Factors Affecting Organic Food Consumption: Insights on Consumer Awareness and Behavioral Drivers

Document Type : Original Research

Author
Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Cukurova University, 01330, Adana, Turkey.
Abstract
As a tendency of sustainable consumerism, organic food consumption has become a great trend among consumers and one of the unique ones in the global economy. This study aimed to reveal factors affecting consumers’ intention to purchase organic food by using a holistic approach considering behavioral drivers, consumer awareness, and demographic characteristics. Theory of Planned Behavior was used to have a deep understanding of behavioral drivers. Logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the factors affecting consumers' intention to purchase organic food. Behavioral factors were derived by different scales and the suitability of these measurement tools was approved by confirmatory factor analysis. The findings of the study showed that subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, health awareness, social responsibility concern, and trust had a positive influence on individuals' intention to purchase organic food; whereas, subjective attitudes and environmental awareness had no effect. The study produced knowledge on drivers and barriers of organic food consumption that may help all stakeholders of the sector mainly producers, marketers, and policymakers. Results of the study present an integrated model on consumer behavior toward organic food in emerging countries.

Keywords

Subjects


Aertsens, J., Verbeke, W., Mondelaers, K., Van Huylenbroeck, G., 2009. Personal Determinants of Organic Food Consumption: A Review. British Food Journal. 111:1140-1167. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070700910992961
Ajzen, I., 1991. The Theory of Planned Behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. 50: 179-211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T.
Aleksandar, G., Djokic, N., 2016. Organic food consumer profile in the Republic of Serbia. British Food Journal. 118(1):164-182. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-06-2015-0225
Al-Swidi, A.A., Huque, S.M.R., Hafeez, M.H., Shariff, M.N.M., 2014. The role of subjective norms in theory of planned behavior in the context of organic food consumption. British Food Journal. 116(10):1561–1580. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-05-2013-0105.
Asif M., Xuhui, W., Nasiri, A., Ayyub, S., 2018. Determinant factors influencing organic food purchase intention and the moderating role of awareness: A comparative analysis. Food Quality and Preferences. 63:144–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.08.006
Atalay, C., Olhan, E., Ataseven, Y., 2019. Factors Affecting Organic Food Consumption a Case Study of Ankara. Journal of Environmental Protection and Ecology. 20(1):196–205
Aydogdu, M. H. and Kaya, F., 2020. Factors Affecting Consumers' Consumption of Organic Foods: A Case Study in GAP-Şanlıurfa in Turkey. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology A 22(2):347-359.
Bai, L., Wang, M., Gong, S., 2019. Understanding the Antecedents of Organic Food Purchases: The Important Roles of Beliefs, Subjective Norms, and Identity Expressiveness. Sustainability 11:1-19. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113045
Basha, M.B., Mason, C., Shamsudin, M.F., Hussain, H.I., Salem, M.A., (2015) Consumers attitude towards organic food. Procedia Economics and Finance. 31:444-452. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2212-5671(15)01219-8.
Boz, I., Kaynakci, C., 2019. Possibilities of Improving Organic Farming in Turkey. International Journal of Innovation and Economic Development 5(4):25-35. https://doi.org/10.18775/ijied.1849-7551-7020.2015.54.2002
Cavite, H.J., Mankeb, P., Kerdsriserm, C., Joedsak, A., Direksri, N., Suwanmaneepong, S., 2022. Do behavioral and socio-demographic factors determine consumers’ purchase intention towards traceable organic rice? Evidence from Thailand. Organic Agriculture. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-022-00387-1.
Chen, B., Saghaian, S., Zheng, Y., 2018. Organic Labelling, Private Label, and US Household Demand for FluiMilk. Appl. Econ. 50, 3039–3050.
Chiciudean, G. O., Harun, R., Ilea, M., Chiciudean, D. I., Arion, F. H., Ilies, G., Muresan, I. C, 2019. Organic Food Consumers and Purchase Intention: A Case Study in Romania. Agronomy, 9. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9030145.
Cortina, J. M., 1993. What is coefficient alpha? An examination of theory and applications. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78(1), 98–104. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.78.1.98.
Cranfield, J. A. L., Magnusson, E., 2003. Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Pesticides Free Food Products: An Ordered Probit Analysis. International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, 6(4): 13-30. https://doi.org/10.12691/jfs-6-2-2.
Curl, C.L., Beresford S.A., Hajat A., Kaufman, J., Moore, K., Nettleton, J., Ana, D. R. 2013. Associations of organic produce consumption with socioeconomic status and the local food environment. Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). PLoS One. 8(7):1-8. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0069778.
