How motivation, opportunity, and ability impact sustainable consumption behaviour of fresh berry products

Abstract

The consumption of natural food offers a chance for sustainable development of natural food markets. However, the concept of sustainable consumption behaviour has not been sufficiently noted in natural food-related literature. Neither have its driving forces been adequately captured in the prevailing theoretical models. We model the sustainable consumption behaviour in fresh berry sector and investigates its driving forces in China using a survey of 413 consumers with the covariance-based structural equation modelling technique. Results have four confirmed factors (motivation, opportunity, intentions and ability) as significant facilitators of sustainable consumption behaviour. The way they impact sustainable consumption behaviour differ. Opportunity is found to have direct impacts on consumption behaviour, while motivation and ability are found to have indirect impacts on consumption behaviour via consumption intention. We contribute to current literature on Sustainability Development Goal (SDG) from individual consumers’ aspect by conceptualizing the sustainable fresh berry consumption behaviour using an extended theoretical framework in an emerging market. Our findings also provide suggestions and guidelines for policymakers, farmers and marketers who aim to expand the natural food markets in a sustainable manner.