Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Private standards - leveling the playing field for global competition in the food supply chain?

Carlsson, Cecilia LU and Johansson, Helena LU (2013)
Abstract
Differences in national legislations can affect the international competitiveness of an industry. For example, stringent EU regulations on animal welfare and environmental protection are often said to be a cost disadvantage for EU producers competing on the global market. However, in recent years, powerful retailers and food processors have started to impose requirements on downstream producers through private standards. Requirements are made both on EU- and non-EU producers and can, if extensively used, become de facto mandatory for suppliers.



This study investigates to what extent the use of private standards contribute to leveling the playing field for global competition in the food supply chain by making conditions... (More)
Differences in national legislations can affect the international competitiveness of an industry. For example, stringent EU regulations on animal welfare and environmental protection are often said to be a cost disadvantage for EU producers competing on the global market. However, in recent years, powerful retailers and food processors have started to impose requirements on downstream producers through private standards. Requirements are made both on EU- and non-EU producers and can, if extensively used, become de facto mandatory for suppliers.



This study investigates to what extent the use of private standards contribute to leveling the playing field for global competition in the food supply chain by making conditions more equal for producers on the global food market.



The study shows that retailers and food processors impose requirements on animal welfare, environmental protection and labor conditions on imports. This means that private standards decrease differences in production conditions across countries, which, in turn, implies that the requirements on domestic and imported goods are more equal than indicated by national legislations. However, firms use private standards that are heterogenic both in content and stringency. Differences in production conditions can therefore be reduced to a varying extent depending on which standard that is used. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Book/Report
publication status
published
subject
categories
Popular Science
publisher
[Publisher information missing]
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
acdc8a82-a867-4d1f-b5be-36557c097b08 (old id 4194423)
alternative location
http://www.agrifood.se/publication.aspx?fKeyID=727
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 13:59:26
date last changed
2023-04-18 18:05:54
@techreport{acdc8a82-a867-4d1f-b5be-36557c097b08,
  abstract     = {{Differences in national legislations can affect the international competitiveness of an industry. For example, stringent EU regulations on animal welfare and environmental protection are often said to be a cost disadvantage for EU producers competing on the global market. However, in recent years, powerful retailers and food processors have started to impose requirements on downstream producers through private standards. Requirements are made both on EU- and non-EU producers and can, if extensively used, become de facto mandatory for suppliers. <br/><br>
<br/><br>
This study investigates to what extent the use of private standards contribute to leveling the playing field for global competition in the food supply chain by making conditions more equal for producers on the global food market.<br/><br>
 <br/><br>
The study shows that retailers and food processors impose requirements on animal welfare, environmental protection and labor conditions on imports. This means that private standards decrease differences in production conditions across countries, which, in turn, implies that the requirements on domestic and imported goods are more equal than indicated by national legislations. However, firms use private standards that are heterogenic both in content and stringency. Differences in production conditions can therefore be reduced to a varying extent depending on which standard that is used.}},
  author       = {{Carlsson, Cecilia and Johansson, Helena}},
  institution  = {{[Publisher information missing]}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  title        = {{Private standards - leveling the playing field for global competition in the food supply chain?}},
  url          = {{http://www.agrifood.se/publication.aspx?fKeyID=727}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}