Purchase Of Organic Products Research Articles

Intrinsic motivation and its influence in eco shopping basket

AbstractGreen, organic, ecological or sustainable are common adjectives used to characterise food that is produced and processed in harmony with natural systems and cycles. The research analysed the inherent drivers behind consumers' preference for organic food and investigated how these drivers influence the prominence of organic products within consumers' shopping baskets. The investigation also dealt with the difference between intended and effective purchase of organic products, as well as the moderating effect of intrinsic motivation on the weight of organic products in consumers' basket of goods. To achieve this, there was examined a sample of 627 respondents gathered through an online panel survey. Cross‐tabulation and one‐way analysis of variance for data analysis were used. The findings revealed that consumers are intrinsically motivated to opt for organic food, which leads to a substantial increase in the proportion of organic items within their shopping baskets and a heightened willingness to allocate more of their budget to such products. This study furnishes empirical evidence underscoring the inherent factors propelling organic food consumption and the significance of comprehending the driving forces that shape consumer behaviour. The outcomes of this study augment the existing body of knowledge pertaining to organic food consumption and provide implications for retailers, policymakers and marketing strategists vested in advancing the cause of organic food.

ORGANIC FOOD IN THE AGE OF UNCERTAINTY: FACTORS IMPACTING CONSUMER INTENTIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC

The rising global concerns about health and the environment have led to a substantial increase in demand for organic farm products compared to conventional ones. However, there is limited research on consumers' behavioural intentions regarding organic product consumption during pandemics such as Covid-19, especially in regions like Sarawak, Malaysia. This study aims to investigate the factors that influence consumers' intentions to purchase organic products amidst the pandemic. The study expands on the attitude component of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), incorporating environmental concern, health consciousness, trust, product quality, and affordability. A questionnaire was used to collect data from consumers of organic farm products in Sarawak, Malaysia, and the collected data was analysed using partial least squares - structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. The findings indicate a significant positive impact of both environmental concern and affordability on purchase intention. However, health consciousness exhibited a negative influence, while product quality and trust did not significantly impact consumers' intention to purchase organic products during the pandemic. This study aims to raise consumers' awareness about the demand for organic products during the pandemic and assist the government and industry players in predicting future demand and developing strategies to strengthen the organic food industry.

Consumer Perspectives on Chemical-Free Food Purchase: Identifying Determinant Factors

In response to heightened consumer concern regarding long-term health and a trend towards health-beneficial purchases, this study seeks to scrutinize the influential factors dictating Chemical-free food purchase intentions in Butwal, Sub-Metropolitan City. The primary objective of this research is to examine the impact of health consciousness, knowledge, and trust on an individual’s inclination to buy Chemical-free food. Using a randomly distributed self-administered questionnaire, data from 200 respondents were analyzed. The analysis, conducted through Pearson Correlation and Multiple Regression, aimed to discern the relationships and impacts of the various factors on the inclination to purchase organic products. This study found that knowledge was the most important factor that significantly increased people’s intentions to buy organic foods. This was in contrast to trust and health consciousness, which had no discernible effect on people’s buying habits. Given these findings, the paper suggests that enhanced government and policy interventions are necessary to foster organic farming and stimulate consumer awareness, thereby facilitating an increase in Chemical-free food purchases.

Comparative analysis of the purchasing behaviour of young consumers in Poland and Belarus on the organic food market

ObjectivesThe organic food market is growing rapidly. More and more consumers are becoming aware of the impact of the food production methods used on health and the environment, which translates into a dynamically growing interest in organic products. The main aim of this publication is to present, analyse and evaluate the behaviour of buyers in the organic market during the process of selection and purchase of products.Material and methodsThe research was conducted on a group of 566 respondents, including 330 young buyers coming from Poland and 236 from Belarus. A purposive selection method was used in the research. The research was comparative and enabled the identification and analysis of differences in the market behaviour of individual groups of buyers coming from Poland and Belarus. The buyers' behaviours were studied and analysed in relation to the decision-making process concerning the purchase of organic products, taking into account: product selection criteria and the place and frequency of purchase in different types of retail unitsResultsOn the basis of the research and analysis carried out, it can be observed that there are differences in the purchasing behaviour of buyers from Poland and Belarus. These are due, among other things, to differences in consumer awareness and perception of the benefits of consuming organic products. Factors related to the availability of organic food in organisational as well as economic terms are also important.ConclusionsThe obtained results and analyzes may contribute to understanding consumer behavior on the organic food market and be used for further in-depth research or help shape market strategies by sellers.

