From Farm To Status: The Unexplored Personal Benefits of Local Food
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2025-07-07
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en
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This study explores the extent to which consumers’ personal benefits from the consumption of local food relates to the pursuit and signalling of social status. Whereas extant literature has predominantly revolved around the collective benefits of local food, focusing on its environmental impact and ability to be used as a tool to support local economies, this study draws on Bourdieu’s (1984) theory of social status and distinction to explore local food’s role in the reinforcement of social distinction. Situated within the Consumer Culture Theory (CCT) research tradition, qualitative data has been obtained in the Netherlands, revealing that local food serves as a marker of economic, social, and cultural capital. Here, consumers use the consumption practice of local food to express personal identity, signal taste, and strengthen social ties, aligning their consumption behaviour with their underlying social norms and values. Additionally, the concept of class-conditioned habitus is found to moderate these effects, with early exposure to the impact of communal support shaping long-lasting consumption habits, increasing their awareness of local food’s underlying competencies. Together, these findings expand the current understanding of local food consumption, suggesting important implications for marketing and consumer behaviour research.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen