Consumption values, anxiety and organic food purchasing behaviour considering the moderating role of sustainable consumption attitude
PurposeThis study aims to identify and describe the relationships among different consumption values, anxiety and organic food purchase behaviour considering the moderating role of sustainable consumption attitude from the viewpoint of the theory of consumption values.Design/methodology/approachData were collected using a structured questionnaire survey in first-tier cities in China. A total of 344 consumers of organic foods participated in the study. Structural equation modelling and hierarchical regression analysis were employed for data analysis.FindingsThe results indicated the significant association of functional value-price, emotional value, social value and epistemic value with purchase behaviour. Anxiety had a positively significant influence on functional (quality), functional (price), emotional, social, conditional and epistemic values. In addition, the results indicated that functional (price), emotional, social and epistemic values played mediating effects in the relationships between anxiety and purchase behaviour. Moreover, sustainable consumption attitude had a positive moderating effect on functional value-price and purchase behaviour.Practical implicationsThe research not only provides novel and original insights for understanding organic consumption but also provides a reference for organic retailers to develop sales strategies and policymakers to formulate policies to guide organic consumption that are conducive to promoting sustainable consumption.Originality/valueFor the first time, this research attempts to explore the relationships among different consumption values, anxiety and purchase behaviour. It may improve the gap of inconsistency in attitude and behaviour in organic consumption, and provide a new perspective for the study of organic consumption.
- Research Article
27
- 10.1108/bfj-02-2023-0162
- Nov 17, 2023
- British Food Journal
PurposeThis study aims to identify and describe the relationships among sensory-driven pleasure, cognition-driven pleasure, symbolic-driven pleasure and organic food purchase behavior considering the moderating effects of functionality trust and authenticity trust from the viewpoint of the theory of planned behavior (TPB).Design/methodology/approachData were collected using a structured questionnaire survey in first-tier cities in China. A total of 352 consumers of organic foods participated in the study. Structural equation modeling and hierarchical regression analysis were employed for data analysis.FindingsThe results indicated the significant association of perceived behavioral control, subjective norm, attitude, sensory-driven pleasure and cognition-driven pleasure with purchase intention. Perceived behavioral control and purchase intention had significantly positive effects on purchase behavior. Moreover, functionality trust had a positive moderating effect on purchase intention and purchase behavior.Practical implicationsThis study not only provides novel and original insights for understanding organic consumption but also provides a reference for organic producers, sellers and policymakers to develop effective strategies to guide organic consumption that are conducive to promoting sustainable consumption.Originality/valueFor the first time, this research introduces the construct of food pleasure into the TPB to explore the relationships between food pleasure and purchase behavior based on the TPB. It may expand the scope of the TPB and provide valuable insights regarding how to improve the existing intention–behavior gap in organic consumption.
- Research Article
- 10.62885/toursci.v2i5.826
- Apr 17, 2025
- Jurnal Toursci
Background. China’s demographic transition into an aging society has reshaped the country’s consumer landscape, positioning older adults as a strategically vital market segment. This demographic shift is particularly consequential in the liquor industry, where traditional Chinese liquors hold deep cultural, ceremonial, and social significance. Aims. (1) to explore the influence of functional value, social value, emotional value, Epistemic value, and conditional value on consumer satisfaction; (2) to analyze the influence of functional value, social value, emotional value, epistemic value, and conditional value on consumers' intention to buy Fenjiu. (3) to verify the mediating role of consumer satisfaction. Methods. This study used a quantitative research method, surveyed 412 Chinese elderly people who had experience in purchasing Fenjiu, and then analyzed the data using a structural equation model. Result. Functional, social, emotional, and epistemic values all exert significant positive effects on consumer satisfaction, while conditional value fails to reach statistical significance. Social, epistemic, functional, and conditional values significantly predict purchase intention, while emotional value is not significant. Satisfaction significantly and positively predicts purchase intention and serves as a stable mediator in the paths of functional, social, emotional, and epistemic values, while the path from conditional value does not reach significance.. Conclusion. The findings highlight the importance of emotional and epistemic engagement in aging consumers’ liquor consumption and offer strategic insights for culturally rooted brand marketing
- Research Article
104
- 10.1108/ijbm-03-2020-0129
- Jan 5, 2021
- International Journal of Bank Marketing
Purpose This study develops a theoretical model of consumption values regarding the technology adoption of mobile banking (m-banking) services, with the financial service sector as the empirical context. This study aims to evaluate whether consumption values influence trust and intention. Furthermore, the authors explore how the consumer type (i.e. urban vs rural) differs in consumption values regarding adopting m-banking services. Design/methodology/approach The data for this study were gathered from 246 responses collected from individuals living in a country with a developing market, using a survey instrument. The six study hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings The authors found support for effects from functional, epistemic and emotional value on intention. Functional and emotional value significantly influenced trust, while social and epistemic value did not. Social value was a significant moderator between functional value and intention. Consumers who were relatively unconcerned with social value were more motivated by functional value, while consumers who placed great emphasis on social value were motivated by epistemic value. Multigroup analysis showed that the effect from functional value on trust was stronger for urban than rural customers, while the effect from emotional value on trust was stronger for rural than urban customers. Practical implications Overall, functional value is the strongest predictor of trust and intention; therefore, bank managers are encouraged to promote m-banking services' functional value to increase trust and attract more users by promoting their companies' m-banking application. M-banking customers can also be classified based on the benefits in which they are most interested. Originality/value The study is one of the first attempts to demonstrate empirically how consumption values' dimensions drive m-banking use among different types of customers in a developing market context with a high m-banking penetration rate.
- Research Article
- 10.1108/yc-03-2025-2458
- Oct 31, 2025
- Young Consumers
Purpose This study aims to examine the growing gender gap observed in recent years across Generations X, Y and Z, in terms of sustainable fashion attitudes and purchase behaviors, shedding light on the mediating role of emotional and social consumption values. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected from an online survey of 349 Greek participants, from Generations X, Y and Z. Moderated mediation models were applied to explain the effect of generation on purchase behaviors via emotional and social consumption values and attitudes toward sustainable fashion products, under the moderation of gender. Findings This study reveals that gender moderates the indirect effect of generation on attitude, which in turn affects purchase behavior toward sustainable fashion, through emotional and social value. Particularly, women in Generation Z (vs Generation X and Y) demonstrate higher levels of social value, yet their emotional value remains constantly high across all generations. Men’s social consumption value is decreasing across generations, and their emotional value is recorded higher among Generations X and Y. Originality/value This paper explains the growing sustainability gender divide, highlighting that men and women in Generation Z, in particular, express attitudes and behaviors toward sustainable fashion as a way of maintaining their gender identity. For them, sustainability is an identity-driven issue, rather than merely a matter of functionality as is the case in the two preceding generations, and it is shaped by their underlying emotional and social consumption values.
- Research Article
45
- 10.3390/su14127361
- Jun 16, 2022
- Sustainability
Organic food purchase behavior is attracting increasing attention from researchers and managers. However, there is a need to further explore differences among groups of consumers, namely with regards to cultural dimensions. To help fill this gap, this article aims to examine the impact of collectivism on the determinants of organic food purchase intention and behavior. Building on the theory of planned behavior, this article suggests its extension by considering an additional set of explanatory variables that are shown to be relevant to explain consumer behavior. It includes a quantitative study conducted with young consumers from two European countries, Norway (n = 468) and Portugal (n = 448). Structural equation modelling allowed to conclude that collectivism positively impacts attitude, subjective norm, perceived price, and environmental concern towards organic food. The expected positive impacts of collectivism on product availability and health concerns were not supported by the study. Furthermore, the positive impact of attitude, subjective norm, perceived price, health consciousness, and environmental concerns on intention to purchase organic food were also confirmed, even though availability had an insignificant impact on intentions. Finally, and aligned with extant literature, this study also found a positive impact of intention to purchase behavior on organic food. Interestingly, the positive relationship between Collectivism and Availability, and between Availability and Purchase Intention, was only significant for Portugal. The study confirms the relevance of considering cultural dimensions, particularly collectivism/individualism, to further understand consumer behaviors toward organic food. Based on the findings, implications for both managers and researchers are highlighted.
