Trust as a Market Mechanism: The Role of Relationship Marketing in Organic Production

The paper examines the role of relationship marketing and trust as key market mechanisms in small-scale organic horticultural systems in Serbia. The aim of the study is to analyse how market relationships evolve in contexts where formal marketing instruments play a minimal role. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach based on in-depth interviews with seven producers from Vojvodina and Western Serbia who implement sustainable production practices. The findings indicate that producers rarely rely on advertising or branding; instead, they build a stable customer base through long-term interpersonal relationships, word-of-mouth recommendations, and reputation. Sustainability is not communicated as an explicit promotional claim but functions as an implicit product value, validated through consistent quality and the personal credibility of producers. Within this process, trust emerges as a key mechanism for reducing perceived risk and increasing customer loyalty. The results point to the emergence of a model termed “marketing without marketing,” in which producer identity and relational ties substitute for formal promotional strategies. The study contributes to the understanding of alternative market models in which trust carries greater value than conventional marketing activities and offers implications for relationship marketing theory and sustainable food marketing.