Chinese dietary culture influences consumers' intention to use imported soy-based dietary supplements: an application of the theory of planned behaviour

Abstract

The over-saturated dietary supplement (DS) market in developed countries such as the US spurs the need for foreign market expansion, and the Chinese market provides a great potential for the foreign soy-based DS industry. This study examined Chinese consumers' intention to use imported (US-made US-brand) soy-based DS based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Two alternative models were also examined in which Chinese dietary culture variables, including soyfoods favourability and dining-out sociability, as well as their interactions with attitudes, were integrated into the TPB model. A cross-sectional, self-administered survey was conducted with a sample of 215 subjects (137 females; 78 males) in Shanghai, China. The TPB variables attitude, subjective norm, perceived behaviour control and behavioural intention, as well as the Chinese dietary culture variables: soyfoods favourability and dine-out sociability were measured. Multiple linear regressions were used to analyze the three models. The statistical results indicated that all three models were statistically significant to predict intention (Model 1: R2 = 0.473, P < 0.001; Model 2: R2 = 0.505, P < 0.001; Model 3: R2 = 0.525, P < 0.001). The results also showed that attitude, perceived behavioural control, and dine-out sociability were significant (positive) determinants of intention. Soyfoods favourability acted a significant (negative) moderator of the relationship between attitude and intention. Subjective norm had no significant impact on intention. In conclusion, the TPB model was useful to predict Chinese consumers' intention to use imported soy-based DS, but not all the TPB components weighed significantly in exploring DS consumption in China. The selected Chinese dietary culture variables were much more important predictors than subjective norm. This study makes a significant contribution in the application of the TPB model and in market strategy development for imported dietary supplements in China.