relationships\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 8: Good jobs and economic growth. Market\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.4Eco\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnsuring that suppliers are locally based\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC 4.2.1 Local Procurement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 8: Good jobs and economic growth. Short supply chains\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.5Eco\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePaying a price adjusted to the quality of the product\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC 1.4.3 Price Determination\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 8: Good jobs and economic growth. Market\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnvironmental sustainability indicators\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.1Env\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMaintaining locally adapted plant varieties or animal breeds\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eE 4.3.3 Locally Adapted Varieties/Breeds\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 15: Life on land. Biodiversity\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.2Env\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReducing the use of non-renewable materials\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eE 5.1.1 Material Consumption Practices\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 12: Sustainable consumption and production. Consumption\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.3Env\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReducing the energy consumption per unit of produce\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eE 5.2.3 Energy Consumption\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 7: Renewable energy. Resiliency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.4Env\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReducing the use of water\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eE 2.1.2 Water Conservation Practices\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 12: Sustainable consumption and production. Consumption\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.5Env\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReducing food waste and loss\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eE 5.3.2 Waste Reduction Practices\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 12: Sustainable consumption and production. Waste prevention and reduction from farm to fork\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSocial Sustainability indicators\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.1Soc\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGenerating employment with decent conditions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eS 3.1.1 Employment Relations\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 16: Peace and justice. Protection of workers\u0026rsquo; rights\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.2Soc\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eA greater presence of women employees in the value chain\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eS 4.2.1 Gender Equality\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 5: Gender equality. Leadership\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.3Soc\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFulfilling producers\u0026rsquo; rights\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eS 2.2.1 Rights of Suppliers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 10: Reduced inequalities. Livelihood\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.4Soc\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProviding fair and transparent contracts for producers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eS 2.1.1 Fair Pricing and Transparent Contracts\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 10: Reduced inequalities. Livelihood\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.5Soc\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProviding safer working conditions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eS 5.1.2 Safety of Workplace, Operations and Facilities\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 16: Peace and justice. Protection of workers\u0026rsquo; rights\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGovernance sustainability indicators\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.1Gov\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMaking market information more transparent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eG 2.3.1 Transparency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 16: Peace and justice. Decision-making process\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.2Gov\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEngaging producers with the other stakeholders in the supply chain\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eG 3.1.2 Stakeholder Engagement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 17: Partnership for the goals. Organizational infrastructure\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.3Gov\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMaking value chain stakeholders more engaged and cohesive\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eG 3.1.3 Engagement Barriers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 17: Partnership for the goals. Organizational infrastructure\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.4Gov\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMaking producers\u0026rsquo; participation more effective\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eG 3.1.4 Effective Participation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 17: Partnership for the goals. Participation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.5Gov\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAchieving more responsible supply chains\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eG 4.3.1 Civic Responsibility\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSDG 16: Peace and justice. Civic engagement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2. Survey design\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA survey was conducted among 300 consumers, with a margin of error of 5.66% and a 95% confidence level. The individuals, aged 18 or above, were invited to partake in a consumer study on fig jam (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e) that took place between October and December 2023 and were rewarded with 25 euros for their participation. In addition, participants were asked to answer the following question for each indicator, on a Likert scale from 1 to 7: \u0026ldquo;By buying products labeled as proximity sales, I contribute to the fulfillment of this indicator\u0026rdquo;. Responses were collected using the Qualtrics platform and the presentation of the indicators was randomized for each respondent to avoid order bias. The survey was approved by the ethics committee of the Center for Agri-Food Economics and Development (CREDA) and was conducted following ethical principles while safeguarding personal information in compliance with national and European regulations.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Hypothesis and research questions were assessed with bivariate and multivariate statistical analysis tools. The primary objective of the present investigation was to outline the sociodemographic characteristics of the sample and provide a comprehensive summary of the typical scores associated with the perceived sustainability of the indicators. Additionally, statistical differences between the indicators and the two categories of labels under investigation were assessed. In order to discern differences in perception depending on consumers\u0026rsquo; profiles, a cluster analysis was also carried out [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e54\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e55\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eFirst, the sample's sociodemographic characteristics are presented. Next, the means of the perception of sustainability for the indicators are provided and statistical differences between the indicators and the two certification modalities analyzed are assessed. Third, a heterogeneity analysis is conducted.