Worldwide, the success and importance of alternative spaces for the purchase of unconventional food (alternative markets, agricultural stores, among others) named Alternative Food Networks, has been the object of investigation. However, it is crucial to examine the concept of "alternative" of each group of actors that participate in these markets. Therefore, the objective of this work is to explore the perception of the term "alternative market" from each group of actors present in the market. For data collection, the Free Association of Words technique was used with six organizers, 45 producers and 270 consumers who participate in alternative markets in central Mexico. 966 words were obtained, which were grouped into 23 categories and in turn into five dimensions, the most important being "Value chains and social relations", "Political attributes" and "Health attributes". Differences in frequency of mention of categories and dimensions were obtained, per type of actor and by their socio-demographic characteristics. In conclusion, alternative markets are perceived differently by each group of actors, the organizers have fewer categories and dimensions present, unlike producers and consumers who express broader perceptions. Perceptions are mainly linked to the benefits of short chains for society in general, so the free association of words is a good alternative that allows available information about a concept.

Escobar‑López SY, Espinoza‑Ortega A, Moctezuma‑Pérez S, Chávez‑Mejía C (2022). Explorando lo "alternativo" en los Mercados Alternativos del centro de México. ITEA‑Información Técnica Económica Agraria 118(3): 493-510. https://doi.org/10.12706/itea.2021.038