Organic Food Consumption in Hungary – Factors Supporting Consumption Growth

Abstract The aim of the research is to assess the behaviour of the consumers of organic products, with a particular focus on the frequency of consumption, the groups of purchased products, the preferred sales channels, the consumer motivations, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the market development. The data from the online questionnaire survey were analysed by descriptive statistical and relationship analysis methods. In 2020 and 2021, the frequency of purchase of organic products increased. The regular customers are mainly middle-aged, highly educated women with higher incomes, who mostly buy fruit and vegetables, mainly in discount stores. The respondents with relatively low frequency buy directly from organic producers, although the use of short supply chains could be a remarkable price-reducing factor.

More Than Organic: Consumer Expectations of Sustainability and Quality. Evidences from a Qualitative Study in Italy

ABSTRACT Research shows that the search for healthier foods and concern for sustainability are driving the purchase of organic products. However, consumer expectations for quality attributes and sustainability often go beyond the parameters for organic certification, even after the latest revision (EU Regulation 2018/848). This article aims to explore Italian consumers’ expectations for attributes beyond the current organic certification and to highlight the importance of introducing an additional certification for this added value. Nine focus groups (59 participants) were conducted and analyzed with the Template Analysis approach using Atlas.ti 6.0. Participants expressed expectations beyond current organic certification: i) “for the consumer” (excellent product quality); ii) “for the people and the planet” (ethical aspects of production and distribution); iii) information about organic labels. The development of an “organic plus sustainability certification” seems important: it could allow consumers to make more conscious and ethical purchasing decisions in mature but still changing organic markets such as Italy.

Understanding Consumer Behavior in the Organic Food Market: Perceptions, Preferences and Purchase Factors

In light of the increasing consumer interest in health-conscious choices, particularly organic food products, this study aims to investigate the perceptions, preferences, and motivations that drive Indian consumers to purchase organic food items. Primary data was obtained from a sample of 120 consumers visiting organic stores for understanding the consumer perceptions, preferences and buying motives for organic food products in Bangalore city of Karnataka State. Factor analysis and cross tabulation are employed for analysing the data. The findings of the study indicated that consumers predominantly perceive organic food as healthy yet expensive. Core product factors influencing purchase of organic products include healthiness and quality, while augmentation factors include preservative-free, nutritional properties and certification. Branded organic stores are preferred place of purchase while social media and influencers are primary information sources. Purchase frequencies vary, from daily for fruits and vegetables to occasional for juices. Food safety ranks highest followed by influential and personal factors are major purchase drivers for organic food products. The study findings led to the development of consumer buying behaviour model for organic food products that majorly lay emphasis on personal, psychological and social factors considered during purchase of these products.

ECOLOGICAL TRAITS AND ORGANIC PRODUCTS CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOR OF OLDER ADOLESCENTS

This research determines and measures factors affecting the consumption of organic products among older adolescents in Lithuania. Previous studies discuss factors were grouped into personal and functional factors according to their impact on the attitude of ecologically conscious older adolescents. Personal factors are explained as the user's personal experience, internal qualities, and personality traits. The study showed that consumers' positive attitude towards organic products is shaped by consumers' personal motivation and available ecological knowledge. Consumers' ecological knowledge is also considered to be one of the essential factors in shaping the positive attitude of ecologically conscious consumers towards organic products. As society faces ecological challenges and searches for solutions to the problem, environmental friendliness and ecologically conscious consumers are increasingly emphasized. Consumers are encouraged to change their attitude towards organic products and to change their purchasing behaviour. However, it is noticeable that emphasizing ecological problems and increasing the assortment of organic products does not encourage consumers to change their consumption habits and purchasing behaviour, therefore, in order to understand what motivates consumers to use organic products, researchers began to analyse the factors that determine the consumption of organic products. Based on recent literature review in this area, three main factors were identified for detailed analysis in this research, which includes ecological awareness, ecological concern, and social norms of older adolescence in Lithuania. Based on the literature review discussion, this research formulates the following objectives and hypotheses for empirical analysis. Using a survey research methodology, data were collected from adolescence across Lithuania and 421 samples were finalized for analysis upon data cleaning and validation. Data was analysed using SPSS software for descriptive analysis and hypothesis testing. Result reveal that both ecological awareness and ecological concerns of older adolescents in Lithuania are strong predictors of their intention to purchase organic products. While personal norms though had some association in descriptive analysis with purchase behaviour, did not show statistical significance in impacting organic products purchase intention. Therefore, the concept of ecologically conscious adolescents consists of the consumer's ecological awareness, whereby the consumer evaluates his/her needs, behaviour and its impact on the environment when purchasing products. Based on this finding it can be stated that there is an influence of the attitudes of ecologically conscious consumers on their intention to buy organic products. Therefore, future researchers may focus more on understanding factors that contribute and promote the development of ecologically conscious consumers in the country. Also it is possible to look into consumer attitudes, how they are formed and what factors lead to the formation of positive consumer attitudes.

