Perspectives on consumer perceptions of local foods: a view from Indonesia

Abstract

In many countries around the world, support for local agriculture has been a burgeoning issue involving the development of the local foods movement as an alternative marketing. This study investigated ethnic and geographic differences with respect to the consumers' perceptions of local foods in Indonesia. Semistructured interviews were conducted to examine consumers' views of local foods. “Location,” “quality,” and “price” were found to be the most salient characteristics of local foods. The idea of village was associated with the meaning of “local.” Although the respondents' levels of awareness of local foods were high, further education and dissemination of the national policy on local foods was urgently needed.