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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Matthew GortonORCiD, Dr Barbara ToccoORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Fairness in agri-food supply chains receives increasing consumer, industry, and political attention but is currently under-conceptualized and lacks appropriate frameworks for measurement. Therefore, building on a theoretically grounded conceptualization of consumer dispositions toward fairness in agri-food supply chains, we developed and validated a 14-item fairness measurement scale (FAIRFOOD). The scale comprises of four dimensions (economic, environmental, social, and informational) which are manifestations of the same construct (higher-order structure). We empirically validate the scale and its reliability using four studies and eight independent samples from Italy (n = 1386) and the UK (n = 1379). The findings reveal that FAIRFOOD is related, yet distinct from theoretically relevant constructs such as ethical consumption and pro-environment behavior. The FAIRFOOD scale is a strong predictor of outcomes such as willingness to purchase Fairtrade certified products, as well as boycott and negative Word of Mouth intentions if a brand treats other supply chain actors unfairly. Regarding business strategy, rather than focusing on one dimension of fairness independently, managers should adopt a holistic approach, devising initiatives that address all four dimensions in tandem.
Author(s): Del Prete M, Golossenko A, Gorton M, Tocco B, Samoggia A
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Journal of Business Ethics
Year: 2024
Pages: Epub ahead of print
Online publication date: 19/06/2024
Acceptance date: 26/06/2024
Date deposited: 26/07/2024
ISSN (print): 0167-4544
ISSN (electronic): 1573-0697
Publisher: Springer Dordrecht
URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-024-05756-2
DOI: 10.1007/s10551-024-05756-2
Data Access Statement: For inquiries regarding data availability, please contact the authors.
