Factors influencing local food sales through green public procurement in rezekne municipality

Abstract

Green procurement is a fast-growing trend in the European Union, and it positively affects the development of local territories. In Rezekne municipality, criteria for green public procurement (GPP) of food products are not employed by procuring institutions or it is done infrequently; therefore, the reasons that hinder the application of GPP criteria and motivate the introduction of the criteria in public food procurement operations have to be examined. The present research continues and supplements the previous ones. The authors of the paper have developed a questionnaire for a survey of experts aimed at identifying expert opinions about the implementation of GPP at municipal institutions to purchase food products. The research aim is to examine the factors that hinder local food sales through green public procurement in Rezekne municipality. The research results showed that the experts considered the fact that such “food products are free of genetically modified organisms” or they are healthy to be the most motivating factor after assessing all the factors motivating municipal institutions to implement GPP to purchase food products. Assessing the expected results of use of GPP as a sustainable food system, the experts rated the factor “Fostering environmentally friendly production methods” higher than the other ecological factors. Research methods used: monographic, descriptive, analysis, synthesis, statistical analysis, a sociological method – an expert survey.