Next Article in Journal
Predictions of Crowdfunding Campaign Success: The Influence of First Impressions on Accuracy and Positivity
Next Article in Special Issue
Crowdsourcing in Sustainable Retail—A Theoretical Framework of Success Criteria
Previous Article in Journal
Inflation and Risky Investments
Previous Article in Special Issue
Sustainable Entrepreneurship in the Transport and Retail Supply Chain Sector
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
JRFM
Volume 13
Issue 12
10.3390/jrfm13120330
jrfm-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles thumb_up
...
Endorse textsms
...
Comment
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Consumer Behaviour towards Organic Products: The Moderating Role of Environmental Concern

by
Silvia Cachero-Martínez
Business Administration Department, University of Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
J. Risk Financial Manag. 2020, 13(12), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm13120330
Submission received: 30 November 2020 / Revised: 15 December 2020 / Accepted: 17 December 2020 / Published: 21 December 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability, Marketing and Communication)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

:
The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has changed the mindset of many consumers. They are increasingly aware of the risks of not caring for the planet. Before the pandemic, there was a perceived increase in collective environmental concern and sustainability, but COVID-19 has further accelerated this process and motivated more people to assume this responsibility. Thus, the health crisis could trigger the consumption of organic foods, which are foods produced through environmentally friendly agricultural methods and that have not been artificially altered. It is essential for retailers to know how these consumers of organic foods behave in order to try to modify their strategies. In this context, the objective of this research is to analyze the relationship between attitude, satisfaction, trust, purchase and word-of-mouth (WOM) intentions towards organic products. The results of a survey administered a survey to a sample of 195 consumers show that trust is influenced by satisfaction and attitude. In relation to the behavioural variables, satisfaction is the variable that has the greatest influence on purchase intentions and WOM intentions. In addition, a moderating effect of environmental concern is observed on the proposed relationships.

1. Introduction

Demand for organic products has increased considerably in the last decade (Du et al. 2017). Organic products are those made with the use of natural substances, which implies the avoidance of fertilizers and synthetic chemicals. Therefore, for a product to be considered organic, it is necessary that it has been produced in a way that respects the soil, conserves its nutrients, avoids the use of chemical products, and has been certified according to ecological accreditation. Its consumption protects not only the health of the consumers themselves but that of the farmers and workers involved in its production, by avoiding continuous exposure to chemical products. Moreover, organic producers seek to ensure the sustainable use of resources, showing concern for future generations. Organic products bring benefits to both the consumer and the environment. The higher quality of organic products, the avoidance of chemicals that are potentially harmful to health, and the lack of synthetic additives are factors that the consumer perceives as beneficial. Avoiding harmful chemical products in the production of the product reduces the harm to animal and plant species, in addition to protecting the water and soil. Organic products require more labour in their production, providing employment. Therefore, they benefit the environment and contribute to the conservation of the ecosystem and more sustainable rural development.
The term “ecological” is increasingly prevalent in the lives of consumers, giving rise to new needs, which companies attempt to satisfy (Miranda and Canales 2017). In recent years, people have become more concerned about the sustainability of the environment and their personal health; this change is evident in the behaviour of individuals who are seeking alternatives to the consumption of conventional products.
Numerous technological advances are promoting innovation that many describe as “the fourth industrial revolution”. In addition, growing public concern about the overexploitation of ecosystems and climate change poses a new challenge for companies: to promote the development of organic products to meet the increasingly growing demand.
Faced with the increase in the consumption of organic products, the market is responding with an increase in the points of supply: more shops are offering organic products, providing greater accessibility to the consumer. The number of supermarkets and specialized stores selling organic products is increasing.
Spain ranks first in land area for organic farming in the European Union and is among the top five in the world. The development of Spanish organic production (by number of operators, including producers and retailers) is shown in Figure 1.
The importance of organic production is also highlighted by the fundamental role it plays in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Specifically, organic production contributes to the fulfilment of eight of the thirteen goals. The establishment of these objectives is projected to accelerate organic production in the coming years. The search for sustainability will be based on the adoption of industrial ecology, based on a reorientation of production systems to achieve, as much as possible, the protection of the environment, using low-pollution production processes. In short, moving towards the new “science of sustainability”.
Motivation influences ecological behaviours focused on the protection of the environment (Moisander and Pesonen 2002), although in a more specific way, the purchase of organic products has become important as a lifestyle. The role of the health attribute is fundamental to generate consumer preferences for organic products (Rizzo et al. 2020). One of the main reasons for the consumption of organic products is health (Aschemann-Witzel et al. 2013; Bryla 2016; Mkhize and Ellis 2020). From the literature review, a buyer profile of organic products is obtained: altruistic, hedonically motivated, concerned about the quality of the products (i.e., freshness and taste) and food safety (Hashem et al. 2018). Its main reasons for purchase are linked, in addition to health, with ecological values (environmentally friendly), food safety, taste and quality assurance (label of certificate) (Bryla 2016). As for the most frequently purchased organic products, there are fruits, vegetables and honey, followed by dairy products and processed meat (Bryla 2016). It is interesting to know what the main barriers are to the purchase of this type of products, in order to try to modify the business strategy in that direction. The main barrier is the high price of such products (Mkhize and Ellis 2020), insufficient consumer knowledge, low availability of this type of products (Zanoli and Naspetti 2002; Mkhize and Ellis 2020), short expiry dates and low visibility of such product in the point of sale (Bryla 2016).
This article contributes to the organic product literature in two ways. Firstly, it expands the knowledge of the behaviour of the consumer of organic products by analyzing the relationship between different cognitive variables and consumer behavioural intentions. Second, this work investigates the importance of environmental concern, analyzing its mediating role in the proposed relationships.
In the following sections, the literature on the subject is reviewed and several hypotheses are proposed. Subsequently, the research methodology and the estimation results of the proposed causal model are described. Finally, a discussion of the theoretical context and the implications for management are presented, as well as the limitations of the study and a proposal for future research.

