Fakultät Agrarwissenschaften

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hohpublica.uni-hohenheim.de/handle/123456789/9

Die Fakultät entwickelt in Lehre und Forschung nachhaltige Produktionstechniken der Agrar- und Ernährungswirtschaft. Sie erarbeitet Beiträge für den ländlichen Raum und zum Verbraucher-, Tier- und Umweltschutz.

Homepage: https://agrar.uni-hohenheim.de/

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Browsing Fakultät Agrarwissenschaften by Classification "650"

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    Company views of consumers regarding sustainable packaging
    (2024) Herbes, Carsten; Mielinger, Ellen; Krauter, Victoria; Arranz, Elena; Hurtado, Rosa María Cámara; Marcos, Begonya; Poças, Fátima; de Maya, Salvador Ruiz
    In the transition towards more sustainable food packaging, food companies play a key role: they decide what type of packaging to use in their production. Past research posits that corporate decision making on sustainable packaging is driven by perceived consumer demand, making it important to understand how companies see consumers, a topic largely neglected in the literature. Our study aims at uncovering how food packaging professionals see consumer demand for sustainable packaging. We performed qualitative interviews with packaging professionals from food companies in Germany, Austria, Spain, and Portugal; we then performed qualitative content analysis on the responses. The results show that half of our interviewees think that sustainability in packaging does not matter to consumers. Further, pertaining to the packaging life cycle, packaging professionals believe that consumers pay more attention to attributes related to raw materials, i.e. the beginning of the packaging life cycle, preferring paper and rejecting plastics. Interviewees demonstrate scant awareness of consumer research which shows that bio-based materials, biodegradability and recycled materials matter to consumers. Our interviewees frequently criticized consumers, presenting what we identify as narratives of disempowerment whereby responsibility for sustainable packaging is not theirs. First, they perceive consumers as an obstacle. Second, they describe their own position as not very powerful vis-à-vis packaging manufacturers and retailers. And third, they are often unsure about consumer attitudes, knowledge or behavior. This assignment of responsibility for packaging decisions to retailers and consumers emerges as a strong barrier to the expansion of sustainable packaging. Analyzing the perceptions that companies have of consumers may help in better aligning consumer attitudes and behaviors and company strategies for sustainable packaging.
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    Digital maturity of administration entities in a state-led food certification system using the example of Baden-Württemberg
    (2025) Francksen, Sabrina; Ghaziani, Shahin; Bahrs, Enno; Okpala, Charles Odilichukwu R.
    Digital transformation is increasingly relevant in food certification systems, improving processes, coordination, and data accessibility. In state-led certification systems, public entities hold a political mandate to promote digital transformation, yet little is known about digital maturity in these systems or how to assess it. This study assesses the digital maturity of a state-led food certification system in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, focusing on private sector stakeholders involved in its administration. Additionally, it examines potential measures that the governing public entity can take and evaluates the suitability of the methods used. A total of 25 out of 43 organisations were surveyed using the Digital Maturity Assessment (DMA) framework validated for the European Union (EU). Six dimensions were analysed: Digital Business Strategy, Digital Readiness, Human-Centric Digitalisation, Data Management, Automation and Artificial Intelligence, and Green Digitalisation. Data Management and Human-Centric Digitalisation were the most developed, highlighting strong data governance and workforce engagement. Automation and Artificial Intelligence were ranked lowest, reflecting minimal adoption but also indicating that not all dimensions might be of the same relevance for the variety of organisations. The variability in scores and organisation-specific relevance underscores the European DMA framework’s value, particularly due to its subsequent tailored consultation process and its integration into EU policy.