Abstract
A large number of previous studies relate local food purchase to the demographic and financial profile
of consumers. This article provides an innovative insight into the sociocultural and spatial factors influencing
local food purchase in the multilingual region of South Tyrol (Italy). To derive a representative sample for
the South Tyrolean population, 498 consumers have been interviewed through Computer Assisted Telephone
Interviewing (CATI). The differences in the consumer attitudes towards local food were tested for significance
using both parametric and non-parametric statistical tests. The results show that consumers’ cultural
background and spatial typology (according to their urban, predominantly urban and rural place of residence)
have a significant influence on specific attitudes towards local food purchase. More specifically, differences in
urban/rural consumers are observable with regard to the preferred stores to purchase at and in the level of
expenditure on local food. The cultural background influences the meanings associated with local food and the
reasons attributed to its purchase.