2. Theoretical Framework and Hypotheses Development

2.1. Attitude and Satisfaction

Attitude is a learned predisposition, favourable or unfavourable, about a person, object or problem (Eagly and Chaiken 1993). In line with this definition, in this paper attitude towards organic products is viewed as a consumer’s level of affect (positive, negative, or neutral learned predisposition) towards the idea of buying organic products. Consumers tend to show favourable attitudes towards organic products (Vermeir and Verbeke 2006), which facilitates consumer satisfaction. Regarding the relationship between attitude and satisfaction, there is empirical evidence that supports that a positive attitude towards organic products influences the generation of satisfaction (Kim 2018). The degree of consumer satisfaction differs between an organic product and a conventional product in such a way that satisfaction tends to increase when the product is truly organic (Paul and Rana 2012). This represents an opportunity for the organic products sector, as the COVID-19 crisis has influenced consumer attitudes towards organic products thanks to its safer and healthier characteristics, which can lead to a change in the behaviour of consumers.
Based on this discussion, Hypothesis 1 is posited:
Hypothesis 1 (H1).
Attitude towards an organic product will be positively related to satisfaction.

2.2. Satisfaction and Trust

Satisfaction is considered a vital concept within the corporate strategy of the company since it affects its economic returns (Anderson et al. 1994). Consumer satisfaction is linked to the ability of products to satisfy previous consumer expectations, considering that buying makes consumers happy (Homburg et al. 2006). Some studies affirm that satisfaction positively affects trust (Delgado-Ballester and Munuera-Alemán 2001; Zboja and Voorhees 2006). Trust can be defined as the expectation, sustained by the consumer, based on the fulfilment of the promises made by the supplier of the products (Sirdeshmukh et al. 2002). Satisfaction is positively related to trust, which implies that the more satisfied the consumer is with the organic product purchased, the more likely they are to trust organic products (Horppu et al. 2008; Butt and Aftab 2013; Konuk 2018; Imaningsih 2019). This leads us to propose that
Hypothesis 2 (H2).
Organic product satisfaction is positively related to trust towards organic products.

