Consumers’ demand for transparency, authenticity and safety in food and beverage products continues to rise. Blockchain technology (BCT) and quick-response (QR) codes have emerged as powerful tools for enhancing product traceability. Understanding the psychological and behavioural mechanisms underlying consumers’ acceptance of such technologies is crucial for producers and policymakers alike. Therefore, this study explores the factors influencing consumers’ intention to purchase wines traceable through BCT and QR codes through an extended stimulus–organism–response model enriched with constructs from the theory of perceived risk. A survey was conducted in February 2025 with a sample representative of the Italian population (N = 1001). The collected data were analysed using a validated partial least squares structural equation modelling approach to examine how external stimuli (transparency and traceability, diagnosticity, subjective norms and facilitating conditions), individual perceptions (perceived value, trust and usefulness), emotional responses (hedonic perception), risk perception, and BCT knowledge shape consumers’ purchase intention. The results show that diagnosticity and transparency significantly enhance perceived value, which in turn strongly influences purchase intention. While knowledge of BCT positively affects hedonic perception, it has a limited effect on perceived usefulness or trust, highlighting that technological familiarity is not a dominant driver of technology adoption. However, hedonic perception emerges as the strongest predictor of purchase intention, highlighting the importance of designing engaging and enjoyable traceability experiences. Social and contextual factors, particularly subjective norms and facilitating conditions, significantly affect perceived usefulness, which in turn contributes to purchase intention. Perceived risk has a significant but relatively small effect on purchase intention. The model explains 68.1% of the variance in purchase intention, offering novel insights for technology developers, marketers and policymakers seeking to foster consumers’ acceptance of digital traceability in the wine sector.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to systematically examine how digital traceability software is reshaping agri-food supply chains. It aims to uncover the managerial motivations behind their adoption, assess the perceived benefits and challenges and provide a clearer understanding of the strategic role these tools play in enhancing transparency, efficiency and sustainability. Design/methodology/approachThis study conducts a systematic literature review to explore the evolution, application and adoption benefits and challenges of traceability software in agri-food systems. Following the PRISMA methodology, 55 peer-reviewed studies published between 1998 and 2024 were analysed. FindingsThe findings show a shift from early technologies like barcodes and relational databases to more advanced solutions integrating Radio-Frequency Identification, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain. Three main areas of application were identified: integrated supply chain management, internal process automation and logistics optimization. While benefits such as improved transparency and traceability, operational efficiency, quality monitoring, reduced errors and increased consumer confidence are well-recognized, significant barriers persist – including technological, economic and organizational obstacles. Originality/valueThis study addresses the fragmented and sector-specific nature of existing literature by offering a comprehensive review of traceability software adoption across agri-food supply chains. It explores technological types, roles, adoption drivers and barriers and contextual influences, while highlighting organizational, cultural and strategic dimensions. The findings provide practical guidance for stakeholders and set a foundation for future research on real-world impacts and inclusive digital innovation.

The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) plays a pivotal role in achieving decarbonization within the transportation sector. However, the widespread adoption of EVs faces multifaceted challenges, particularly concerning infrastructure development. This paper investigates the intersection of sustainability, decarbonization, and EV adoption, with a focus on identifying and analyzing the challenges associated with infrastructure deployment. Strictly adhering to the methodological principles and process of systematic literature reviews, this paper analyzes research spanning the fields of engineering, energy, computer science, environmental science, social sciences, and others to elucidate the barriers hindering EV adoption, ranging from technological limitations to regulatory complexities and market dynamics. Furthermore, it examines the critical role of infrastructure, encompassing charging networks, grid integration, and supportive policies, in facilitating EV uptake and maximizing environmental benefits. The findings are finally used to present the implications for theory, practice, and policies and to highlight the avenues for future research.

