CREDA expands its work portfolio by incorporating three internal projects in 2023

  • The proposals, which must have a project coordinator (PI) who has a doctorate and works at CREDA, will be evaluated by a team of three people external to the centre.
  • The portfolio of “Internal Projects” for 2023 has a budget of 40.000€ and three initiatives: “PROXIMITY FIG JAM”, “RISK & FOOD WASTE” and “SWIFT-CARE”.

May 13, 2024

The Centre de Recerca en Economia i Desenvolupament Agroalimentari (CREDA) has expanded its activity and has incorporated a new line of action of “Internal Projects” to promote the scientific excellence and research talent of the centre.

In mid-2023, the research centre announced to its workers the incorporation of the new line that allows them to present proposals for projects to be developed for a year, as long as each proposal has a project coordinator (IP) who has a doctorate and be part of the CREDA staff.

Once presented, an evaluation team made up of three experts in agri-food economics from outside the centre determines if they are suitable to continue with them or if some adjustments need to be made. From here, each proposal receives a personalized budget according to the characteristics and needs of the study in question.

For this internal line, CREDA has allocated a total of 40.000€, which is divided between three projects:

WHAT IS? An experiment that aims to know the impact on consumer perception and willingness to pay of proximity labelling on fig jam. Thus, the project will be able to determine if consumers and citizens in general are affected by ‘direct sales’ or ‘short circuit’ labels.

WHY? The main objective is to determine the degree of impact on consumers to promote the adaptation of consumption to short food supply chains, which prioritize quality, respond to environmental and social concerns and adapt to the evolution of health and culinary trends.

HOW? The project is divided into two parts: (1) a “Consumer Choice Experiment” that functions as a second price auction in which consumers’ preferences are analysed and their willingness to pay for fig jam is measured; and (2) a “Consumer Survey” on their perception of sustainability. Both processes will be done to the same group of people.

Responsible team: Zein Kallas (IP), Omar V. Guadarrama and Adrià Menéndez i Molist.

Full name: The impact of proximity labelling on consumer perception and willingness to pay for Fig Jam: an experimental auction approach

Allocated budget: 15.000€

WHAT IS? Initiative that seeks to reduce consumer fear due to the presence of Anisakis through the inclusion and transfer of information that facilitates communication with consumers, but also with all interested parties in the sector. With this study, the project aims to verify the effects of information on the purchase and consumption intention for fishing products.

WHY? Generally, products that have been infected with Anisakis have an associated risk that leads to a loss of product value, an increase in waste and rejection, and a decrease in consumption. The project aims to reduce these effects through the development of a communication strategy.

HOW? By issuing four informative messages and carrying out a questionnaire aimed at a total sample of 2.500 consumers distributed among different areas of the Spanish state, since this is the second country in the European Union in per capita consumption of fish.

Responsible team: David Fernández (IP) and Saray Ramírez.

Full name: Identifying and promoting consumption innovations addressing Food Losses and Waste in Fisheries. A comparative study of facilitating and blocking factors

Allocated budget: 10.000€

WHAT IS? Study that aims to reduce food waste at the Vall d’Hebron Hospital in Barcelona by carrying out a quantification of all food stages and the implementation of well-founded measures and applications.

WHY? The objective is to determine and explore the situation of food waste in the region’s hospitals to propose changes and adaptations that reduce the numbers. Thus, the initiative wants to know the level of waste for each type of consumer (patients, healthcare personnel and external clientele), but also for each flow of waste generation (pre-preparation, preparation and plate).

HOW? The project is divided into four phases: (1) problem identification through interviews, focus groups, and surveys; (2) quantification of waste before intervention; (3) design and implementation of intervention strategies; and (4) quantification of waste after the intervention.

Responsible team: Djamel Rahmani (IP), Tianyu Zhang and Ivan Endrino.

Full name: Study based on a pioneering method in Spain to reduce food waste in hospitals

Allocated budget: 15.000€