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.1. Sample description\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe sociodemographic characteristics of the sample are presented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSociodemographic characteristics of respondents\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCategory\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFreq (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;295)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePercent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePopulation (IDESCAT, S2/2023)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e131\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e49%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e157\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e53%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e51%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOther\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAge group\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18 to 24 years old\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e138\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e47%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25 to 39 years old\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e69\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40 to 59 years old\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e71\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e39%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e60 to 85 years old\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHousehold size (number of people)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e54\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e33%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4 or more\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e152\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e52%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHousehold economic position\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVery bad\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBad\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNeither good or bad\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e122\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e41%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e55%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGood\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e144\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e49%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVery good\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"6\" rowspan=\"7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWorking status\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmployed full-time\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e99\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e34%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmployed part-time\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eUnemployed\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStudent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e133\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e45%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRetired\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSelf-employed\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eUnable to work\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.2 Sustainability assessment\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e illustrates the average assessment of the twenty sustainability indicators for both direct sales and short chain certifications. According to the survey findings, SFSC certificates are generally perceived to have a more substantial influence on governance and economic sustainability than on social and environmental dimensions of sustainability. Furthermore, direct sales are perceived to be more economically sustainable for producers than the short chain model, which involves only one intermediary. Direct sales have been widely regarded as a more economically sustainable option than short chains in all five key economic indicators: production and distribution costs (Eco1), producers' income (Eco2), stable commercial relations (Eco3), local origin of suppliers (Eco4), and fair prices (Eco5).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eConsumers' sustainability indicators assessment of direct sales and short chain certifications\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDirect sales\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eShort chain\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndicators\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1 to 7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStd. Dev\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1 to 7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStd. Dev\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEco1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReduce production and distribution costs for producers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.49 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.48\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.05 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.43\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEco2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIncrease producers' income\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.91 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.21\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.33 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEco3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGuarantee more stable commercial relations for producers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.82 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.47 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEco4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnsure that suppliers are of local origin\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.15 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.59 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEco5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePay a price corresponding to the quality of the product\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.73 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.35 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eECO\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEconomic average\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.82 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.76\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.36 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.88\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnv1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMaintain traditional plant varieties or animal breeds adapted to local conditions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.87 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.59 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.36\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnv2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReduce the use of non-renewable materials\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.86 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.07 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.45\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnv3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReduce energy consumption per product unit\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.77 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.49 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.26\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnv4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSave on water consumption\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.02 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.45\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.30 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnv5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReduce food waste and loss\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.83 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.45\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.37 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.32\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eENV\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnvironmental average\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.47 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.87\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.37 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.91\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoc1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGenerate well-paid employment with decent conditions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.41 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.38\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.33 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.55\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoc2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIncrease the presence of women in jobs in the value chain\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.76\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoc3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnsure compliance with the rights of producers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.45\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.16\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.42\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoc4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnsure safer and healthier working conditions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.26 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.49\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.36 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoc5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eObtain fair and transparent