Curvelo, I. C. G., Watanabe; E. A. M., Alfinito, S. 2019. Purchase intention of organic food under the influence of attributes, consumer trust and perceived value. Revista de Gestão. 26 (3): 198-211. https://doi.org/10.1108/REGE-01-2018-0010.
De Canio, F., Martinelli, E., 2021. EU quality label vs organic food products: A multigroup structural equation modeling to assess consumers’ intention to buy in light of sustainable motives. Food Research International. 139 – 109846. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109846.
Demirtas, B. 2019. Assessment of the impacts of the consumers’ awareness of organic food on consumption behavior. Food Science Technology. 39(4): 881-888. https://doi.org/10.1590/fst.10518
Deviren, N. V., Celik, N. 2017. Dünya’da ve Türkiye’de Organik Tarimin Ekonomik Açıdan Değerlendirilmesi. Uluslararası Sosyal Araştırmalar Dergisi. 10 (48): 669-678. https://doi.org/10.17719/jisr.2017.1539
Du S, Bartels J, Reinders M, Sen S., 2017. Organic consumption behavior: a social identification perspective. Food Quality and Preference 62: 190–198. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.07.009.
Dimitri, Carolyn & Dettmann, Rachael. 2012. Organic Food Consumers: What Do We Really Know About Them?. British Food Journal. 114 (8): 1157-1183. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070701211252101.
Domínguez-Almendros, S., Parejo, N. B., Gonzalez-Ramire, A. R. 2011. Logistic Regression Models. Allergologia et Immunopathologia. 39 (5). 295-305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aller.2011.05.002
do Prado, N.B. and Moraes, G.H.S.M.d., 2020. Environmental awareness, consumption of organic products and gender. Revista de Gestão, Vol. 27 No. 4, pp. 353-368. https://doi.org/10.1108/REGE-11-2019-0120.
Dutta-Bergman, M. J. 2004. An alternative approach to social capital: Exploring the linkage between health consciousness and community participation. Health Communication, 16(4), 393-409. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327027hc1604_1.
Field, A. (2000). Discovering Statistics using SPSS for Windows. London – Thousand Oaks – New Delhi: Sage publications.
Fleşeriu, C., Cosma, S. A., Bocănet, V. 2020. Values and Planned Behaviour of the Romanian Organic Food Consumer. Sustainability. 12: 1-21. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12051722
Fogarassy C, Nagy-Pércsi K, Ajibade S, Gyuricza C, Ymeri P., 2020. Relations between Circular Economic “Principles” and Organic Food Purchasing Behavior in Hungary. Agronomy. 10(5):616. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10050616
Fu, W., Liang, B. C. 2019. How Millennials' Personality Traits Influence Their Eco-Fashion Purchase Behavior. Athens Journal of Business & Economics. 5(3): 207-220. https://doi.org/10.30958/ajbe.5-3-2.
Furno, M., Giudice, Del Giudice, T., Cicia, G., 2021. Organic consumers’ profile beyond the mean. Organic Agriculture. 11: 337–349. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-020-00333-z.
George, J. F. 2004. The theory of planned behavior and Internet purchasing. Internet Research. 14 (3): 198-212. https://doi.org/10.1108/10662240410542634.
Goktuna, B. O., Hamzaoglu, M. 2019. Organic Food Demand in Turkey: segmentation from necessity to variety. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333852856_Organic_Food_Demand_in_Turkey_segmentation_from_necessity_to_variety.
Hansen, T., Sørensenb , M. I., Eriksen, M. L. R. 2018. How the interplay between consumer motivations and values influences organic food identity and behavior. Food Policy 74:39-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2017.11.003
Hansmann, R., Baur, I., Binder, C. R. 2020. Increasing organic food consumption: An integrating model of drivers and barriers. Journal of Cleaner Production. 275: 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123058.
Hulin, C., Netemeyer, R., and Cudeck, R. (2001). Can a Reliability Coefficient Be Too High? Journal of Consumer Psychology. 10 (1): 55-58. https://doi.org/10.2307/1480474.
Irianto, H. 2015. Consumers' attitude and intention towards organic food purchase: An extension of theory of planned behavior in gender perspective. International Journal of Management, Economics and Social Sciences. 4 (1): 17-31.
Kumar, B., 2012. Theory of Planned Behaviour Approach to Understand the Purchasing Behaviour for Environmentally Sustainable Products. IIMA Working Papers WP2012-12-08, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
Kyrylov, Y., Thompson, S. R., Hranovska, V., Krykunova., V., 2018. The World Trends of Organıc Production and Consumption. Management Theory and Studies for Rural Business and Infrastructure Development. 40 (4): 514–530. https://doi.org/10.15544/mts.2018.46.
