Bridin McIntyre

Regional imagery and quality products: the Irish experience

Regional imagery is increasingly being recognised as having a commercial value for the products of under‐developed areas. It provides a subjective source of quality differentiation. Results of a consumer survey in Ireland indicate that region of origin is an important consideration for two out of three consumers when deciding to buy quality products and that products from rural areas are generally perceived to be of high quality. However, the links between region and quality products are under‐developed as indicated by the fact that Ireland is seen as a single region and the low level of awareness for selected regional labels. The development of territorial linkages must be based on geographical sub‐divisions of relevance to consumers and must be carefully managed to avoid unnecessary competition and duplication of effort. Discusses the use of regional imagery, reviews the meaning of quality, and presents the results of a survey of Irish consumers focusing on their perceptions and behaviour in relation to regional quality products. It also draws some conclusions and makes recommendations of relevance to policy makers and local development agencies in particular.

Market Access and Competitiveness Issues for Food Smes in Europe's Lagging Rural Regions (Lrrs)

Purpose – Assessment of food supply chains from small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) is of central importance to lagging rural regions (LRRs) across Europe given the significance of such enterprises to rural areas. This paper aims to examine the most important influences on the food supply chain across 12 European LRRs and then examine the impact of a number of supply chain issues on food SMEs in Ireland.Design/methodology/approach – A Delphi study, complimented by literature reviews followed by in‐depth interviews, were used to examine the current and future factors influencing the operations of food supply chains relating to food SMEs in selected LRRs in Europe.Findings – Consumers, followed by retailers, were identified as the most important influences on food supply chains across the 12 European LRRs studied. Primary producers were seen as being in a very weak position. Of the supply chain issues examined in Ireland, food safety, distribution and innovation were identified as key issues in marke...