2.3. Relationship between Attitude, Satisfaction, Trust, and Consumer Intentions

Attitude plays an important role in consumer behaviour (Huang et al. 2004). The theory of reasoned action (Ajzen and Fishbein 1980) and the theory of planned behaviour (Ajzen 1985) affirm that attitude towards a behaviour is the key determinant of intention to perform the behaviour (Abdul-Muhmin 2010). The fundamental idea of these theories is based on the fact that the more positive the attitude, the more likely the fulfilment of the intention (Nosi et al. 2017). On the one hand, there are some studies that relate positive attitude with the purchase intention towards an organic product (Arvola et al. 2008; Thøgersen et al. 2015; Hoang et al. 2019; Nguyen et al. 2019; Tandon et al. 2020). The purchase intention for organic products is understood as the preference of consumers to buy these products before conventional products. The environmental concerns of consumers lead them to show positive attitudes towards organic products as environmentally friendly, which leads consumers to buy them, due to the benefits they bring (Kim 2018). On the other hand, there is research that has linked attitudes with word-of-mouth (WOM) intentions (Shih et al. 2013; Lien and Cao 2014). However, the study of this relationship in the field of organic products is scarce. In this research, the WOM intention is understood as an informal communication between a person, who is not a salesperson performing his/her job, and another, who can be called a receiver (Harrison-Walker 2001).
Consumer satisfaction and its relationship with behavioural intentions have been widely studied in the literature on consumer behaviour (Woodside et al. 1989; Olsen 2007; Ryu and Han 2010). However, there are fewer studies that focus on the field of organic products (Paul and Rana 2012; Konuk 2018; Lu and Chi 2018; Konuk 2019). Satisfaction positively influences both the purchase intention (Wang and Hsu 2010; Nair 2018) and the WOM intention (Chang et al. 2005). It is expected that when a consumer perceives a product as satisfactory, an intention to repurchase it will occur, in such a way that purchase intentions increase due to greater satisfaction (Fernandes and Calamote 2016). The WOM is a relevant factor, as consumers place great importance on the opinions of family, friends or colleagues when buying organic products (Chakrabarti and Baisya 2009). A satisfied shopper will hold positive views that will help incentivize repeat purchases and third-party purchases.
When it comes to encouraging the customer’s purchase decision, trust in the product is necessary. Trust can be a strategic advantage in the green products industry (Lindgreen 2003), since consumers often do not have enough capacity to evaluate the benefits of organic products. Therefore, manufacturers and retailers can use certifications to foster trust in them, stimulating demand for organic products. Trust in organic products has a positive effect on behavioural intentions (Liang 2016) and represents an important value in influencing those intentions. Given the impossibility of consumers, in many cases, assessing the characteristics and benefits of the products offered, they trust the labels and certificates (Montoro Ríos et al. 2006), which promote the purchase intention (Krystallis and Chryssohoidis 2005). Furthermore, if a consumer has greater confidence in the product, they will recommend it to a greater extent (Kim et al. 2009).
Based on the information in this section, the following hypotheses are formulated:
Hypothesis 3 (H3).
(a) Attitude, (b) satisfaction, and (c) trust towards an organic product will be positively related to purchase intentions towards an organic product.
Hypothesis 4 (H4).
(a) Attitude, (b) satisfaction, and (c) trust towards an organic product will be positively related to WOM intentions.

2.4. Moderating Role: Environmental Concern

The previously proposed relationships may depend on certain conditions that can modify the relationships. In this case, environmental concern has been proposed as a potential moderating variable. The COVID-19 crisis has changed consumers’ mentality such that they are currently more concerned about environmental issues (Qi et al. 2020). Environmental concern is defined as the extent to which people are aware of environmental problems and show their personal willingness to contribute to solving these problems (Paul et al. 2016). Consumers with more environmental concern tend to have more positive attitudes, which will likely increase behavioural intentions (Hoang et al. 2019). There is empirical evidence that positively relates the degree of respect for the environment associated with a product with consumer satisfaction (Chen et al. 2015). It is possible that for those people who are more aware of the environment, the influence of satisfaction on behavioural intentions is greater. Finally, trust in organic products (for example through their eco-labels) can encourage consumer behaviour in favour of the environment (Taufique et al. 2017). In this research, it will be verified whether for those people who are more aware of the environment, the influence of trust on behavioural intentions is greater than for those less aware of the environment.
Thus, we proposed that:
Hypothesis 5 (H5).
The positive relationship between (a) attitude, (b) satisfaction, (c) trust and behavioural intentions (purchase intention and WOM intention) will be stronger when environmental concern is high.
In line with the previous hypotheses, a conceptual model was developed and is depicted in Figure 2.

