Les Noves actituds dels consumidorsuna visió general de la producció ecològica

Resumen

In recent years, consumers? increased awareness as active agents in the food chain has led to important changes on all this chain?s levels, from the producer to the retailer. Several trends have emerged in response to the concerns about health, the environment, society and ethics of a population increasingly involved in the consequences of its decisions. In order to understand this cause-and-response relationship, these trends must be studied from different standpoints, rising above the classic unidisciplinary approach. In this context, a detailed assessment of the purported advantages of ecological farming suggests that the growth of its market may be the outcome ofmarketing campaigns rather than scientific studies. This paper seeks to establish a comprehensive approach to the ecological food phenomenon, assessing its suitability at a time of economic recession while considering the most feasible alternatives from all viewpoints and their impact on the rural areas and their population.