Assessing the Consumers’ Purchase Intention and Consumption of Convenience Food in Emerging Economy: The Role of Physical Determinants

Abstract

This study examines the role of time scarcity, cooking skills, meal preparation confidence, physical and mental effort for cooking, availability of cooking resources, familiarity and motivation on consumers’ intention to purchase and consume convenience food. The data of 501 consumers, selected through non-probability purposive sampling technique, was collected using a structured questionnaire. SPSS and AMOS software were employed for data analysis. The results of descriptive statistics and confirmatory factor analysis indicated good internal consistency and reliability of questionnaire, as well as adequate convergent and discriminant validity of measurement model. The outcome of the structural equation modeling showed that time scarcity, lack of cooking skills, lack of meal preparation confidence, lack of interest for physical and mental efforts in cooking, familiarity to convenience food, and lack of motivation in cooking has positive relationship/association with consumers’ intention to purchase and consume convenience food. Availability of cooking resources had no significant effect on convenience food consumption. Busy lifestyle, hectic work schedule, and multiple responsibilities within time scarcity construct were prominent factors which significantly influence consumers’ intention to purchase and consume convenience food.