Consumers' perceptions, purchase intention, and willingness to pay a premium price for safe vegetables: A case study of Beijing, China

Abstract

Abstract Safe food is healthy, nutritious and environmentally friendly by green, sustainable and clean production. The objectives of this study were to examine factors influencing the consumers' purchase intention and willingness to pay a premium price for safe vegetables. To achieve the objectives, this paper developed the model of consumers' purchase safe vegetables. Based on 840 valid questionnaires from Beijing of China, the model was confirmed by the logistic regression method. The results showed that food safety, strict production and processing, and healthy environment were the top three perceived advantages of safe vegetables for consumers. In addition, 93.0% and 87.1% of consumers were familiar with organic vegetables and green vegetables, respectively. Two-thirds of consumers identified safe vegetables via certification labels on vegetable packages. Furthermore, 67.6% of consumers were willing to buy safe vegetables and 65.8% would pay a premium price for safe vegetables. Meanwhile, consumers' purchase intentions for safe vegetables were positively affected by family food expenditure, children, familiarity, differential cognition, safety awareness, nutritional health, packaging, label trust, and online shopping experience but price level, safety status, and freshness had a negative effect. Consumers’ willingness to pay a premium price for safe vegetables was positively affected by family income, familiarity, differential cognition, safety awareness, nutritional health, packaging, label trust, and online shopping experience but family food expenditure, price level, price fluctuations, and safety status had a negative effect. The findings of this study have important implications to improve the consumption and guide cleaner production of safe vegetables. The findings obtained can also provide references for other similar studies in other areas.