Exploring consumers' attitude and intent to purchase organic food in an emerging market context: a pre-/post COVID-19 pandemic analysis

PurposeFollowing the COVID-19 pandemic, the upward trend of organic food (OF) consumption is no longer restrained to western markets but has also extended to emerging markets in different parts of the world. Still, extent post-pandemic literature has devoted little attention to the factors shaping consumers' intent to purchase organic food in developing markets. The current research empirically investigates the antecedents of consumers' attitude and intent to purchase organic food in an emerging market context (i.e. Morocco). This research also explores the differences between OF consumers' manifest attitudes prior to and following the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve the study's objectives, data were collected from 1,060 Moroccan respondents using online self-administered questionnaires in two different eras: prior to the COVID-19 pandemic with a total of 441 valid responses and following the pandemic with 619 valid responses. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to validate the data, and a partial least squares (PLS) estimation was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsFirst, attitude towards OF has a significant impact on consumers' purchase intention; at the same time, it is influenced by subjective norms, organic labeling, perceived behavioral control, health consciousness, and environmental concern. This study's findings also suggest subjective norms, organic labeling, perceived behavioral control, health consciousness, environmental concern, age, and income as the key determinants of consumers' intention to purchase OF. Second, the IPMA analysis suggests that while health consciousness, organic labeling and perceived behavioral control are the most important constructs influencing attitude towards OF, consumers' purchase intention is mostly influenced by health consciousness, attitude towards OF and age. Finally, the PLS-Multigroup Analysis conveyed few discrepancies in the results when comparing the two eras (i.e. subjective norms and age had more significant impacts on consumers' purchase intent following the COVID-19 pandemic).Practical implicationsThis study provides organic food retailers and practitioners with a deeper understanding of the key aspects shaping consumers' intent to purchase organic products in emerging markets. The comparative analysis will also provide important insights on how to shape consumers' attitudes and purchase intentions in a new-normal marked by the COVID-19 pandemic.Originality/valueThis study's findings contribute to the growing literature on consumers' behavior in the organic food industry, particularly in developing countries where research is still narrow. This study's study is the first of its kind to compare consumers' intention to purchase organic food before and following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consumer segmentation based on three dimensions of sustainable food consumption: a simultaneous analysis of meat, organic food, and sweet snack purchases based on household panel data in Germany.

The literature on sustainable food consumption laments two major gaps: First, the majority of previous studies analyzed consumer behavior based on survey data on consumers' self-reported behaviors and attitudes. Second, most existing studies focused on one dimension of sustainable food choices. This paper identifies and analyzes consumer segments based on the actual purchases of 8,400 households recorded in the GfK household panel data from Germany. We used three indicators of sustainable food consumption behavior: (1) the purchase of organic products as a proxy for the environmental impact of diets, (2) the purchase of meat as a proxy for the climate impact of diets, and (3) the purchase of sweet snacks as a proxy for the healthiness of a diet. The analysis yielded two larger segments with high expenditure shares for one type of unsustainable food (meat/sweet snacks, respectively), two small segments with above average (medium/high) expenditure shares for organic food, and a large 'mainstream' segment. The five consumer segments were further analyzed regarding the observed attitude-behavior gap, and the actual prices paid in different product categories. Clear gaps between stated and actual behavior were revealed with interesting differences between the five segments and the three sustainability characteristics. The analysis is a vital starting point for designing a holistic policy instrument mix to close the gaps and to reach a sustainable transformation of the food system.

A trajectory of social innovations for the direct purchase of organic food by food services: a case study in Florianópolis, Brazil

IntroductionAlthough interest in the so-called short food supply chains (SFSC) has grown in recent decade, studies and social innovations that emerged from this phenomenon have made little progress in involving food actors outside the home. The article analyzes the conditioning factors for forming short food supply chains involving food services and organic farmers’ organizations, understanding them as potential social innovations.MethodsThe research used questionnaires with food services, participant and non-participant observations, and secondary data analysis with regional farmers’ organizations in the Greater Florianópolis region.ResultsFood services, which mostly do not yet purchase organic products from local producers, are interested in integrating purchasing initiatives directly from farmers and their organizations. However, they have presented several conditions for this. Nevertheless, farmers have the capacity, at least in part, to respond to the required conditions due to their innovative trajectory and socio-organizational capacity.DiscussionThe provision of food services, associated with the trajectory of social innovations in SFSC by farmers around Florianópolis, shows a potential to converge different interests for the generation of new initiatives, following the innovative trajectory led by social actors who work with the rural area. This could increase the impact of ongoing SFSC initiatives, ensuring consumers access local food, even when eating out.