3. Research Methodology

3.1. Data Collection and Measurement Scales

In the current research, a quantitative design was employed to test the hypotheses shown in Figure 1. Organic products have been chosen as the field of study since the sales of these products are increasing each year (Lyu and Choi 2020). In addition, COVID-19 has affected consumer behaviour in a more sustainable and healthy direction (Ben Hassen et al. 2020). Data were collected through online structured questionnaires administered to organic product customers in Spain. This empirical study meets the ethical approval in relation to data collection, since the consumer was informed at the beginning of the questionnaire about the purposes of the research. All subjects gave their informed consent for inclusion before they participated in the study. Data collection took place in April, May and June 2020. To recruit the panellists, the web link with the questionnaire was sent to different groups of students at the university, and it was shared through social networks, such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. This implies a non-probabilistic sampling, to which gender and age quotas have been applied to guarantee the representativeness of the sample. The sample comprised 195 people from various cities in Spain, after eliminating 30 questionnaires with missing answers. The sample demographics analysis of the study is shown in Table 1.
Items in the survey were taken from the literature review, and they were measured using five-point Likert scales (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree). In this regard, attitude was measured using a five-item scale, adapted from Hoang et al. (2019). Satisfaction and purchase intention measures were adapted from Konuk (2018), including three items in each concept. Trust comprises three items that were adapted from Voon et al. (2011). Three items were adapted from Konuk (2019) to measure WOM intentions towards organic products. Table 2 illustrates the measurement scales for all constructs.

3.2. Reliability and Validity Analysis of the Measurement Scales

To demonstrate the reliability and validity of the measurement model, a confirmatory factor analysis was carried out, from which satisfactory global adjustment results were obtained with content validity (standardized factor loading greater than 0.6) (Table 2). Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were all greater than 0.7, the composite reliability was greater than 0.7 (Hair et al. 2010), and the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) was greater than 0.5 (Fornell and Larcker 1981), confirming the convergent validity (Table 3). There was also discriminant validity, since the confidence intervals of all the correlations between the concepts analyzed did not contain the unit value, and their squared value did not exceed the AVE of the measurement scales considered (Fornell and Larcker 1981) (Table 4). The psychometric properties were adequate, so the structural equation model (SEM) was assessed to test the hypothesized model.

4. Results

4.1. Descriptive Results Analysis

Regarding the main reason for consuming organic products, 40% of the consumers surveyed indicated that the reason was that organic products are healthier than other products, 19.5% that organic products are tastier than other products, and 15.4% that their production does not harm the environment. In line with the literature review, the consumption of organic products has increased considerably, since 89.8% of consumers affirm that they consume these types of products sometimes/often. Regarding organic products purchased, there is a clear predominance of food products (82%) compared to textiles (7.1%) or cosmetics (10.8%). In relation to their monthly spending, 40.5% say they spend less than 10% on organic products, while 40% spend between 11 and 20% of their monthly spending. Only 19.5% affirm that their spending on organic products exceeds 21%.

4.2. Structural Model Results

When considering systems of structural equations, it is necessary that the sample size is sufficient to be able to test hypotheses with solidity. To do this, a power test must be performed. We used GPower software (Faul et al. 2007). This requirement (value higher than 0.80) is fulfilled by the study.
Table 5 presents the results of the structural model, obtained with EQS 6.2. The goodness of fit indices are adequate (BBNNFI = 0.992; IFI = 0.994; CFI = 0.994; RMSEA = 0.030). It was observed that the attitude towards organic products influences satisfaction with organic products, supporting H1 (H1: β1 = 0.749). Direct effects of satisfaction on trust were also observed (H2 was confirmed) (H2: β2 = 0.669). Finally, the three variables analyzed (attitude, satisfaction, and confidence) affect the purchase intentions and WOM intentions, thus confirming all hypotheses (H3a: β3a = 0.128; H3b: β3b = 0.860; H3c: β3c = 0.188; H4a: β4a = 0.215; H4b: β4b = 0.797; H4c: β4c = 0.120). It should be noted that the variable with greatest influence on behavioural intentions is satisfaction.

4.3. Moderating Effect of Environmental Concern

Environmental concern was measured using a five-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree) based on the studies by Paul and Rana (2012) and Hoang et al. (2019). The moderating effects of environmental concern were analyzed using the bootstrap procedure of Preacher and Hayes (2004) using the SPSS macro developed by Hayes (2018). As it is a moderation analysis, model 1 was used. As shown in Table 6, environmental concern has positive direct effects on the relationship between attitude and purchase intention and WOM intention. However, these moderating effects were not observed in the case of satisfaction and trust.

