ideas. Working with Atlas.ti, our research is made easier as long as it allows us to
manage and synthesize ideas. We indicate in following chapter the most salient
items and results of focus groups.
4.1. Findings from Literature Review
According to the number of found references, double in Spain than Italy, it seems
that traceability is a topic much more salient in the first country. However, it is
outstanding that, whereas Spanish authors prefer publishing in their native
language, most of the reviewed Italian publications are in English. Nevertheless in
both countries the mostly references belong to articles published in the last five
years journals, followed by conference proceedings. Hence, we might assume that
traceability is in somehow a new topic. The most quoted issue in both countries
was origin. Whereas food safety and quality were the most salient items in Spain,
there is an existing interest in Italy in topics like organic food, traditional, typicality
and communication. Among the reviewed papers, 17 (40.5%) are related to meat in
Spain and only one (11.1%) in Italy. As we have mentioned previously, the study of
food quality perception and food safety has been issue of great interest in the last
years due to emergence of new production systems, food scares food risks and
crises. Traceability is displayed by Spanish literature as a tool to control and assess
food safety, due to the current existing risks attached to the manipulation of food
products as well as to guarantee consumers’ confidence, differentiating ‘safer’
products among the others. Hence an adequate traceability system is required in
order to manage properly risk alarm coordination. Communication is a key aspect
concerning food alarms that is also covered by the literature in relation to
traceability. Transmission of credible information in real time is expected in case of
a food risk and traceability aims to provide credible and reliable information to
consumers. But by whom and how should be provided this information? There are
questions to be answered in the following chapters according to results of focus
groups.
4.2. Importance of attributes of food products
Generally, origin, price and expiry date are the attributes mostly perceived by both
Italian and Spanish participants at the purchase place as emerged by focus groups.
National fresh products are commonly perceived as higher quality products and for
some participants, a higher price is related to higher quality.
As it can be seen in Figure 1, country of origin is the most considered attribute for
beef in both countries, even if some differences can be found. In Italy the national
origin is generally preferred, whereas in Spain, next to the national origin, has to be
considered the importance attached to some specific regional productions (in many
cases PGI) and to foreign products perceived as higher quality (e.g.: meat from
Argentina). Price seems more important for Spanish participants, whereas trust
feeling in shops and shopkeepers is strong in both countries. Expiry date is
perceived as an important extrinsic cue both in Italy and Spain.