La tipicità dei prodotti come attenuazione del trade-off consumo-produzione: il caso dell'olio extravergine di oliva umbro

The aim of this study is to characterise consumers of extra-virgin olive oil in Umbria, in the light of the EU initiative guaranteeing protected geographical areas, as an instrument to link up qualitative characteristics and the safeguard of the associated rights of the attributes. The empirical study reveals that there is a differentiated coherence of consumption in comparison with other quality oils, due to its regional identity, which provides an indication of the importance of experience but above all of product trust. This product trust has stimulated interest in analysing the relationships between market consumption and production. The recognition of characteristics, both visible and immaterial, of the product, enables the theoretical elaboration of the differentiated product and an evaluation of the objective character of the product in the market. The recovery of the objectivity of the product does not a priori eliminate the problem of opportunistic behaviour of the firms. Moreover, the regulations to obtain the DOP, which is the basis of the reputation of quality products in the firms/territory, are effective in cases in which there are conditions of widespread technology, which permit the obtaining of a high quality product. In this specific case, in the region of Umbria, the reduction of incentives for opportunistic behaviour favours the recovery of informational symmetry in the differentiated market, and intervention in favour of the consumer gradually appears to be less necessary.

Andrea Marchini, Luca Pieroni, La tipicità dei prodotti come attenuazione del trade-off consumo-produzione: il caso dell'olio extravergine di oliva umbro in "ECONOMIA AGRO-ALIMENTARE" 2/2000, pp , DOI: