Complexity and trust – experiences from local Danish Food Communities

Summary

Generally food consumers in Denmark do not trust the food production and distribution systems and the management of risk related to food consumption has become part of the daily life of many (Halkier & Holm, 2004). This paper explores how relations of trust are formed in two local Danish Food Communities (Fødevarefællesskaber) in Aarhus and Copenhagen. Food Communities are communities of consumers organized around the provision of local fresh vegetables directly from local producers. The Food Communities, together with local farmers, share the responsibilities, normally carried out by other market actors, such as logistics, sale and price formation. The vegetables are sold to the members of the community, at a relatively low price, if they take part in the duty work related to the food provisioning. The community functions despite no binding or long term agreements are made between the communities and the producers. The aim of this paper is to evaluate what role trust plays in order for the communities to function. Focus is given to 1) the mechanisms that create and maintain trust between the actors and 2) the challenges that the relations of trust are exposed to and 3) how the communities are dealing with these challenges.