Are trust and consumption values important for buyers of organic food? A comparison of regular buyers, occasional buyers, and non-buyers

Abstract

Although many countries have promoted organic farming for its benefits, organic food remains a niche market. This study investigates the drivers of purchasing organic food by examining if and how consumers' consumption values influence the food choices of regular buyers, occasional buyers, and non-buyers of organic food. We use consumption values as a theoretical lens for classifying different motives for purchasing organic food. Data were collected using in-depth interviews with 27 Vietnamese participants who were comparable in terms of their awareness of, their ability to afford, and their access to, organic food. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. The study advances research in organic food consumption by showing that trust and distrust in the food system, a much wider concept than trust in food labelling, is a determinant of consumption values of organic food, and therefore a determinant of organic food choice. It also makes a valuable contribution to the organic consumption values literature by showing a clear difference in the importance of perceived consumption values across regular buyers, occasional buyers, and non-buyers of organic food. Furthermore, the study advances Sheth's (1991) theory of consumption values by providing a more nuanced understanding of how consumption values can be interrelated.