contracts for producers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.36 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.21\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.09 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSOC\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSocial average\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.21 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.98\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.14 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.02\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGov1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIncrease the transparency and accessibility of information on the market\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.94 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.03\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.74 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.09\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGov2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eImprove the relationship between producers and the rest of the actors in the value chain\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.65 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.21\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.87 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGov3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMake the actors in the chain more engaged and cohesive with each other\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.97 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.99\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.56 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGov4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnsure more effective participation of producers in the decision-making and actions of the value chain\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.46\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.09\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.49\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGov5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAchieving more responsible value chains\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.38 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.66 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGOV\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGovernance average\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.68\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.74\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.66\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.78\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAVERAGE SUSTAINABILITY\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.54 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.66\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.38 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.74\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ea, b, denotes statistically significant differences between means (paired sample t test\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRegarding environmental indicators, consumers believe that direct sales outperform in the usage of local and traditional varieties (Env1) and reduction of non-renewable materials (Env2) and energy consumption (Env3). Short chains outperform in saving water consumption (Env4) and food waste reduction (Env5). Direct sales are often regarded as having the potential to create more respectable employment opportunities (Soc1), as compared to short supply chains, which are believed to offer safer working environments (Soc4). On average, consumers value short chains more highly than direct sales in terms of governance, especially in the case of the commitment and cohesion of the actors in the value chain (Gov3).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.3 Heterogeneity analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results of the cluster analysis showed 3 consumer groups (Ward's method) based on 6 dependent variables presented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e. The first 3 dependent variables represent consumer intention towards the SFSC (Purchase intention). The second set of variables represents consumers' positive attitudes toward the certification (Label perception). Prior knowledge of the certification, which in the case of our study was 31.2% of the sample, did not report a significant effect on the analysis, so it was excluded from the variables used.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eClustering results\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eClusters\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;110\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;89\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;96\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStd. Dev.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStd. Dev.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStd. Dev.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntention to purchase from SFSCs (1\u0026ndash;5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.62\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.90\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.81\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.74\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePlan to purchase from SFSCs (1\u0026ndash;5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.79\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.66\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWillingness to purchase from SFSCs (1\u0026ndash;5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.32\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.46\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.48\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.81\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.74\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.69\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe label is helpful (1\u0026ndash;7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.23\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.74\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.76\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.90\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.79\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.44\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe label is understandable (1\u0026ndash;7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.84\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe label is reliable (1\u0026ndash;7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.69\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.84\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eC1, C2, and C3 are the three clusters identified.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe clusters are summarized as follows:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eCluster 1\u003c/em\u003e. Enthusiastic: Consumers who have the intention, plan, and willingness to procure food from SFSCs, and place significant importance on the usefulness, comprehensibility, and dependability of the certification.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eCluster 2\u003c/em\u003e. Reluctant: Consumers who possess a moderate level of confidence in the utility, comprehensibility, and reliability of the certification but are less inclined to purchase from SFSCs or certified products.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eCluster 3\u003c/em\u003e. Distrustful: Consumers who are less confident in the usefulness, understandability, and reliability of the certification, yet are more inclined to purchase food from SFSCs or certified products.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurthermore, a Principal Component Factor was used on the 6 dependent variables mentioned before. The variables used were reduced into two main factors: assessment of the usefulness, understandability, and reliability of the certification (F1), and purchase intention of SFSC and certified products (F2). The scatter plot (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e) shows how enthusiastic (C1) and reluctant (C2) consumers share a positive assessment of the certification and what differentiates them is purchase intention. On the other hand, distrustful consumers (C3) share a lower certification assessment but are more heterogeneous in declaring their purchase intention to buy labeled or short chain products.