Liu, M. T., Liu, Y., Mo, Z. 2019. Moral norm is the key An extension of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) on Chinese consumers’ green purchase intention. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-05-2019-0285.
MAF, 2020. Organic Agriculture – Statistics. Ministry of Agriculture and Forest. https://www.tarimorman.gov.tr/Konular/Bitkisel-Uretim/Organik-Tarim/Istatistikler. (01.07.2021).
Magnusson, M.K., Arvola, A., Koivisto Hursti, U.K. and Aberg, L. 2001. Attitudes towards organic food among Swedish consumers. British Food Journal. 103 (3): 209-226. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070700110386755
Mainardes, E. W., Araujo, D. V. B., Lasso, S., Andrade, D. M. 2017. Influences on the intention to buy organic food in an emerging market. Marketing Intelligence & Planning. 35 (7): 858-876. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-04-2017-0067.
Maya, S. R., López, I., José Luis Munuera, J. L. 2011. Organic food consumption in Europe: International segmentation based on value system differences. Ecological Economics. 70 (10): 1767-1775. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.04.019
Michaelidou, N., Hassan, L. M. 2008. The Role of Health Consciousness, Food Safety Concern and Ethical Identity on Attitudes and Intentions towards Organic Food. International Journal of Consumer Studies. 32 (2): 163-170. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2007.00619.x
Mirkarimi, K., Mansourian, M., Kabir, M., Ozouni, D. R., Eri, M., Hosseini, S., Qorbani, M., Safari, O., Rastgarimehr, B., Noroozi, M., Charkazi, A., Shahnazi, H. 2016. Fast Food Consumption Behaviors in High-School Students based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). International Journal of Pediatrics. 4. 2131-2142. https://doi.org/10.22038/ijp.2016.7011.
Molinilloa, S., Brancob, M. V., Arnold Japutra, A. 2020. Understanding the drivers of organic foods purchasing of millennials: Evidence from Brazil and Spain. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 52: 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.101926.
Moorman, C. and Matulich, E. 1993. A model of consumers' preventive health behaviors: The role of health motivation and health ability. Journal of Consumer Research, 20(2): 208–228. https://doi.org/10.1086/209344.
Nguyen, H. V., Nguyen, N., Nguyen, B. K., Lobo, A., Vu, P. A. 2019. Organic Food Purchases in an Emerging Market: The Influence of Consumers’ Personal Factors and Green Marketing Practices of Food Stores. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 16: 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16061037.
Nithya, N., Kiruthika, R. & Dhanaprakhash, S., 2022. Shift in the mindset: increasing preference towards organic food products in Indian context. Organic Agriculture. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-021-00370-2.
Onyango, B. M., Hallman, W. K. and Bellows, A. C. 2007. Purchasing organic food in US food systems - A study of attitudes and practice. British Food Journal, Vol. 109 No. 4- 5, pp. 399-411. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070700710746803
Pacho, F., 2020. What influences consumers to purchase organic food in developing countries?. British Food Journal. 0007-070X. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-01-2020-0075.
Peng, C.Y.J, Lee, K. L., and Ingersoll, G. M. 2010. An Introduction to Logistic Regression Analysis and Reporting. The Journal of Educational Research. Vol. 96 (l): 3-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220670209598786.
Pércsi, K. N., Fogarassy, C. 2019. Important Influencing and Decision Factors in Organic Food Purchasing in Hungary. Sustainability 2019. 11: 2-21. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11216075.
Pomsanam, P., Napompech, K., Suwanmanee, S. 2014. An Exploratory Study on the Organic Food Purchase Intention among Thai-Cambodian Cross-border Consumers. Asian Journal of Applied Sciences 7(5):294-305. https://doi.org/10.3923/ajaps.2014.294.305.
Qi, X., Yu, H., Ploeger, A. 2020. Exploring Influential Factors Including COVID-19 on Green Food Purchase Intentions and the Intention–Behaviour Gap: A Qualitative Study among Consumers in a Chinese Context. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 17: 1 – 22. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17197106.
Raj, V. A., Raj, S., Singh, S., 2020. The Effect of Demographic Factors on Consumers Organic Food Purchase During Covid 19. Emerging Researcher. 7 (IV): 65-70.
