Farmer shops: towards a renewal of collective action for agricultural SMEs
New alternative initiatives are emerging in the food sector, with an increase of short chains and direct selling initiatives. Producers choose to work together to create collective farmer shops (CFSs) in order to sell their products locally. Faced with the changing context and the limitations of traditional forms of collective action (e.g. cooperatives), it can be difficult for producers to make an informed choice of distribution channel. This research aims to investigate this new type of collective action and to understand (a) the motives for participating to a CFS; (b) what are the benefits for the producers and (c) what difficulties they encounter. The in-depth qualitative study of 57 semi-structured interviews with producers engaged in the creation of CFSs provides answers to these three questions. At a theoretical level, this research allows to discuss how CFSs represent a renewal of collective action in agriculture. At a managerial level, it proposes a reflexive framework for producers who are already engaged in CFSs or that could join them.