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e shows the heterogeneity and profile description of the 3 clustering groups using sociodemographic and personality variables [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR56\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e56\u003c/span\u003e]. The group comprising of enthusiastic consumers (C1) responds to a demographic profile of a middle-aged individual (33.32 years), with a slight predominance of females. This group is largely employed (50.0%), their household income is significantly high (3.58). and their personality is more characterized by sympathy and openness to new experiences. On the contrary, reluctant customers (C2) tend to be younger, with an average age of 29.3 years. They are also more likely to be students, comprising 51.7% of the group, and have fewer employed individuals, at 40.4%. Despite this, they generally report a favorable economic situation within their households, with an average score of 3.69 out of 5. This is a group of individuals who, while they hold certification in high regard, do not take the necessary steps to acquire certified products. They also show a less sympathetic and open to new experiences personality. The demographic characteristics of the distrustful consumer group (C3) show that their average age is 34.5 years, with a higher proportion of retirees (4.2%) and employed individuals (50.0%). Furthermore, their income level is slightly lower than the others, with a rating of 3.36, and they rate themselves as the most critical consumers.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab6\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 6\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSociodemographic heterogeneity between clusters\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eClusters\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;110\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;89\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;96\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStd. Dev.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStd. Dev.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStd. Dev.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAge (years) *\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e33.32 \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.71\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29.29 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14.01\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e34.54 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14.74\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGender (% of women) *\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e62% \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.49\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44%\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e56% \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHousehold size (1 to 8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.35 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.33 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.34\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.42 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.35\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHighest degree of education completed\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.05 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.89\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.99 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.92 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow would you evaluate the income position of your household? (1\u0026ndash;5) **\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.58 \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.64\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.69 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.36 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.73\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen someone does me a favor, I\u0026rsquo;m willing to return it (0\u0026ndash;10) **\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.45 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.89\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.93 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.46\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.01 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.45\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePersonality: critical (0\u0026ndash;10) *\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.92 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.57\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.40 \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.77\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.51 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePersonality: open to new experiences (0\u0026ndash;10) *\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.89 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.38 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.32\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.54 \u003csup\u003ea b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.26\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePersonality: sympathetic, warm (0\u0026ndash;10) *\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.01 \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.97\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.55 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.69 \u003csup\u003ea b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e* Significance\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05 ** Significance\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01. \u003csup\u003ea,b,c\u003c/sup\u003e Superscript letters indicate that means were statistically different among clusters using the post hoc Tukey test at \u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLastly, it is intriguing to observe how the distinctions between clusters manifest in consumers' perceptions regarding the sustainability of certifications. Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e shows the comparison of averages by Clusters of the perception of sustainability of the direct sales and short chain certifications using ANOVA, taking into account the 20 sustainability indicators. For both certification modalities, enthusiastic consumers (C1) attribute a higher degree of sustainability to labeled products, in terms of economic, environmental, social, and governance indicators. Therefore, this constitutes a group of consumers who firmly believe in the significance of certification and its role in fostering more sustainable value chains. Moreover, they are inclined to adjust their purchasing habits in accordance with these values. It is essential to recognize the importance of this target audience and their influence on the market.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab7\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 7\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eComparison of sustainability perception averages by clusters and type of certification\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSustainability indicators\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDirect sales\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eShort Chain\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eC3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEco1. Reduce production and distribution costs for producers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.77\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.34\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.30\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.24\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.96\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.92\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.33)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.51)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.58)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.32)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.43)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.54)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEco2. Increase producers' income\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.23\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.70\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.74\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.58\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.16\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.20\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.90)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.16)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.47)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.18)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.07)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.40)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEco3. Guarantee more stable commercial relations for producers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.98\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.73\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.73\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.63\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.39\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.35\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.09)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.13)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.13)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.18)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.08)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.13)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEco4. Ensure that suppliers are of local