| Abstract [eng] |
The food industry of the European Union is one of the largest and most economically important branches of the manufacturing sector. It creates significant added value, provides a high level of employment, and plays an important role both in the internal market and in international trade. However, the sector is characterised by relatively low productivity, high energy and resource intensity, and increasing environmental regulation. In line with the strategic priorities of the European Union, digitalisation and sustainability-oriented innovations are increasingly seen as interconnected processes, whose interaction is referred to as the concept of the twin transition. Therefore, assessing the impact of the twin transition on the economic performance of the European Union food industry has become an important research issue. The aim of this study is to empirically assess the impact of progress in the twin transition on the economic performance of the European Union food industry. To achieve this aim, the following objectives were set: (1) to analyse issues related to sustainability-oriented innovations and digitalisation; (2) to review European Union policy directions related to the integration of digitalisation and sustainability in the food industry; (3) to discuss the theoretical foundations of the twin transition and its potential impact mechanisms on business performance; (4) to empirically evaluate the relationships between twin transition indicators and economic outcomes using correlation and regression analysis; and (5) to formulate conclusions and recommendations for the application of the twin transition in the EU food industry. The study applies methods of scientific literature analysis and synthesis, statistical data analysis, graphical analysis, time series stationarity and normality testing, correlation analysis, as well as pairwise linear and non–linear regression models. The empirical analysis is based on aggregated data for the European Union food industry. The level of digitalisation is measured using the Digital Economy and Society Index, while progress in sustainability–oriented innovations is assessed using the Eco-Innovation Index. Economic performance indicators include labour productivity, wages, investment, energy intensity, and carbon dioxide emissions intensity. The results of the study show that progress in the twin transition is statistically significantly related to certain economic indicators of the European Union food industry. An increase in digitalisation and sustainability–oriented innovations is associated with productivity growth. At the same time, the empirical results indicate that the impact of the twin transition is not uniform and depends on the applied models and selected variables. This suggests that the economic effects of the twin transition do not always occur directly. |