- Research Article
- 10.1108/apjba-09-2024-0533
- Jan 13, 2026
- Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Administration
Purpose This study investigates how functional value-quality (FVQ), functional value-price, social value, conditional value, emotional value and epistemic value influence consumers' perceived environmental responsibility and repurchasing behaviour of green products in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach A purposive sampling with a survey method was used to collect data from consumers who had experience purchasing green products in the past six months in a metropolitan city in Pakistan. Finally, a total of 440 valid questionnaires were returned and used to perform descriptive analysis using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), whereas confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were performed to test the hypotheses. Findings The findings showed that FVQ, social value, emotional value, conditional value and epistemic value positively influence perceived environmental responsibility and green product repurchase behaviour. Perceived environmental responsibility positively influenced green repurchase behaviour. In addition, perceived environmental responsibility mediates the relationship between FVQ, social, conditional, emotional and epistemic value, and green product repurchasing behaviour, respectively. Originality/value Previous studies did not frequently include all five value dimensions in predicting consumers' green repurchase behaviour, particularly in developing countries. This study investigates the full structural effects of multidimensional consumption values on consumers' repurchasing behaviours of green products in a developing country. The empirical findings provide a comprehensive understanding of repurchasing green products among developing consumers in green marketing.
- Research Article
1
- 10.35131/ishb.2022.16.3.96
- Dec 31, 2022
- Journal of Health and Beauty
This study attempted to investigate the mediating effects of selection attributes in the influence of beauty salon consumption values on behavioral intention against baby boomer women. The collected data were analyzed, using SPSS 26.0. For the analysis of subjects’ demographic characteristics, frequency analysis was performed. To examine baby boomers’ consumption values, beauty salon selection attributes and behavioral intention, descriptive statistics was conducted. For the analysis of the mediating effects of beauty salon selection attributes in the effects of consumption values on behavioral intention, in addition, hierarchical regression analysis was performed, and the results found the followings: First, consumption values had a statistically significant influence on social, emotional, functional and conditional values (physical images). In the effects of consumption values on personal images, a statistically significant influence was observed in emotional, epistemic and conditional values. Second, in the mediating effects of selection attributes on physical images, partial mediation effects were found in social, emotional and epistemic values while functional and conditional values revealed full mediation effects. In personal images, partial mediation effects were observed in social, emotional and epistemic values.
- Research Article
8
- 10.3389/fnut.2022.939454
- Jul 19, 2022
- Frontiers in Nutrition
On the one hand, fast social media and internet evolution has brought opportunities to the development of the organic food industry. On the other hand, the excessive utilization of social media and internet has also exerted some negative effects on consumers in terms of information disorder and hindered the industrial progression of organic foods. This study aimed to probe into the relationships between organic food information uncertainty, information search anxiety, information overload and purchase behavior under the mediating role of attitude and the moderating role of involvement, introducing the concept of information disorder in the context of this issue. The data (cross-sectional) of 620 organic food consumers in Jiangxi Province, China were subjected to SEM (structural equation modeling). The results showed that organic food information uncertainty and information search anxiety significantly affected attitude, and attitude had a positive impact on purchase behavior. In addition, attitude significantly mediated the effects of organic food information uncertainty and information search anxiety on purchase behavior. Moreover, the indirect relationship between organic food information uncertainty and purchase behavior was moderated by involvement.
