From Sea to Shelves: Territory, Work and Technology Dynamics in the Portuguese Canning Industry

Abstract

This study examines the dynamic relationship between labour, territory, and technology within the context of the Portuguese canning industry. Drawing on the Francophone perspective of territory as espace vécu (lived space) and on the ergological approach to work, territory is understood as a dynamic construct continuously shaped by labour activity, technology, and collective heritage. Methodologically, a qualitative case study was conducted at Pinhais & Cia, one of the four remaining active canneries in Matosinhos. Data collection combined observation of production routines with semi-structured interviews with workers and management. Thematic analysis was then used to explore how participants construct this territory through embodied practices and technological appropriation, linking these dynamics to their broader historical and social context. Findings highlight the central role of know-how, sensory engagement, and intergenerational knowledge transmission as key factors sustaining the traditional production model, in which manual methods prevail over automation. Testimonies reveal the interplay between tradition and mechanisation, the unpredictability of raw materials, and the gendered division of labour, while also showing how adaptive and cooperative practices have ensured productive resilience and territorial continuity. The study demonstrates that debates on territorial development, viewed through the lens of work activity and the selective introduction of technology, are complementary dimensions for characterizing the Portuguese canning industry. It underscores the historical-industrial heritage formed over time and characterises territory as a living, dynamic construct that integrates space and provides it with meaning.