RegioInHessen

Numerous studies show that consumers have a strong and growing preference for regional food products. According to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (2025), consumers pay more attention to regional and animal welfare labels than to labels for organic standards, sustainability or fairtrade. Regional value chains and marketing concepts not only meet consumer expectations but also offer an opportunity to strengthen the autonomy and economic stability of rural areas, generating added value that benefits the local population. 

In Hessen, producers, processors and retailers use various means to communicate regionality to consumers, for example through the use of labels like “aus der Region” (engl. From the Region), “Gutes aus Hessen” (engl. Best of Hesse), or the Regionalfenster (engl. Regional Window seal). There is however no information available on how consumers perceive these various regional labels, which ones they are familiar with, which ones do they trust, and how these labels influence their purchasing decisions. For a label to be effective in influencing purchasing behavior, consumers must both recognize and trust it. Against this background, the aim of this study is to identify which regional labels are promising for successfully marketing regional products, and how awareness and trust in regional labels can be improved to increase consumer purchase intention for regional products in Hessen.