origin\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.43\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.04\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.93\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.76\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.49\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.49\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.94)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.09)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.20)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.32)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.18)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.31)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEco5. Pay a price corresponding to the quality of the product\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.01\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.49\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.63\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.53\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.11\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.35\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.96)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.37)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.15)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.09)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.27)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.18)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnv1. Maintain traditional plant varieties or animal breeds adapted to local conditions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.20\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.69\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.67\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.79\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.44\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.51\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.06)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.17)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.27)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.35)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.33)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.36)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnv2. Reduce the use of non-renewable materials\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.17\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.72\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.64\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.12\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.89\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.19\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.09)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.32)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.36)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.49)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.30)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.53)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnv3. Reduce energy consumption per product unit\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.90\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.52\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.84\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.83\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.30\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.27\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.24)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.36)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.22)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.16)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.23)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.31)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnv4. Save on water consumption\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.19\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.89\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.94\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.48\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.20\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.19\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.52)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.32)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.47)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.37)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.29)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.49)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnv5. Reduce food waste and loss\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.84\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.69\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.96\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.45\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.13\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.50\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.55)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.23)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.24)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.39)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.31)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoc1. Generate well-paid employment with decent conditions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.66\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.08\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.43\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.65\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e3.91\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.33\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.20)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.53)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.35)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.58)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.50)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.47)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoc2. Increase the presence of women in jobs in the value chain*\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.00\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.60\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.63\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.07\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.57\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.54\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.06)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.35)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.13)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.96)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.21)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.36)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoc3. Ensure compliance with the rights of producers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.43\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.16\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.15\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.35\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.03\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.06\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.38)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.49)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.45)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.31)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.51)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.42)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoc4. Ensure safer and healthier working conditions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.47\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.02\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.24\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.67\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.21\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.15\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.51)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.53)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.41)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.18)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.31)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.27)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoc5. Obtain fair and transparent contracts for producers*\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.55\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.42\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.08\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.36\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.04\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.81\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.15)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.17)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.27)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.28)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.38)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.48)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGov1. Increase the transparency and accessibility of information on the