- Research Article
29
- 10.32479/irmm.8713
- Nov 1, 2019
- International Review of Management and Marketing
Firms can acquire sustainable competitive advantages by managing brand relationships and consumption values. However, previous studies do not compare consumption value with consumer satisfaction and brand commitment. Consumption value theory postulates that functional, emotional, social, and epistemic values enhance brand relationships. However, the most effective element of consumption values on consumer satisfaction or brand commitment is different. Specifically regarding running shoes, this article empirically compares functional, emotional, social, and epistemic values with consumer satisfaction and brand commitment. Using a mediated–moderation regression model, this article collected 844 Japanese samples from a marathon in Kobe, Japan, and tested how multiple consumption values affected consumer satisfaction and brand commitment, moderated by age. The results show that consumption values except epistemic value have positive effects on consumer satisfaction and brand commitment. In particular, this article uncovers the moderating effect of age in social values and consumer satisfaction. Specifically, social values affect consumer satisfaction when consumers are under 39 years old. This paper also found that functional value and social value have the strongest effect on consumer satisfaction and brand commitment, respectively, compared with other values. Contravening consumption value theory, our data suggests that epistemic value impedes brand commitment. Keywords: Consumption Values Theory, Consumer Satisfaction, Brand Commitment, Running Shoes JEL Classifications: M10, M21, M31 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/irmm.8713
- Research Article
2
- 10.20849/ajsss.v5i4.846
- Jan 5, 2021
- Asian Journal of Social Science Studies
The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between consumption value and consumption propensity and tourist satisfaction and to verify the mediating effect of consumption propensity on tourists visiting China. A total of 300 surveys were conducted from December 1, 2018, to January 30, 2019, Overall, 286 surveys were conducted for SPSS 23.0. The empirical results of this study are as follows. First, five sub-factors of the consumption value were selected: social value, functional value, epistemic value, emotional value, and conditional value. For consumption propensity, two sub-factors labeled practical propensity and others-conscious propensity were chosen. Tourist satisfaction was set to be a single factor. Second, as for the results of identifying the importance of sub-factors of the consumption value, the order was social value, functional value, epistemic value, emotional value, and conditional value. Third, the relationship between the consumption value and tourist satisfaction showed that all factors of consumption value had a significant positive effect on tourist satisfaction. Fourth, the result of examining the relationship between the consumption value and consumption propensity showed that the factor of consumption value such as social value, functional value, epistemic value, the emotional value had a significant positive effect on tourist satisfaction while the conditional value had not, and all five factors of consumption value and others-conscious propensity had significant positive regression weight. Fifth. the result of checking the relationship between the consumption propensity and tourist satisfaction showed that all factors of consumption propensity had a significant positive effect on tourist satisfaction. Sixth, the analyses of mediating effect revealed as follows; the relationship between consumption value and tourist satisfaction was partially mediated by four factors, functional, emotional, epistemic, social, of the practical propensity of consumption propensity; and the relationship between consumption value and tourist satisfaction was partially mediated by all factors, of the others-conscious propensity of consumption propensity.
- Research Article
12
- 10.1007/s43039-023-00073-4
- Apr 19, 2023
- Italian Journal of Marketing
Based on the theory of consumption values, which include epistemic, social, emotional, conditional, and functional values, this study aims to investigate consumer choice behavior for organic products in Tunisia. Furthermore, it examines the moderating influence of environmental knowledge. Data from 645 Tunisian consumers were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results revealed that emotional, epistemic, functional value (price), and social values were among the main factors influencing consumer choice behavior. As a moderator, environmental knowledge has a significant effect on the role of epistemic, social, conditional, and emotional values. This contributes to the literature on organic consumer behavior and helps marketers develop new organic strategies to foster organic consumption and increase sales volumes in the Tunisian market.