Purpose This study aims to investigate the dynamic capabilities of wineries, focusing on sensing and its role in enabling digital innovation. Furthermore, it explores the role of blockchain technology (BCT) in validating credence attributes of wine, emphasising blockchain as a strategic asset that enhances the ability of wineries to innovate and respond to changing market conditions. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts an exploratory approach based on a longitudinal, single-case study of the Argentinian Costaflores Organic Winery. Findings Findings reveal that integrating digital disruptive innovations such as blockchain can strategically position wineries to better meet emerging consumer preferences and market trends. Blockchain simultaneously acts as both a mediator and a moderator. As a mediator, it facilitates the validation of credence attributes of wine such as authenticity and sustainability, enhancing customer trust and loyalty. As a moderator, it influences the strength and effectiveness of the relationship between sensing and innovation capabilities. This enables wineries to more effectively respond to changing consumer requirements and market trends and improve operational performance. Research limitations/implications The study was limited by its focus on a single case study of the Argentinian Costaflores Organic Winery, which may affect the generalisability of the findings. However, the study provides valuable insights into the strategic adaptation and competitive positioning of wineries in response to the continuing market challenges. It significantly contributes to the understanding of integrating digital disruptive innovations as strategic assets in the agri-food sector, particularly in the wine sector. Originality/value This study addresses a significant research gap by exploring how BCT facilitates the organisation of sensing capabilities. It contributes to the understanding of how the wineries’ sensing capabilities both influence and are influenced by the adoption of BCT, particularly in the context of innovation enabling and improved operational performance.

The growing significance of information availability about products for consumers represents a pivotal dimension in contemporary consumer behavior and decision-making processes. In the context of an ever-evolving global marketplace characterized by a huge number of choices, rapid technological advancements and increased consumer awareness, access to comprehensive product information has emerged as a fundamental factor affecting consumers' preferences, choices, and satisfaction levels. There is a significant scientific gap on Italian wine consumers' readiness to adopt emerging technologies. Therefore, the research objective is to investigate whether Italian wine consumers trust and are willing to use emerging technologies such as Quick Response (QR) code and Blockchain Technology (BCT) and to identify the factors influencing their acceptance. By examining and evaluating several crucial aspects in the context of wine purchases in Italy using an online survey, this work seeks to fill the gap in the literature. These crucial elements include customers' propensity for novelty, information-seeking behaviors, faith in new technology, and the intention to use them during wine purchasing. What can be derived is the positive interconnection between consumers novelty-seeking, information-seeking, intention to use the QR code and trust in emerging technologies. With other words, consumers' information-seeking and novelty-seeking is interconnected and they positively determine consumers trust in technologies and their adoption. The implications of this study are twofold. Firstly, it enriches consumer behavior theory by providing new insights into how information availability and emerging technologies influence consumers’ decision-making processes, particularly in the context of the Italian wine market. Secondly, businesses can leverage these insights to enhance consumer trust and satisfaction, enabling them to make more effective marketing strategies, improve product transparency, and gain a competitive edge in the increasingly competitive wine market.

In June 2022, the Italian national project PRIN (Research Projects of National Relevance), W [...]

The study presents a comprehensive examination of the recent advancements in the field of wine production using the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Blockchain Technology (BCT). The paper aims to provide insights into the implementation of these technologies in the wine supply chain and to identify the potential benefits associated with their use. The study highlights the various applications of IoT, AI, and BCT in wine production, including vineyard management, wine quality control, and supply chain management. It also discusses the potential benefits of these technologies, such as improved efficiency, increased transparency, and reduced costs. The study concludes by presenting the framework proposed by the authors in order to overcome the challenges associated with the implementation of these technologies in the wine supply chain and suggests areas for future research. The proposed framework meets the challenges of lack of transparency, lack of ecosystem management in the wine industry and irresponsible spending associated with the lack of monitoring and prediction tools. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the potential of IoT, AI, and BCT in optimizing the wine supply chain and offers a comprehensive review of the existing literature on the study subject.