market**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.27\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.69\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.79\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.05\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.31\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.77\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.82)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.19)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.99)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.94)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.27)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.93)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGov2. Improve the relationship between producers and the rest of the actors in the value chain\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.85\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.44\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.61\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.17\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.62\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.76\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.04)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.44)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.11)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.74)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.27)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.03)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGov3. Make the actors in the chain more engaged and cohesive with each other**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.17\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.72\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.98\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.86\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.36\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.39\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.83)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.14)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.96)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.19)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.09)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.22)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGov4. Ensure more effective participation of producers in the decision-making and actions of the value chain\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.72\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.24\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.38\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.71\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.34\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.39\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.97)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.11)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.14)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.06)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.35)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.08)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGov5. Achieving more responsible value chains\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.72\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.17\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.19\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.91\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.51\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.53\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.93)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.28)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.15)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.14)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.03)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.21)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eECO. Average\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6.08\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.66\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.66\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.55\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.22\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.26\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.62)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.72)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.85)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.91)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.82)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.86)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eENV average\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.66\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.30\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.41\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.53\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.19\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.33\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.79)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.80)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.96)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.86)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.83)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.98)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSOC. Average\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.42\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.05\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.10\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.42\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.96\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.98\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.92)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.03)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.97)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.94)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.02)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1.03)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGOV. average\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.95\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.45\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.59\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.94\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.43\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.57\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.58)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.80)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.75)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.68)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.77)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.81)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSustainability. Average\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.78\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.37\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.44\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.61\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.20\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5.28\u003c/b\u003e \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.56)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.65)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.70)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.68)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.68)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.77)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003csup\u003ea,b,c\u003c/sup\u003e Superscript letters indicate that means were statistically different among clusters using the post hoc Tukey test at \u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"5. Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eBased on the results of the study, the majority of participants who were surveyed agreed that buying products with certifications for proximity sales was beneficial in promoting more sustainable AFSCs, as suggested in H1. The governance and economic sustainability of certified products are of particular importance, whereas agreement on environmental and social criteria is less widespread. Therefore, H1 has been partially validated, as environmental criteria do not hold the highest importance. The current body of literature does not provide a clear consensus on the effect of SFSCs on sustainability. Furthermore, other studies have emphasized superior economic and social outcomes for products with eco-labels as opposed to environmental criteria [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e] and particularly focused on the outperforming of the social dimension [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e]. Nevertheless, consumer perceptions may not always align with the opinions of experts or studies that attempt to quantify indicators. Instead, it is the consumer's subjective assessment that has been taken into account.