The literature highlights the growing dissatisfaction of consumers with foods from industrial production systems. Their concern for health and the desire to support local producers led them to search for other alternatives: products that are local, traditional and typical of a particular region, such as many Geographical Indication (GI) food products. This paper explores the relationship between the purchase of GI food products, the attitudes towards proximity, tradition, and ethnicity, and consumer ethnocentric tendencies. The results, obtained through a mediation analysis, show that aspects such as products made by small companies and transparency (in terms of their production process) attain greater significance among consumers with higher levels of sub-national ethnocentrism. Moreover, these consumers appreciate that: (1) the products have been made using traditional methods, and (2) in addition to be typical of the region, these products can be bought directly from the producer, without intermediaries. Consumers who value these aspects, closely related to each other, present a greater purchase intention and a higher purchase frequency of food products with protected geographical status. •Consumer ethnocentrism has a direct effect on the purchase behavior of GI products, but also an indirect effect.•Consumer ethnocentrism is related to proximity, tradition and ethnicity.•Products made by small companies attained greater significance among ethnocentric consumers.•Consumers with higher levels of sub-national ethnocentrism appreciate products bought directly from the producer.•These c onsumers present a greater purchase intention of GI products.