The Economic Viability of Solidarity Purchase Groups (Gruppi di Acquisto Solidale)

New forms of governance for collective food distribution such as Solidarity Purchase Groups claim to be based on ethical and solidarity logics and motivations. Non-market logics shape these groups’ organization and their members’ participation. Volunteers supply the labour for the distribution activities, which is arguably a key element for the groups’ economic viability. The value of voluntary work is an unpaid cost item but can also be viewed as an alternative monetary measure of the value of participation for the members. Novelli and Corsi present the results of an empirical analysis of the balances of several SPGs, finding that unpaid volunteer work is an indicator of the strength of the participants’ motivations and is indeed a crucial factor for the groups’ long-term economic viability.