An analysis of factors affecting selection of organic food: Perception of consumers in China regarding weak signals

Abstract

Despite the rapid growth of China's organic food industry during recent years, organic food still accounts for a relatively small share of the country's massive food market. In particular, the issue of information asymmetry hinders the further development of the organic food market in China. The current study attempted to explore the relationships between the integration capability of consumers' weak signals, health consciousness, environmental protection consciousness and organic purchases under the mediating role of their attitudes towards organic food based on the value-belief-norm (VBN) theory, thus introducing the concept of weak signals in the context of this issue. Additionally, the influence of food safety concerns on organic purchases was also discussed. Data were collected in Chinese first-tier cities using a structured questionnaire survey. A total of 420 consumers of organic foods participated in the study. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed for data analysis. The results showed that consumers' environmental protection consciousness significantly affects their attitudes towards organic food, and this enhancement of consumers' attitudes towards organic food promotes their organic purchases. In addition, the integration capability of consumers' weak signals has a positive impact on their attitudes towards organic food. Moreover, consumers' attitudes towards organic food significantly mediate the effects of their environmental protection consciousness and the integration capability of weak signals on organic purchases. In addition, consumers' food safety concerns significantly affect their organic purchases. These results provide valuable insights into and guidance on the development and promotion of China's organic food industry.