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eProducts that have been granted a direct sales certification are generally considered to be more sustainable than those with a short chain certification, which includes intermediaries (H2). This result contrasts with the observation that \u0026ldquo;consumers prefer a SFSC in terms of distance and proximity to the producer, but they are indifferent in terms of the number of intermediaries\u0026rdquo; [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e57\u003c/span\u003e], since the absence of intermediaries does seem to have a positive effect on the sustainability perception. Consumers perceive the biggest difference in the economic indicators, which are better evaluated in the case of direct sales. On the other hand, both modalities have a similar evaluation of governance performance, the area where the short chain is most highly rated. Back to the literature, certain studies indicate that SFSCs are perceived by farmers as a means of enhancing recognition, autonomy, bargaining power, and securing higher sales prices. However, the economic benefits they can offer remain inconclusive [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e50\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eExamining each indicator separately, the analyzed consumers held the belief that purchasing fig jam through direct sales channels plays an important role in ensuring that suppliers are locally sourced (Eco4), to increasing transparency (Gov1) and supply chain commitment and cohesion (Gov3), to increasing producers' income (Eco2), to maintaining traditional varieties (Env1), and to reducing the use of non-renewable materials (Env2). Conversely, consumers were less convinced of contributing to safer (Soc4) and fairer (Soc3, Soc5) working conditions for producers, as well as to food waste reduction (Env5) and water saving (Env4). It is worth noting that the evaluation of reduced energy consumption (Env3) is not considered a highly significant factor: as some researchers pointed out, concentrated supply may have less carbon footprint than SFSCs [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFor their part, short chain labeled products were believed to contribute the most to improving the relationship between producers and the rest of the actors in the value chain (Gov2), increasing the presence of women in jobs in the supply chain (Soc2), and achieving more transparent (Gov1) and responsible supply chains (Gov5). This is consistent with the fact that a more conventional chain, or intermediate SFSC, has been found to provide better governance [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR58\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e58\u003c/span\u003e], as well as can help to decrease production costs, reduce waste, deal better with consumption variations over the year, and perform better in terms of affordability and efficiency [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e44\u003c/span\u003e]. In contrast, consumers tend to view shorter supply chains as being less effective at creating well-paying employment opportunities (Soc1). However, it is noted that these shorter chains do generate more local job creation, although the productivity associated with these jobs may be lower [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e50\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn conclusion, consumers generally hold the view that purchasing from direct and short supply chains results in more cohesive, transparent, and locally-based AFSCs. Nevertheless, certain factors may affect this optimistic outlook, such as regional identity. It should be noted that the proximity sales certification is limited to Catalonia, which may cause consumers to place greater value on these products due to their regional rather than local origin [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR59\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e59\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR60\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e60\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRegarding the identification of the factors that most influence the perception of sustainability, the results showed that consumers who attributed more sustainability performance to proximity certifications were those who trusted them more and who had more intention to purchase products from SFSCs. This confirms H3 regarding trust and purchase intention of labeled products but, on the other hand, the previous recognition of the certification did not significantly influence the sustainability assessment. These results are in line with Elghannam et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR61\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e61\u003c/span\u003e], who identified consumers\u0026rsquo; unfamiliarity with the concept of SFSCs. These factors have allowed us to carry out a heterogeneity analysis of the sample, indicating that enthusiastic consumers (C1) coincide in the highest appreciation of sustainability, confidence in certification, and intention to buy.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLastly, the analysis of the sociodemographic profile of consumers who displayed greater interest in certified products was revealed by the cluster analysis. These results are consistent with those of Szegedyn\u0026eacute; Fricz et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e54\u003c/span\u003e] and V\u0026aacute;zquez et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e55\u003c/span\u003e]. However, other researchers pointed out that sociodemographic data are not sufficient for profiling and segmenting consumers [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. Cluster 1 comprises a group of enthusiastic consumers whose population composition is characterized by a slightly greater representation of families with a solvent economic situation, middle-aged individuals, employees, and women (H4). A similar sociodemographic profile in terms of gender, age, and income was identified for the \u0026ldquo;fan\u0026rdquo; cluster of consumers willing to purchase local food [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e54\u003c/span\u003e] and \u0026ldquo;convinced\u0026rdquo; consumers aware of sustainability labels [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e55\u003c/span\u003e]. For personality traits, other researchers highlighted that active and outgoing consumers are more likely to be involved in socially responsible attitudes and behaviors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR62\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e62\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnother consumer profile (Cluster 2), represented more by young students, was more reluctant to buy products with the certification, although they value it positively. Reluctant consumers, especially in the case of students, may be guided more by price than certificated sustainability attributes [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e54\u003c/span\u003e]. Finally, Cluster 3 grouped those consumers who were more critical of the certification and with a certain reserve when buying certified products. These consumers were older and had a less favorable economic profile. While the certification's sustainability was widely acknowledged among consumers, its impact on their interest and purchase intentions was also evident. According to other researchers, the inclusion of comprehensive information about the sustainability of an agri-food product is essential, preferably through the use of a universal certification [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e] or including a table with the most important sustainability information [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR63\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e63\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"6. Conclusions","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe objective of this research was to evaluate sustainable certification schemes for agri-food products, utilizing the proximity sales certifications granted by the Generalitat de Catalunya as a specific instance. The studied consumers believed that by purchasing labeled products they participate in more local, transparent, and cohesive AFSCs that are more environmentally friendly and more equitable. Hence, incorporating the distribution channel within a product's sustainability information is a reasonable strategy that encourages consumers to participate in environmentally responsible distribution practices in a more informed and responsible manner. There is a necessity for increased recognition of the presence of these certifications among the general public.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDespite the general unfamiliarity of these certifications, most consumers generally viewed them as helpful, reliable, and comprehensible. As a result, they would be more likely to purchase more products with this information, regardless of their previous knowledge of the certification. In particular, an enthusiastic consumer profile was identified, with a higher perception of sustainability and a greater intention to purchase labeled products. Therefore, the certification of products from SFSCs should concentrate on a consumer who is ecologically conscious and possesses a middle-class, middle-aged socio-demographic profile. These results may be useful for policymakers who want to promote more sustainable forms of agri-food distribution, since direct sales and short-channel certification seem to improve consumer perception and attitudes. In turn, they may encourage producers using short marketing channels to adhere to certification. The procedures can be carried out on the website of the Catalan government's Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNevertheless, it is crucial to acknowledge the constraints of this study. While this article examines consumer perceptions, it does not assess the environmental consequences of proximity certification, but rather their influence on public opinion. The study used self-reported variables, which may be susceptible to desirability and intention biases and therefore do not necessarily reflect actual behavior. In addition, the omission of some key variables, such as ethnicity may make the resulting picture incomplete. In light of this, it is deemed necessary to conduct additional research to examine the effect of certification on enhancing the sustainability of AFSCs and its bearing on consumer behavior.