Public Policy Papers

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10294/6600

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Browsing Public Policy Papers by Author "Charlebois, Sylvain"

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    SIPP Public Policy Papers 35
    (Saskatchewan Institute of Public Policy, 2005-09) Charlebois, Sylvain
    On 20 March 1996, a date also known as “Black Wednesday” in the British beef industry, the British Secretary of State for Health announced that a possible link existed between Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) or “mad cow” disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), the human variant of mad cow, thus creating environmental uncertainty in the food chain. In the two weeks after 20 March 1996, retail sales of beef products fell in excess of 33 per cent and continued to fall over the following month, clearly demonstrating the preliminary impact of the scare on the purchasing behaviour of British consumers. Massive media coverage about the uncertainty, the lack of information, and what the announcement really meant for food and public safety overtook the political agenda of the British beef industry. Other countries around the world, including Canada and members of the European Union, banned imports of British beef products. Major restaurant chains, including McDonald’s and Burger King, saw their sales decline.
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    SIPP Public Policy Papers 49
    (Saskatchewan Institute of Public Policy, 2007-03) Charlebois, Sylvain
    It has been recognized that agriculture and food companies have a long tradition of being commodity-driven, with an emphasis on production technology, high volumes, and quality consistency. In the context of global hyper-competitivity, the ability to understand customer needs and adapt to a wider variety of customer situations will become crucial. The purpose of this paper is to provide a structured demand chain design framework that can be linked with Gateway and Corridor management practices. Since a direct correlation exists between the wealth of a nation and how it consumes food, we first present five utilities and several factors that are perceived differently by customers once a nation becomes affluent. We then present supply and demand thrusts that could leverage Canada’s position in international food trade. Finally, some analysis and limitations are presented.