Purpose This study aims to explore whether the blockchain technology (BCT), as a unique and distinctive resource, affects the development of unique capabilities and the integration and reconfiguration of internal physical and human resources necessary to gain a trusted competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach A case study approach has been used to identify the internal resources and capabilities that affect the decision to implement BCT and to determine whether this new technology can become a strategic internal resource in the wine industry. Findings Results show the role of two strategic resources: human resources, such as IT specialists and software developers for BCT applications, and skills of companies’ management to grant sensitive and confidential data to IT specialists and the ability to read the analytics from the BCT application, becoming a distinctive enabling assets. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this study is related to the analysis of a single case, which, on the one hand, does not allow generalisation of the empirical findings but, on the other hand, is themost appropriatemethod for the explorative nature of this research. Practical implications Our findings have useful practical implications for wineries and agri-food companies in overall because they can support managers and entrepreneurs in effectively implementing these innovative digital technologies in their valuecreation process. Originality/value The study of this underexplored topic gives interesting insights into the resources needed for the successful adoption of this emerging technology, which can support wineries in improving the value-creating process. In particular, compared to the previous studies, this research analyses the adoption process under the resource-based theory lens.

This study aims at investigating the consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for agri-food products delivered in the farmers markets with electric vehicles (EVs). The empirical analysis has been carried out by administering an online questionnaire to 273 consumers within a hypothetical context. A multiple price list has been provided in order to measure the price premium for 1 kg of oranges transported by EVs comparing with the ones transported by traditional vehicles. A Tobit regression model has been used for the data analysis in order to identify the most influential factors affecting the consumers' WTP. Results suggest that consumers' WTP is mainly influenced by environmental attitudes, knowledge and possibility of engaging in responsible purchasing, and the approval of friends and relatives (social norms). This study delivers insights into support both farmers' choice to invest in EVs and policymakers to develop policies promoting this transition process. The main limitations of this study are related to the use of a random sample of respondents and to the social desirability bias linked to self-reported questions.

The transition toward electric mobility is recognised as a powerful contributor to reaching the goal of reducing environmental pressure from the transport sector minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. Over recent years several studies analysed the economic convenience of adopting electric vehicles as well as its impact on greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. However, very few studies evaluated both economic cost and environmental emissions in a real-life environment. This study aimed to investigate the economic costs of battery electric vehicle adoption in the short food supply chain and its impact on the environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions when compared to corresponding petrol-powered vehicles. It also aimed to examine the influence of policy measures on this transition process. To achieve these objectives, data were obtained from market research and the testing phase of a project co-funded by the European Interreg Med Programme. Based on collected data, economic cost and greenhouse gas emission of both battery electric vehicle and internal combustion engine vehicle use were determined. The results emphasise that when compared to corresponding petrol-powered vehicles, the economic convenience of electric vehicles as well as their positive impact on greenhouse gas emissions is evident after a finite distance is covered, which grows thereafter. Simulated scenarios confirm the importance of the incentives for vehicle acquisition promoted by governments to reduce their economic cost, whilst also confirming the influence that an energy mix consisting of renewable energy sources could have on achieving the environmental benefits of adopting electric vehicles over a shorter period and distance. In light of these results, some recommendations can be provided to promote the spread of battery electric vehicles in the short food supply chain. In detail, financial support is needed to both purchase battery electric vehicles and support projects to obtain lower-cost batteries. At the same time, a great effort should be made by policymakers to create an efficient network of recharging infrastructures also powered by alternative energies to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate change is causing the risk of weather events and instable water accessibility, making water insufficiency a serious problem. According to the 2022 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 70% of extreme weather events such as droughts and floods have been water-related in the last 15 years. Since the climate change processes are speeding up, this percentage is expected to increase. A plethora of researchers have been working on the correlation between water scarcity and climate change. The purpose of this paper is to examine the published research dealing with water scarcity and climate. Therefore, the study carries out a scoping review (SR) via text data mining and reveals the related topics. Two kinds of analysis were carried out using IRaMuTeQ software: descriptive analysis (TTR, Giraud index, Herdan index and Zipf's curve) and cluster analysis (Reinert's method). The results show that the topic of water scarcity refers to the direct and indirect economic impacts on its availability for irrigation, the willingness to pay more for an irrigation water supply and the role of public institutions in "achieving sustainable development goals". The conclusion of the paper highlights the role of this analysis for developing future research and identifies implications for theory, practice and policy in order to overcome the current global challenges related to water scarcity and climate change.

