Environmental and Social Sustainability in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Supply Chain: A Competitiveness’ Asset

The concern for products that meet the requirements of sustainability is a key factor that drives consumers and can be the engine of a successful economy in the food businesses. In the specific case of the fresh fruit and vegetables, more than ever, sustainability understoodasagreaterfocusonthesocialandenvironmentalperformanceoftheproduct and of its supply chain, can be considered as a tool to counter the consumer's disaffec‐ tion. The communication of the product's sustainability can indeed represent a tool to bring out the fruit and vegetable products from the anonymity, a strategy to will make it ‘remember',relying not only onthe traditional values recognizedto the segment, but also on a set of the supply chain attributes that can differentiate it. However, how to get effectively to the consumer by using a multidimensional and complex concept as the product's sustainability of the product, how to make the sustainability attribute a factor to be considered in the final purchasing choices, how to involve the different stakehold‐ ers in the building of a sustainable supply chain (regardless of its length) are still open discussion topics. After presenting the main sustainability certification and communica‐ tiontoolsadoptedtillnowadaysforthefreshfruitandvegetablessupplychain,thechapter investigates the relative potentialities and criticisms in order to turn them into a real competitiveness’ asset.