Effect of Marketing Mix Strategies on the Buying Behaviour of Organic Products: Comparison Between Consumers in Malaysia and China

In recent years, organic food intake has been seen as a crucial component of sustainable transformation that have large impacts on the environment as well as on people’s health. Many customers’ consumption habits have shifted toward organic items, owing to the belief that eating organic foods is safer and free of toxins. The goal of this study is to examine the marketing mix impact of product, price, place, and promotional strategies on customer purchase of organic products among Malaysia and China consumers. A questionnaire was designed, and data was collected using purposive sampling from a total of 484 respondents, whereby 150 were Malaysians and 334 were China consumers. The structural equation modelling (SEM) technique was employed to test the hypothesized relationships using AMOS software. The result of the present study revealed that only price, product, and promotional strategies significantly influenced the respondents’ buying decisions towards organic products. Furthermore, nationalities moderated the relationship between product and promotion whereby the effect of these two marketing mix strategies were more pronounced among Malaysians compared to China consumers. The findings of this study contribute to the existing body of knowledge on consumer behaviour particularly towards organic food market and offers marketers, producers and practitioners’ insights to develop more effective marketing strategies to stimulate customers’ demand towards organic products.

Consumers’ Behavior in the Field of Organic Agriculture and Food Products during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Czech Republic: Focus on a Comparison of Hyper-, Super- and Farmers’ Markets and Direct Purchases from Producers

The aim of this paper is to assess Czech food consumers’ behavior when buying organic products during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an emphasis on the place of purchase of organic agriculture and food products—especially those purchases with the shortest logistics value chain, i.e., purchase at farmers’ markets, or directly from the producer—and a comparison with the current most common places of purchase of organic products in the Czech Republic, supermarkets and hypermarkets. Categorical data analysis methods were used to create a profile of the consumer according to the most frequent purchase locations. To create mathematical–statistical models and interpretations, the methods of logistic regression, correspondence analysis and contingency table analysis were chosen. According to the results of the survey, respondents under 25 years of age are the least likely to make purchases at farmers’ markets or directly from the producer. Consumers aged 26–35 and with a university degree are the most likely to buy organic agriculture and food products at this location, followed closely by older respondents in the categories 36–45 and 46+ and with a secondary education. It is important for manufacturers to have an overview of where, in what quantities, and for what reasons consumers buy their products, especially for reasons of production optimization and planning, ecological concerns, rural development, and the impact on local areas and the value chain.

Healthy Food through Health Care Segment in the Emerging Market of India: A Two Decade Review of the Attitude of Organic Food Consumers

The primary goal of this research is to comprehend the factors that have caused Indian consumers’ attitudes regarding organic food to change and the characteristics of consumers in shaping those attitudes. The study aims to identify different consumer segments based on consumers’ characteristics to help producers and marketers develop suitable marketing strategies to promote organic foods. The study is gleaned from secondary data that was gathered from many research papers that examined various facets of consumer behaviour in relation to organic foods. The analysis revealed Health care to be most important driving motivator affecting the purchase of organic products. Organic food acceptance can be boosted by pleading with consumers' well-being and offering health-related information. In this direction, the health care segment can be viewed as a viable market by organic food producers and vendors for the promotion of organic foods. The study examines the most critical motivators driving organic food purchasing decisions to assist marketers in developing appropriate marketing strategies for its promotion.

Consumer Behaviour and Attitude towards the Purchase of Organic Products in Riobamba, Ecuador.

The development of organic agriculture has been promoted worldwide to improve the nutritional health of families, and Ecuador is no exception. The aim of this research was to identify the behaviour and attitudes of consumers toward the commercialization of organic products in the city of Riobamba. This will help us to understand in what situations the consumers access these foods, the producer position in relation to the market, and to know their attitude towards these products. The study used a quantitative approach, and is descriptive, incorporating the deductive method and a non-experimental design. The techniques used were a survey as a source of data collection, with a sample including 195 consumers. Linear regression was applied to test the hypotheses; this made it possible to identify those demographic and cultural factors that determine, to a lesser extent, consumer purchase behaviour in regard to organic products. The study determined that motivation, emotions, and feelings are significantly related to the consumer’s attitude and purchase of organic products.

