Kelp Wanted?! Understanding the Drivers of US Consumers’ Willingness to Buy and Their Willingness to Pay a Price Premium for Sea Vegetables

Abstract

Lifestyle changes towards sustainable and healthy diets have given rise to superfoods. Sea vegetables, which are otherwise known as edible seaweeds fall in the category of superfoods and are perceived as sustainable and ethical food options. The present study is dedicated to US consumers’ willingness to buy and their willingness to pay a price premium for sea vegetables, providing insights and best-practice recommendations for marketing managers in the US food retail and gastronomy. An online consumer survey was distributed to explore predictors explaining willingness to buy and pay a price premium. Food engagement, food attributes, consumer knowledge, and health importance were the investigated predictors covered in the survey. Descriptive statistics and partial least square structural equation modelling were used to analyze the data. Food engagement and sea vegetable intrinsic and extrinsic attributes were identified as the strongest predictors for both willingness to buy and to pay a price premium. In contrast, health importance only influenced willingness to buy, and consumer knowledge only influenced willingness to pay a price premium. By focusing on the forms of consumer behavior with high commitment and exploring and validating the factors driving these consumers’ behaviors, the study fills an important research gap.