5. Discussion and Conclusions

In recent years, the demand for organic products has undergone constant growth, in part due to increased consumption and per capita spending, a consequence of the emergence of new needs in the search for a healthier lifestyle. Therefore, a surge in organic production is expected as a result of the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals that will, progressively, lead to the reorientation of production systems towards greater sustainability, which is expected to be achieved in the year 2030.
Spain, despite being one of the European countries that dedicates the most area to organic farming, is not one of the countries with the highest consumption or expenditure per capita. Therefore, real capacity is being wasted, since Spain has the ideal conditions and raw materials for this production, which, as is assumed with the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, will be realized in the future.
The appearance of COVID-19 is expected to provide an incentive for the purchase of organic products. This is due to an increase in environmental awareness in view of the experience of reducing pollution during the pandemic. In addition, more rigid measures of sustainability and protection of the environment than those established will be implemented by governments. Although it is true that sustainability plans and objectives already existed, COVID-19 has been a stimulus to the protection of the environment.
Type of organic product
Following this study, it can be concluded that most of the organic products currently purchased are related to food. It must be taken into account that organic products are oriented towards a specific type of customer with an ecological conscience. Ecological marketing must follow a differentiation strategy with respect to conventional products. The importance of knowledge is evident, as verified in the literature, given that most buyers have a university education (Vlahović et al. 2011).
Attitude, satisfaction, and trust influence behavioural intentions
The empirical analysis carried out indicates that the attitude, satisfaction, and trust in organic products are positively related to the purchase intention and WOM intention. Therefore, the more positive consumer attitudes are, the more satisfied they are, and the more trust they have with respect to organic products, the greater the intention for WOM and the higher the repurchasing rate, and it will be a clear incentive to purchase by third parties. The buyer who makes WOM recommendations helps to disseminate these products and to lower the purchase barrier that is implied by a lack of knowledge of these products. In relation to attitudes, many studies have presented the same results (Koklic et al. 2019; Boobalan and Nachimuthu 2020; Pham et al. 2018). However, most of these studies do not refer to Europe, and none specifically to Spain.
Most of the relevant published papers have studied purchase intention, to which this research adds the WOM dimension, fundamental today due to the development of social networks and the ease of expressing opinions. In fact, the influence of attitudes is greater for WOM intentions than for purchase intentions.
Environmental concern as a driver of relationships
Although some studies have analyzed the moderating role of environmental concern (Chang et al. 2017; Tandon et al. 2020), few of them have included it as a possible moderator in the relationship of attitudes and intentions of behaviour (Hoang et al. 2020). In this study, the relationship between attitude and behavioural intentions is stronger for those consumers with greater environmental awareness. This means that when the attitude towards organic products is positive and there is a significant concern for the environment, consumers are more likely to make greater efforts to reduce their environmental impact and buy and recommend organic products. Therefore, in line with Hoang et al. (2020), this study considers that the purchase of organic products is an activity that limits the impact on the environment.

5.1. Managerial Implications

The findings of this study raise various practical implications. First, manufacturers and retailers of organic products must seize the opportunity of the change in consumer mentality in the wake of the health crisis caused by COVID-19. Consumers have realized the importance of supporting local businesses (Kantar 2020), since this generates community, identity, and a sense of belonging. Linked to this idea of supporting local businesses, consumers have become more aware of the existence of organic products that are locally produced. This is why the attitude towards these types of products has improved, which has been empirically demonstrated to have positive impacts on both satisfaction and behavioural intentions. Fostering these positive attitudes through clever communication campaigns can be a good way to encourage behavioural intentions in consumers that translate into real behaviour. This research has demonstrated the moderating effect of environmental awareness on the relationship between attitude and behavioural intentions. COVID-19 has also affected concern for the environment. The large amount of waste (masks, gloves, sanitizing gels, etc.) together with the positive effects on air quality of home confinement during the months of March and April have made many consumers become environmentally aware if they had not previously considered the environment to be a serious problem. Given that the relationship between attitudes and behavioural intentions are strengthened in consumers who are more aware of the environment, and that consumers are increasingly concerned about environmental issues, it is essential to follow a good strategy of social responsibility focused on sustainability.
Second, the great importance of satisfaction in this type of product should be noted, since it is the variable that has the greatest influence on behavioural intentions, in addition to influencing trust. Achieving satisfied customers can be a challenge for companies, but it is worth investing resources if the investment is profitable. For example, this can be done by promoting online sales, which are currently low for this type of products. Shoppers’ opinions could be solicited so that the consumers can reduce the cognitive dissonance produced after the purchase. In addition, these opinions can be a source of confidence.
Third, trust in this type of product is essential, since the consumer needs indicators that show that the product complies with the regulations to be called organic. Designing attractive packaging with an eco-label that informs the potential consumer of all the characteristics of the product can convey trust to consumers, which will positively affect consumer behavioural intentions, the main indicator of actual behaviour.

