The Constitution of Trust: Function, Configuration and Generation of Trust in Alternative Food Networks

Alternative Food Networks ( AFNs ) are often mentioned as a way to reconfigure the link between producers and consumers and build trust in the food system. This article explores the function, configuration and generation of trust in AFNs . The structure is twofold. First we discuss the theoretical underpinnings of trust, in both recent AFN literature and in sociology, and develop a conceptual framework for analysing trust in AFNs . Second, we explore the function, configuration and generation of trust in the Food Communities of C openhagen and A arhus (in D anish: ‘Fødevarefællesskaberne’). The Food Communities are a network of urban consumers sourcing organic products from regional producers. Empirically, the article demonstrates how trust functions as a mechanism that creates coherency and which facilitates co‐operation in the food network. Furthermore, the Food Communities are characterised by high levels of systemic and personal trust. Several mechanisms, such as managing expectations, establishing trustworthiness, and developing a common normative basis, are employed and contribute to the generation and maintenance of trust.