Marketing implications of the labeling of agricultural food products with recognizable marks and protected sings

Abstract

Neobvezni sustavi označavanja poljoprivrednih i prehrambenih proizvoda putem prepoznatljivih oznaka i zaštićenih znakova u Republici Hrvatskoj provode se još od 1992. godine. Unatoč tomu što je iza nas već dvadeset i osam godina provedbe sustava, neobvezni sustavi označavanja nisu dovoljno razvijeni. Razlog tomu, prema istraživanjima koja su kod nas provedena, u prvom su redu neinformiranost i nedovoljna educiranost svih dionika sustava, od primarnih poljoprivrednih proizvođača, prehrambene industrije, pa sve do potrošača. Znanstveni doprinos doktorske disertacije u teorijskom smislu očituje se u rezultatima prvoga provedenog istraživanja u Republici Hrvatskoj koje je na jednom mjestu obuhvatilo mišljenja i percepcije poljoprivrednih proizvođača, s jedne strane korisnika znakova Hrvatske agencije za poljoprivredu i hranu (prije Hrvatske poljoprivredne agencije), a s druge strane potencijalnih korisnika tih znakova, zatim mišljenja trgovačkih lanaca koji posluju u Republici Hrvatskoj te hotela diljem zemlje o uvođenju domaćih proizvoda u njihovu ponudu, ali i mišljenja potrošača kao i njihovu upoznatost s oznakama kvalitete i zaštićenim znakovima. Aplikativni doprinos doktorske disertacije ogleda se u prijedlogu kreiranja marketinške strategije implementiranja neobveznih sustava označavanja poljoprivrednih i prehrambenih proizvoda na tržištu, u skladu s provedenim primarnim istraživanjem. Istraživanja koja se odnose na problematiku oko neobveznih sustava označavanja poljoprivrednih i prehrambenih proizvoda provode se na europskoj razini, ali u Republici Hrvatskoj nema znatnih spoznaja u pogledu te problematike koje bi ukazivale na probleme i moguće prijedloge za poboljšanje sustava. U hrvatskim okvirima ustanovljena je problematika glede slabe informiranosti svih dionika koji sudjeluju u provedbi neobveznih sustava, od poljoprivrednih proizvođača, prehrambene industrije do potrošača. Također, na nacionalnoj razini zanemarena je mogućnost da se putem zaštite domaćih poljoprivrednih i prehrambenih proizvoda poveća tržišna konkurentnost hrane, što u konačnici rezultira ulaskom proizvoda u više cjenovne kategorije. Doprinos doktorske disertacije u praktičkom smislu očituje se u davanju preporuke za unaprjeđenje neobveznih sustava označavanja poljoprivrednih i prehrambenih proizvoda u Republici Hrvatskoj, u davanju preporuka na institucionalnoj razini za poboljšanje provedbe neobveznih sustava označavanja te niza mjera putem kojih se tako označeni proizvodi lakše mogu plasirati na tržište te postići dodanu vrijednost. Na ovaj način daje se potvrda sektoru poljoprivrede da se neobveznim sustavima označavanja poljoprivrednih i prehrambenih proizvoda itekako može utjecati na razvoj domaće poljoprivredne proizvodnje u Republici Hrvatskoj te ukazuje na niz mjera koje mogu unaprijediti postojeće neobvezne sustave označavanja poljoprivrednih i prehrambenih proizvoda putem otvaranja raznih novih mogućnosti u institucionalnoj pomoći oko širenje tržišta domaćih proizvoda te njihove veće zastupljenosti u hotelima i trgovačkim centrima.Optional labelling sytems for agricultural food products through the use of labels and trademarks in the Republic nof Croatia are being implemented since 1992. Despite the fact it has been twnty-eight years since the sistem implementation, optional labelling system have not been sufficiently developed. The reason for that, according to the survey that has been conducted, is primarily the lack of information and insufficient education of all participants - from the primary agricultural producers to the food indusstry, all the way to the concumers. The scientific contribution of the doctoral thesis in the academic sense is reflected in the results of the first survey conducted in the Republic of Croatia, which will, in one place, include the attitudes and perceptions of agricultural producers, the Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food (before Croatin Agricultural agenbcy) label users on the one hand, and the potential users of the same labels, the opinion of the retail chains operating in the Republic of Croatia, hotels across the country on the introduction of domestic products into their offer, but also show consumer attitudes, as well as their familiarity with the Croatian Agricultural Agency (today caleed Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food), on the other. The pragmatic contribution of the doctoral thesis is reflected in the significant inclusion of the primary agricultural producers in optional labelling system for agricultural food products and in the increase in the number and quantity of labelled products in the food procesing sector. The contribution is also visible in the informing the consumers about the significance of particular labels and systems they represent, which will increase their knowledge about the quality and importance of purchasing domestic agricultural products. Surveys related to the issue of optional labelling systems are being conducted at European level, but there are no significant ones in the Republic of Croatia regarding the issue of optional labelling systems for agricultural food products that would point out the problems as well as possible suggestions for improving the system. In the Croatian framework, the issues regarding the lack of information of the all participants involved in the implementation of optional labelling system from agricultural producers, thwe food industry to consumers have been identified. Also, at the national level, the possibility to increase the market competitiveness of food through the protection of domestic agri-food products has been neglected, which ultimately resulted in the entry of products into higher price categories. The contribution of the doctoral dissertation in practical terms is reflected in the recommendations for the improvement of optional labelling systems for agricultural food products in the Republic of Croatia, in recommendations at the institutional level to improve the implememtation of optional labelling systems, and in a serios of measures by which these products could be placed on the market more easily and achieve added value. In this way, this is a contribution to the agricultural sector by showing that the optional labelling systems for agricultural food products can greatly influence the development of domestic agricultural in the republic of Croatia, and by pointing to a series of measures that can enhance the existing optional labelling sysstems for agricultural food products by opening up various opportunities, from expanding the domestic product market into public, institutions, hotels and by promoting greater presence in shopping malls