"Similarity" and convergence of the alimentary consumptions in Europe

The aim of this paper is to analyse the "similarity" and the possible convergence in food consumptions among European Union members in period 1993- 2003, using the Fao database a data on gross consumptions of: cereals, meats, fish, milk, cheeses, eggs, animal and vegetable fats, fresh fruit, fruit shoal, vegetables, coffee, sugar and wine. The contribution of the study is to highlight the common evolutionary paths existing among European Countries or if, for against, there exist large differences. From a political point of view, such issue has an huge importance since appropriate agricultural and food policies should focus on links between food consumption and agriculture, as well as between food consumption and related risk on health tied to the diet. The starting point is the study of features of food consumption and their recent tendencies that represent the essential interpretative frame of the results of the analysis of "similarity" and of convergence. These last two aspects are developed through the construction of the synthetic indexes and appropriate techniques of classification. Finally, conclusions summarize the main results of the analysis in order to highlight the main policy implications in food and agricultural sectors.

Keywords: Food consumptions, European Union, analysis of similarity and of convergence

Rosa Maria Fanelli, Similarità e convergenza dei consumi alimentari in Europa in "AGRICOLTURA ISTITUZIONI MERCATI " 1,2/2009, pp 145-158, DOI: 10.3280/AIM2009-001011