Effects of Food Cooperative Membership on What Consumers Buy and Where They Buy: Evidence from Korean Household Panel Data 2015–2019

Alternative food networks (AFNs) have emerged in response to the conventional industrial system, which distances and detaches production from consumption. Food cooperatives are representative of AFNs where relationships between producers consumers reconfigured. This study examines household cooperative membership changes purchase behavior using panel data gathered by Rural Development Administration Korea. In particular, it aims provide insight into effect on consumer behavior, including expenditure per category visit frequency ratio store format. The ordinary least squares regression model was used. findings show that depending ownership AFNs, format vary. members tend less processed more fresh vegetables fruits than nonmembers. Moreover, significantly influences decrease visits small supermarkets traditional markets when purchasing groceries.