Perceptions on blockchain readiness for Fairtrade programmes

Abstract

Fairtrade (FT) relies on consumers' willingness to pay a premium for FT products. Such goodwill is based on expectations for superior quality and ethically functioning agricultural supply chains. Trust in FT ecolabels must be earned however: traceability, accountability, transparency, fair flow of returns, and ecological sustainability are some of the important attributes likely to enhance trust. Blockchain technology (BCT) promises to improve all of these aspects over common marketing strategies. The literature suggests that the potential benefits from BCT adoption in food supply chains outweigh the numerous barriers identified. We thus interview New Zealand and Australian FT representatives (n = 6) about this disruptive technology and measure their readiness to adopt BCT using the Technology Readiness Index (TRI). We also contrast their views with those of BCT experts (n = 6). Our thematic content analysis identifies 33 nodes which we have grouped into five main themes: conditional benefits of BCT adoption, positive and negative consequences from transparency, factors pertaining to consumer behaviour, and implementation barriers. Although the TRI analytic results suggested that the positive views on the opportunities BCT may provide for FT goals prevail, the overall sentiment of both interviewee groups suggests that actual BCT adoption is currently not feasible.