An analysis of food safety private investments drivers in the Italian meat sector

Abstract

Food safety systems that implement Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), certification, traceability, brands as well as in geographical indications and private branding require dedicated investments in physical resources, human resources and in re-organising the production processes and control activities. Investment decisions can be made according to legal requirements or based on voluntary decisions. In this study, we address the two following research questions: do the inducements due to the regulatory framework influence the decision to invest in the implementation of food safety strategies and what is the size of this potential influence? Does the allocation of the decision right to invest influence the investment decision and does this potential influence vary across food safety systems? We carried out an empirical investigation on investment decisions in the Italian meat sector, comparing systems dedicated to safety and marketing strategies. The knowledge of such an influence provides a better understanding of the micro-level motivations of food safety investments in a critical area and contribute to the design of regulatory strategies.

Keywords

• decision rights
• food safety
• investment
• law
• transaction costs