- Research Article
- 10.54254/2754-1169/2025.bj31058
- Dec 31, 2025
- Advances in Economics, Management and Political Sciences
It remains highly relevant to investigate strategies for encouraging the adoption of organic food among Chinese consumers.This study introduces the functional , social and emotional value of traditional consumption values as independent variables, aiming to explore the differential impacts of these three values on purchase intention and their action mechanisms.The research instrument was administered to collect data, resulting in 400 usable responses. And the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was adopted for empirical analysis.The research findings are that functional , social and emotional value all beneficially affect willingness to buy organic food, but their influence diverge. The total effect of emotional value on willingness to buy organic food is more notable, while the direct effect of social value is stronger. Secondly, the mediating mechanisms of attitude and subjective norms (SN)are different, but all three values can influence willingness to buy organic food through these two mediating variables. In particular, the mediating effect of SN on functional value is greater, while the mediating effect of attitude on emotional value and social value is more prominent.
- Research Article
19
- 10.34306/att.v5i1.287
- Jan 21, 2023
- Aptisi Transactions on Technopreneurship (ATT)
The purpose of this study is to determine: 1) whether functional values have a positive effect on green purchase intention, 2 ) whether social values have a positive effect on green purchase intention, 3 ) whether emotional values have a positive effect on green purchase intentions, 4) whether social values have a positive effect on positive effect on green purchase intention, 5) whether the epistemic value has a positive effect on green purchase intention, 6) whether green purchase intention has a positive effect on green purchase behavior. This research was conducted on women who know about the existence of cloth sanitary napkins. The survey method was carried out in this study. Data was collected by collecting questionnaires. The number of samples obtained in this study was 162 samples. The sampling technique was done by convenience sampling. Partial Least Square- Structural Equation Modeling approach with the SmartPls program is used in this research. The results showed that the functional, social, and epistemic values did not have a positive effect on green purchase intention. Emotional and conditional values have a positive effect on green purchase intention. Green purchase intention has a positive effect on green purchase behavior.
- Research Article
34
- 10.12962/j23546026.y2019i5.6299
- Dec 25, 2019
- IPTEK Journal of Proceedings Series
At the moment the world market continues to change, sustainability pillars such as environment, economy and social justice have become part of marketing decision-making. Developing a marketing strategy in the midst of current environmental and economic issues has led to a focus on the importance of green marketing. Using the theory of consumption values and value-attitude-behavior model, this research proposes to explore the green consumer behavior for green products in Indonesia. Attitude toward green product and consumer values such as functional value (price and quality), social value, conditional value, epistemic value, emotional value, and environmental value were used to study the green consumer behavior for green products. This study developed a research model and empirically tested by collecting data from questionnaires that were distributed in Indonesia. Based on a sample of 200 respondents, the results indicate that only social value has a positive impact on green consumer behavior, functional value (price), functional value (quality), environmental value, conditional value, epistemic value, and emotional value do not influence green consumer behavior. As a mediator, attitude toward green product has a significant effect on epistemic value, environmental value, and emotional value. This confirms and significantly adds to the literature of green consumer behavior in a developing market
- Research Article
2
- 10.1080/15378020.2025.2499767
- May 8, 2025
- Journal of Foodservice Business Research
Within the technological acceptance model framework, the study investigates the connection between the theory of consumption values and customers’ perceptions of mobile food delivery apps. In this context, the relationships among functional, social, emotional, epistemic, and conditional values that comprise consumption values, as well as perceived ease of use, usefulness, and intention to use, which comprise the technology acceptance model, were investigated. The interactions between the consumption value and technological acceptance model dimensions were also examined. The study used convenience sampling, an online survey, and structural equation modelling to analyse data from 613 Turkish consumers. According to the analysis, a positive and significant relationship exists between consumption values (functional, social, emotional, epistemic, and conditional values) and perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. Additionally, it was shown that there were positive and significant relationships between perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and intention to use. Besides, functional value positively influences the perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of food delivery apps. It is seen that epistemic value also positively affects the perceived ease of use; however, emotional value negatively impacts the perceived usefulness of food delivery apps. Finally, this study also examined the mediating effect of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. The mediation analysis shows that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use have a mediating effect on theory of consumption values and intention to use. These findings support the link between the theory of consumption values and the technological acceptance model.