Concerns continue to rise about environmental sustainability and the impacts of traditional transportation systems. Exploring alternative solutions therefore becomes imperative. This paper aims to investigate the potential advantages of integrating battery electric vehicles into the agricultural short food supply chain with a specific focus on air quality improvements. In order to reach the research goal, this study gives a thorough and comparative environmental analysis based on a real-world test conducted under the EnerNETMob project financed by the InterregMed programme, in contrast to other studies that primarily relied on general parameters and simulations. This study illustrated that using an electric vehicle (EV), like the Nissan e-NV200, for short-distance transportation of agri-food products is not an environmentally sustainable solution instead of using a petrol-powered vehicle. However, as the distance travelled increases, the environmental impact of electric vehicles diminishes, surpassing that of internal combustion vehicles. This study holds significant theoretical, practical and policy implications that are worth considering.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has led to the acceleration of the digitization process and to a shifting to Industry 4.0. Blockchain (BC) is one of the technologies that has been introduced worldwide in recent years. It has been beneficial for the tourism industry, in addition to many other sectors. This article investigates the advantages and disadvantages of BC adoption in the tourism industry, as well as the possible solutions to overcome the challenges. This paper conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) that consists of the operations for detecting, selecting, categorizing, and analyzing relevant articles on a specified subject. It is evident from the results that the majority of the academic works illustrate the benefits of BC implementation and explain its potential by providing diverse models of BC-based systems. However, since BC is a young technology, numerous challenges have appeared on the path to its full adoption in the tourism industry. Possible solutions are the achievement of a collaborative approach among the stakeholders, the deepening of academic research in the field, testing more models of BC-based systems, and the establishment of relevant policies. Consequently, the implications for the theory, practice, policy, and research of this work are significant.

Purpose The main aims are underlining the role of functional foods (FFs) for population wellbeing, investigating the reasons in the self-consciousness of the different countries' populations and exploring what influences in purchasing decisions to address the management of food-producing businesses. This information will make consumer management easier. Design/methodology/approach A two-step methodology was adopted: (1) literature review and (2) online interview. The principal component analysis (PCA) was used to facilitate and reduce the data complexity. Software Stata/SE was used for data analysis in both Italy and Georgia. Findings Customers' attitudes, awareness level and decision-making process are clarified through the comparative analysis between Italian and Georgian populations. They have a number of reasons that incentivize their behavior. These reasons may be used by food-producing businesses to evaluate their performance and develop ad hoc strategies for consumer management. Originality/value The key elements that determine the FF and motivate the consumer to buy can constitute a foundation for actions related to the development and management of food-producing businesses. Knowing the factors that consumers consider in the process of choosing FFs will help define the strategies that businesses should use for product improvement, better managing the consumer. This study can support the development of education, prevention and promotion of managerial improvements. The innovative mixed methodology applied to the topic is one of the original factors of the study.

The wine sector is one of the most ‘amazing’ and significant agri-food sectors worldwide since ancient times, considering revenue or employment as well as health aspects. This article aims to describe the impact of the implementation of blockchain technology (BCT) in the wine supply chain. After the literature review, the study is based on Agent Based Models (ABMs) and carried out by the GAMA program. Then, the model and simulation of BCT wine supply chain is designed. Finally, the paper compares traditional and BCT-based supply chains, and the advantages of the last one are evident. Blockchain is a useful tool to ensure a traceability system and to protect the production from any type of fraud and contamination.

Consumer behavior varies country by country as it is strongly affected by nationality. Meaning, the groups of people form specific place in a given period of time have similar practices and a common way of thinking. It reflects on their decision-making processes and daily habits, also when purchasing products and services. The goal of this paper is to investigate if there is a significant difference between the consumer behavior attitudes regarding development level of the countries. Furthermore, the paper seeks to identify the main factors affecting their consumer behaviors. In order to reach the research aims, this study consists of a survey on 604 consumers of Italian and Georgian populations. The respondents from Italy and Georgia are analyzed separately and compared. The results obtained from questionnaire are a bit paradoxical in case of Georgia. It seems that, unlikely to Italian consumers, they are not aware of the issues related to food quality, labeling and certification and these consumers make spontaneous decisions non-consciously. Therefore, raising of awareness level and cognitive activities regarding nutrition may affect purchasing behavior.