Analysing consumer motivations and their behaviour in the Alternative Food Networks in Italy

Alternative Food Networks are increasingly becoming a modality of economic and social reconnection between agricultural producers and consumers. They are inserted within a broader spectrum of dynamics concerning the new relations between the city and the countryside, particularly with regard to the processes of territorialization of food systems. The types of AFN are varied and have different characteristics, and also for this reason the relationships between producers and consumers have not yet been sufficiently analyzed. In this paper we have investigated such relationships, analyzing some of the characteristics of the consumers who buy in one or more AFNs, focusing, in particular, on spendings, motivations and socio-demographic profiles. The study covered a total sample of 1200 individual questionnaires, administered to the customers of 34 Short Food Supply Chains organizations, in 5 different urban areas: Rome, Lecce, Pisa, Turin and Trento. The methodology employed is multilevel regression analysis, that allows to deal with data with a nested structure. From the emerged results, we were able to depict some findings: most important motivations in purchasing decision are the perceived quality as well as the comfort in the sense of location of the markets, organization, variety of offered products and delivery methods. Other interesting results relate to the presence of children in the families and the role of women in the choice of quality food.