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003ch2\u003eFunding:\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study belongs to the project Lab4Supply, \u0026ldquo;Multi-agent agri-food living labs for new supply chain Mediterranean systems. Towards more sustainable and competitive farming addressing consumers\u0026rsquo; preferences and market changes\u0026rdquo;, funded under the PRIMA\u0026mdash;Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area\u0026mdash;programme-Section 2. Call 2020, Thematic Area Agri-food Value Chain. PRIMA Lab4supply received funding from participating National Research Agencies: in Spain, by \u0026ldquo;Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovaci\u0026oacute;n\u0026rdquo; (MCIN)\u0026mdash;\u0026ldquo;Agencia Estatal de Investigaci\u0026oacute;n\u0026rdquo; (AEI) (DOI \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003e10.13039/501100011033\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.13039/501100011033\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e), under grant agreement PCI2021-121923. The PRIMA programme is supported by Horizon 2020, the European Union\u0026rsquo;s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. The content of this paper reflects only the author\u0026rsquo;s view, and the funding agencies are not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e \u003cb\u003eConflicts of interest\u003c/b\u003e:\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e \u003cb\u003eEthics approval\u003c/b\u003e:\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study took place in Castelldefels (Spain) and was carried out in the Spanish and Catalan languages. Ethical approval was obtained from the ethics committee of the Center for Agri-food Economics and Development. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in this study.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll authors contributed to the study conception and design. Conceptualisation, A.M.i.M., Z.K. and O.V.G.F.; experimental design, A.M.i.M., Z.K. and O.V.G.F.; data collection, A.M.i.M., Z.K. and O.V.G.F.; data curation, A.M.i.M., Z.K. and O.V.G.F.; formal analysis, A.M.i.M. and Z.K.; funding acquisition, Z.K.; investigation, A.M.i.M., Z.K. and O.V.G.F.; methodology, A.M.i.M., Z.K. and O.V.G.F.; project administration, A.M.i.M., Z.K. and O.V.G.F.; supervision, Z.K.; validation, Z.K.; visualization, A.M.i.M.; writing\u0026mdash;original draft, A.M.i.M.; writing\u0026mdash;review and editing, A.M.i.M. and Z.K. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAcknowledgement\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe authors would like to thank the respondents who participated in the study.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Availability\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch data that support the findings of this study have been deposited in LAB4SUPPLY Zenodo repository with restricted access. DOI: https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.11655634\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIntergovernmental Panel On Climate Change. Climate Change and Land: IPCC Special Report on Climate Change, Desertification, Land Degradation, Sustainable Land Management, Food Security, and Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Terrestrial Ecosystems. 1.a ed. 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Food Qual Prefer. 2017;60. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.04.008\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.04.008\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e. :165\u0026thinsp;\u0026ndash;\u0026thinsp;77.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-sustainability","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"disu","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Sustainability](https://www.springer.com/43621)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Discover Sustainability","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"sustainability, certification, direct sales, short chains, proximity, consumers","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4648856/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4648856/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eEnhancing the sustainability of the agri-food supply chain is dependent on the active and informed participation of consumers. Food product certifications can aid consumers in making better-informed purchasing decisions. In this research, we examined the consumer's perceptions of the sustainability features of two institutional short chain certifications, which indicate the product's local and short supply chain origins. Data was obtained from a sample of 300 Catalan consumers, who were stratified by gender, age, and income level. Respondents were surveyed face-to-face in an experimental environment and asked to rate 20 sustainability indicators on a 7-point Likert scale based on FAO\u0026rsquo;s sustainability assessment for food and agriculture systems (SAFA), with fig jam as the case study. The study showed that consumers believe purchasing certified fig jam contributes to improving agri-food supply chain sustainability, particularly concerning the farmers\u0026rsquo; economic and governance aspects. The heterogeneity analysis revealed a correlation between trust in the certification and purchase intention of certified fig jam and higher sustainability perceptions, particularly among the enthusiastic cluster of consumers. However, prior knowledge of the certification was not a significant factor. The results highlight the significance of implementing direct sales and short chain certifications through institutional bodies to encourage consumers to make sustainable purchasing choices. This represents a road map for producers, policymakers and marketers in the agri-food sector.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"How consumers perceive the sustainability of a product with a short food supply chain certification: the case of the Catalan proximity sales label","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-07-27 00:30:51","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4648856/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2024-08-26T02:43:11+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2024-08-08T08:35:49+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"82649792372100995442031476563289536888","date":"2024-08-08T08:18:00+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2024-08-05T14:16:48+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"154674472049798842458761765583919220534","date":"2024-08-05T13:47:43+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"95893878232173192698487718729764744208","date":"2024-07-23T21:01:45+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2024-07-14T22:20:34+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"262492512245676136924783573911450937308","date":"2024-07-14T20:16:29+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2024-07-10T09:49:19+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2024-07-03T05:19:45+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2024-07-03T05:18:09+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Sustainability","date":"2024-06-27T13:24:38+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-sustainability","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"disu","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Sustainability](https://www.springer.com/43621)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Discover Sustainability","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"75d101d7-6040-4be5-8f9a-92ee67498258","owner":[],"postedDate":"July 27th, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-04-14T16:09:09+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-4648856","link":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01107-x","journal":{"identity":"discover-sustainability","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Discover Sustainability"},"publishedOn":"2025-04-08 16:05:22","publishedOnDateReadable":"April 8th, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2024-07-27 00:30:51","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1007/s43621-025-01107-x","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01107-x","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-4648856","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-4648856","identity":"rs-4648856","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"qtupq5eGEP_6zYnWcrvyt","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}