The adoption of a local food concept in post-communist context: Farm shops in Czechia

ABSTRACT

The article examines an alternative food network evolution in the post-communist context in Czechia in general and farm shop developments in particular. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with farm shopkeepers operating in Czechia. The results revealed that the development of the farm shop network was significantly shaped by the communist past of the country. While consumers’ demand for quality food contributed to the initiation of developments in local food movements such as farm shops in Czechia, the inconvenient structure of the farming sector, comprising a limited number of small-scale farmers, hindered the development. Although the farm shops usually operate as middlemen by reselling goods produced by a range of farmers, farm shopkeepers expressed significant awareness of the sustainability principles of the local food concept and dissociated themselves from unethical practices of large retailers. Nevertheless, the author finds that the local concept is used in a flexible manner to meet customers’ demands. Despite obstacles faced by farmers when developing their own farm shops, there is significant potential in ‘Czech-type’ farm shops operating solely as retailers. However, the author concludes that the threat of the diversion from the sustainability principles of the local food concept should not be neglected.

EDITORS:

• Gjermund Wollan
• Kerstin Potthoff
• Catriona Turner

KEYWORDS:

• alternative food networks
• farm shop
• local food
• post-communist context
• retailing

Acknowledgments

The research, including writing this article, was supported by the Czech Science Foundation (Project No. 404/12/0470: Geography of alternative food networks and sustainable consumption).

Notes

1. C. Sage, paper titled ‘Quality in alternative food networks: conventions, regulations and governance’, presented at an international seminar titled Policies, Governance and Innovation for Rural Areas, held on 21–23 November 2003 at the Università della Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy.

2. All translations of quotes published in non-English literature as well as the study participants’ quotes were translated by Marie Syrovátková.

3. Potraviny na pranýři's home page at: http://www.potravinynapranyri.cz (last accessed December 2014).