PRODUCT AND PLACE - PROMOTING QUALITY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN THE LAGGING RURAL REGIONS OF THE EUROPEAN-UNION

Quality products and services (niche markets) could be an important in strument of rural development in the lagging regions of the European U nion. However, there is little research which relates product to place in a rural context. After providing a brief insight into aspects of a gricultural and rural restructuring, the article reviews existing lite rature and relevant concepts under the separate headings of 'Construct ing quality' and 'Constructing regional images: linking product to pla ce'. Many of these ideas are being applied in an interdisciplinary and international (EU) research project which attempts to link specific q uality products and services to specific regions. The aims of RIPPLE a re outlined in the hope of encouraging more research into the links be tween quality products and rural places.