Social-psychological determinants of young consumers’ consumption of pork

Abstract

In order to achieve a better understanding of young consumers’ deselection of pork, the objective of the present study was to get insight into the influence of attitudes, perceived social norms, abilities, and other psychological factors on pork consumption among young consumers in Denmark and Sweden. Using data collected through questionnaire surveys within a Theory of Planned Behavior framework the study explored the extent to which different psychological factors influence young consumers’ intention to buy and consume pork. Multi-group structural equation modelling revealed that young Danish and Swedish consumers’ intention to buy pork and consumption of pork were primarily influenced by attitudes and habit strength, while social norms and perceived abilities played a minor role. The results further indicated that especially concerns about animals and the environment had a negative impact on attitudes towards pork. The results suggest that actors within the pork meat industry need to focus on both the attitudinal and habitual qualities in order to make effective strategies for food behavior change interventions.