Producer constructions of quality in regional speciality food production: a case study from south west England.

摘要

This paper examines the ways in which notions of quality are constructed, regulated and marketed by producers of regional specialty food products (SFPs) in south west England. A postal questionnaire was administered to 100 producers members of Tasteof the West in order to examine both perceptions of what characterizes a quality product and attitudes towards marketing strategies and the use of regional imagery to promote SFPs. It emerges that, despite new regulatory frameworks and consumer concerns, producers usually define quality in terms of product specification and attraction rather than through official certification schemes or association with region of origin. Food quality, however defined by producers, is essentially self-regulated and constructed within the context of maintaining stable relationships between producers and buyers. Furthermore, marketing is based on low-cost methods which demand a high personal input of time and energy from the entrepreneur. Quality, therefore, must be understood as a contested notion which is constructed by actors attempting to build stable and lasting networks between themselves and others within the market arena.