Sustainable Purchasing of Fresh Food by Restaurants and Cafes in France

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Manuscript is well written, contains good literature review and result  discussion of topical issues relating to sustainable restaurant in France. I commend the authors for a thorough investigation of the attitudes of conventional food ingredient buyers (Cluster 1) and green buyers. (Cluster 2) which sheds light on the trend in the restaurant industry in France. Several issues were explored which can be a foundation for understanding the restaurant business in France in the coming years and how policy may be developed to promote sustainable food delivery and consumption system in the country. In my view, a major deficiency in the paper is lack of definition and description of the food and food ingredients encountered in the restaurants surveyed in the study. See more comments in the attached document.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Really appreciate the effort you have given to the manuscript. Fresh food was not specifically defined in this study - but as you have highlighted - it represents a great opportunity for future study. Consequently a new paragraph has been inserted into the limitations recommending that further studies aim to differentiate between the different fresh food categories

The abstract is a maximum of 200 words. To address all the issues that you have raised would take far more than that. Furthermore, the purpose of an abstract is largely to attract potential readers - if they want to know more they upload the paper and read it. In this regard, we believe it serves it purpose. However, some minor amendments have been made.

No need to add the word sustainable in the keywords - its in the title - hence it will be picked up by the search engines.

Materials and methodology have been modified somewhat. Cluster analysis was not expected or anticipated in the initial study. To maintain the flow in the paper, an additional table presenting the raw results is included. The high SD for many of the means indicates a potential for underlying clusters to be present. At this point in time in the paper, the approach for undertaking the cluster analysis is presented and the existing Table 1 [now Table 2] presented

As per your recommendation, Cluster 1 is now described in detail, followed by Cluster 2

Tables have been amended as per your instructions. The statistics utilized [the independent sample t- test] is also spelled out in the text    

Reviewer 2 Report

General comment

I congratulate the authors for the effort made.

The study is fascinating, different and current. I appreciate the opportunity to read and comment on the document. I congratulate the authors for the idea, and the work is done. The following suggestions could help improve the document.

Title

The title, although brief, is very general. It could further specify the object of study and/or findings and include cafes or other significant stakeholders, in addition to restaurants.

Abstract

a) The selected sample of restaurants and cafes should be more detailed.

b) The methodology used should be further specified; only mention is made of cluster analysis.

c) Highlight the novelties of the study.

Introduction

a) An additional effort should be made to add clarity, logical and sequential structure, from the general to the particular, linking the aspects discussed: 1.- What exactly will be studied; 2.- Why is the study necessary and what justifies it? What is the state of the matter? What objectives, methodology and sample, are studied ?; What does the document contribute, and who is particularly interested in the reader?

Literature review

a) An additional effort should be made to add clarity, logical and sequential structure, from the general to the particular.

b) Therefore, from the previous studies, it can be concluded…?

Methodology, Materials and Methods

a) The questionnaire design process must be justified. Where did the 21 items come from? Why those items and not others? What were sources consulted to design the questionnaire? What was the procedure for administering the questionnaire?

b) The sampling carried out must be justified. For example, why have only companies from Paris and Lyon been selected? Why that number of companies? Is the sample representative and random?

c) It should be explained why the Hierarchical cluster analysis has been chosen and what this analysis consists of. The criteria and process by which both clusters are analyzed must be explained.

d) How do you know that a restaurant is "Green" or "Conventional"?

e) It would be interesting to include the questionnaire as an annexe.

Results

a) Section 4.2 should be before 4.1.

b) According to the results (tables), have not more than 21 items been used?

c) Section 4 should be called "Results and discussion".

d) The information in the tables should be better explained.

e) It should be clarified in order and greater depth in what and why both clusters differ.

f) How are the results related to the findings of other authors in this field? The inclusion of hypotheses and/or contributions in this regard in the literature review section would facilitate this task.

Conclusions

a) The conclusions could include some implications.

b) Order the conclusions according to the objectives and the results/discussion.

Bibliography

a) Other more current references on the subject could be included.

b) The bibliography must conform to the requirements of the journal.

Thank you very much.

Author Response

Many thanks for your kind words on the quality of our manuscript

The paper has been retitled

The abstract remains largely as it was. There is a 200 word limitation that makes it impossible to address all the issues you have raised. The purpose of an abstract is largely to attract readers and we believe that it currently does that - if they want to know more - they download it and read the manuscript

Introduction and literature review remain largely unchanged

Considerable effort has been made to address the issues raised in the methodology and the results. Details are provided about how the different measures were developed from the literature and how the survey was administered. In the results section, the raw data [Table 1] is presented. The high SD associated with many of the means suggest the presence of two or more clusters. At this point, the methodology for the cluster analysis is outlined and the results reported in detail.

A new section: implications has been added

References have been  correctly formatted to meet the editorial requirements for the journal. However, particularly in relation to industrial purchasing theory, we continue to rely on the primary sources - hence the reason why many of these references are dated.

Reviewer 3 Report

This is  a solid piece of work focusing on an area where more research like this is needed.

Author Response

Many thanks for your kind consideration of the manuscript

Various changes have been made in accordance with some - but not all - of the other reviewers comments