Rizzo, G., Borrello, M., Guccione, G. D., Schifani, G., Cembalo, L., 2020. Organic Food Consumption: The Relevance of the Health Attribute. Sustainability. 12(2): 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020595
Sadiq, M., Paul, J., Bharti, K., 2020. Dispositional traits and organic food consumption. Journal of Cleaner Production 266 (2020) – 121961. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121961
Secapramana, L. V. H., Katargo, A. L. G. 2019. Antecedents Affecting Organic Food Purchase Intentions. The International Journal of Organizational Innovation. 12 (2): 140-150. http://repository.ubaya.ac.id/id/eprint/37791
Shamsudin, M., Basha, M., Mason, C., Hussain, H.I., Salem, M.A., Ahmad, Z. 2018. Role of environmental concern towards purchase intention in organic food product consumption. International Journal of Engineering and Technology (UAE). 7: 34-36. http://dx.doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v7i4.29.21596.
Singh, A., Verma, P., 2017. Factors influencing Indian consumers' actual buying behaviour towards organic food products. Journal of Cleaner Production 167: 473-483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.08.106
Slamet, A. S., Nakayasu, A., Bai, H., 2016. The Determinants of Organic Vegetable Purchasing in Jabodetabek Region, Indonesia. Foods. 5: 85. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods5040085
Soorani, F., Ahmadvand, M. 2019. Determinants of consumers' food management behavior: Applying and extending the theory of planned behavior. Waste Management. 98. 151-159. 10.1016/j.wasman.2019.08.025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2019.08.025.
Stobbelaar, D.J., Casimir, G., Borghuis, J., Marks, I., Meijer, L. and Zebeda, S. 2007. Adolescents’ attitudes towards organic food: a survey of 15- to 16-year old school children. International Journal of Consumer Studies. 31: 349-356. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2006.00560.x
Tarkiainen, A., Sundqvist, S. 2005. Subjective norms, attitudes and intentions of Finnish consumers in buying organic food. British Food Journal, 107(11), 808-822. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070700510629760
Tommasetti, A., Singer, P., Troisi, O, Maione, G. 2018. Extended Theory of Planned Behavior (ETPB): Investigating Customers’ Perception of Restaurants’ Sustainability by Testing a Structural Equation Model. Sustainability. 10: 1-21. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072580.
Tuan, T.N., Vinh, T.T. 2016. An exploration in the theory of planned behavior: A case of organic food in Vietnam. Inter. J. Appl. Bus. Econ. Res., 14, 4951–4972.
Tran, A.T.V.; Nguyen, N.T. Organic Food Consumption among Households in Hanoi: Importance of Situational Factors. Sustainability 2021, 13, 12496. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/su132212496.
Verma, R., 2015. Environmental Benefits of Organic Food and Agriculture. Social Issues and Environmental Problem. 3 (9): 1-3. https://doi.org/10.29121/granthaalayah.v3.i9SE.2015.3160
Voon, J. P., Ngui, K. S., Agrawal, A. 2011. Determinants of Willingness to Purchase Organic Food: An Exploratory Study Using Structural Equation Modeling. International Food and Agribusiness Management Review. 14 (2): 103-120. https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.103989
Wang, J., Pham, T. L., Dang, V. 2020. Environmental Consciousness and Organic Food Purchase Intention: A Moderated Mediation Model of Perceived Food Quality and Price Sensitivity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17. 850. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030850.
Watanabe, E., Alfinito, S., Curvelo, I., Hamza, K. 2020. Perceived value, trust and purchase intention of organic food: a study with Brazilian consumers. British Food Journal. 122 (4): 1070-1184. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-05-2019-0363.
Werf, P. V. D., Seabrook, J. A., Gilliland, J. A. 2019. Food for naught: Using the theory of planned behaviour to better understand household food wasting behaviour. The Canadian Geographer. 63(3): 478–493. https://doi.org/10.1111/cag.12519
Willer, H., Jan, T., Claudia, M., Bernhard, S., 2021. The World of Organic Agriculture. Statistics and Emerging Trends 2021. Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FIBL, Frick, and IFOAM – Organics International, Bonn. Avaible at: https://www.fibl.org/fileadmin/documents/shop/1150-organic-world-2021.pdf. Accessed on 03 September 2021.
Yazdanpanah, M., Forouzani, M. 2015. Application of the theory of planned behaviour to predict Iranian student’ intention to purchase organic food. Journal of Cleaner Production, 107, 342-352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.02.071.
Zhu, Y. 2018. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to Investigate What Influences Chinese Intention to Purchase Organic Food. China-USA Business Review. 17 (6): 324-333. https://doi.org/10.17265/1537-1514/2018.06.006
Zureik, E., Mowshowitz, A. 2005. Consumer Power in the Digital Economy. Communications of the ACM, October, 48 (10), 46-51.