Decision-Making Factors in the Purchase of Ecologic Products

This paper attempts to empirically investigate the main variables that might exert a significant influence over the green purchase decisions of a Romanian consumer. An online survey was conducted on a sample of 915 individuals. The objectives of the study aim to evaluate the influence of different types of variables (related to the person, the environment, the product and the reference group) on the decision to purchase green products. For data analysis, both descriptive statistics measurements and a logit regression model were used. One of the most important findings shows that there is a significant and positive relationship between environmental factors (e.g., pollution reduction, greenhouse effect reduction) and the decision to purchase organic products; furthermore, Romanian consumers are less willing to pay high prices for green products. By offering important information on new variables relevant for a deeper understanding of a consumer located in a green emerging market such as Romania, this study may be useful for both academics and companies that could be interested in entering new local markets.

Effect of social media influence on consumer’s purchase intention of organic beauty products: the role of customer’s engagement and generativity

ABSTRACT The growing consciousness among consumers regarding the toxic effects of traditional beauty products has developed consumer interest in organic beauty products as an alternative. This study investigates how social media and consumer engagement reinforce this interest and influence consumer purchase intention of organic beauty products. The results of 213 datasets collected through the online platform and analyzed by structural equation modeling suggest that both social media and consumer engagement positively and significantly affect the intention to purchase organic beauty products. The research also found a significant mediating role of consumer engagement between social media influence and purchase intention. While no moderating effect of generativity was found between consumer engagement and purchase intention. As consumers’ purchase decision of organic products is influenced by social media, this study suggests marketers allocate greater budgets to social media to increase consumer engagement. Additionally, it presents a fresh perspective on the organic beauty industry through the lenses of social influence theory and calls for further research into the new paradigm of social media influence on the consumption of organic beauty products.

Organic food and Instagram health and wellbeing influencers: an emerging country's perspective with gender as a moderator

PurposeInstagram health and wellbeing influencers (HWIs) have been increasingly considered as important sources of information and advice for their followers. This study aims to investigate the key antecedents of followers' attitude towards HWIs as well as their influence on their followers' intent to purchase organic products. The moderating effect of gender is also taken into account.Design/methodology/approachBased on data collected from 251 Instagram HWIs followers, the authors empirically tested the conceptual model using structural equation modeling.FindingsFirst, the authors demonstrate that attitude towards HWIs positively impacts followers' attitude towards the promoted brands as well as their intention to purchase organic food brands. Second, followers' attitude towards HWIs is mainly influenced by perceived congruence, influencer credibility, and physical attractiveness. Finally, gender acts as a moderator, e.g. attitude towards HWIs is more likely to be influenced by perceived congruence and physical attractiveness among female followers.Practical implicationsThe findings allow organic brands' managers to understand the key antecedents of followers' attitudes toward HWIs, and therefore, better select talented influencers who are able to create purchase intentions among both existing and potential customers.Originality/valueThis original research bridges a gap pertaining to the potential use of HWIs to shape consumer intention to purchase organic products. To the authors' knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to investigate the impact of attitudes toward influencers on both brand attitude and purchase intention in the organic food industry.

The organic premium of baby food based on market segments

AbstractParents may be more attentive to health and safety concerns when purchasing food for their babies due to the fragility of the digestive system of infants and their early stage of growth. The processing of organic baby food involves minimal use of toxic chemicals and synthetic food additives which may be attractive to health‐conscious parents. On the other hand, organic baby food is generally more expensive than nonorganic alternatives due to the cost of organic certification. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the price premium that parents are willing to pay for organic baby food and how it varies along several dimensions: organic label, food type based on developmental stage, retail channel, frequency of purchase of organic products, and over time. We apply the hedonic price model to Nielsen consumer panel data to isolate brand effects from the organic effects on product prices. The empirical results show that parents pay 17%–27% more, on average, for organic baby food than conventional alternatives, after controlling for a series of product and market characteristics. [EconLit Citations: D12, Q11, L66, C13].

Study on organic farm product purchasing, in view of organic product consumers

According to several research, the majority of customers choose organic farm products for health reasons. Organic agriculture production and commerce have evolved as a significant in recent years. The purpose of this study was to learn about customer attitudes about Consumption of organic farm product, to overview of organic farm product through related literatures, and consumer potential towards organic farm product. The findings of the study reveals that consumers are more aware of organic farm products. They show higher frequency of purchase of organic farm products, consumers are often purchase organic farm products. Majority of the respondents shows highest Willingness to buy organic farm products. The study used Convenience sampling technique in this research. The research consist of 200 sample size.