5.2. Limitations and Further Research

The conclusions discussed in the previous section are not exempt from limitations, from which future lines of study can be derived to deepen the knowledge of the consumption of organic products. Firstly, when conducting the empirical analysis, it would be advisable to have obtained a greater number of responses to increase its representativeness, in addition to including a greater number of questions that could measure the variables more accurately. Second, neuromarketing techniques, such as eye-tracking, could be used to study the in situ behaviour of shoppers. These techniques would allow us to know more fully the behaviour of individuals than the self-administered survey method used. Third, the survey was carried out during lockdown, a social fact that could influence the thoughts and behaviours of the respondents, especially regarding environmental awareness. Lastly, other possible moderating variables could be studied, such as culture or country.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Acknowledgments

The author is grateful to Cátedra Fundación Ramón Areces de Distribución Comercial (www.catedrafundacionarecesdcuniovi.es) for their valuable support to develop this empirical research.

Conflicts of Interest

The author declares no conflict of interest.

References

  1. Abdul-Muhmin, Alhassan G. 2010. Repeat purchase intentions in online shopping: The role of satisfaction, attitude, and online retailers’ performance. Journal of International Consumer Marketing 23: 5–20. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  2. Ajzen, I. 1985. From intentions to actions: A theory of planned behavior. In Action Control: From Cognition to Behavior. Edited by Kuhl Julius and Jürgen Beckman. Heidelberg: Springer, pp. 11–39. [Google Scholar]
  3. Ajzen, I., and M. Fishbein. 1980. Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall. [Google Scholar]
  4. Anderson, Eugene W., Claes Fornell, and Donald R. Lehmann. 1994. Customer satisfaction, market share, and profitability: Findings from Sweden. Journal of Marketing 58: 53–66. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  5. Arvola, Anne, Marco Vassallo, Moira Dean, Piritta Lampila, Anna Saba, Liisa Lähteenmäki, and Richard Shepherd. 2008. Predicting intentions to purchase organic food: The role of affective and moral attitudes in the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Appetite 50: 443–54. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  6. Aschemann-Witzel, Jessica, Nicole Maroscheck, and Ulrich Hamm. 2013. Are organic consumers preferring or avoiding foods with nutrition and health claims? Food Quality and Preference 30: 68–76. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  7. Ben Hassen, Tarek, Hamid El Bilali, and Mohammad S. Allahyari. 2020. Impact of COVID-19 on Food Behavior and Consumption in Qatar. Sustainability 12: 6973. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  8. Boobalan, Kirubaharan, and Geetha Sulur Nachimuthu. 2020. Organic consumerism: A comparison between India and the USA. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 53: 101988. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  9. Bryla, Pawel. 2016. Organic food consumption in Poland: Motives and barriers. Appetite 105: 737–46. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  10. Butt, Muhammad Mohsin, and Muhammad Aftab. 2013. Incorporating attitude towards Halal banking in an integrated service quality, satisfaction, trust and loyalty model in online Islamic banking context. International Journal of Bank Marketing 31: 6–23. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  11. Chakrabarti, Somnath, and Rajat K. Baisya. 2009. Purchase of organic food: Role of consumer innovativeness and personal influence related constructs. IIMB Management Review 21: 18–29. [Google Scholar]
  12. Chang, Man Kit, Waiman Cheung, and Vincent S. Lai. 2005. Literature derived reference models for the adoption of online shopping. Information & Management 42: 543–59. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  13. Chang, Tung-Zong, Weng Hang Kong, and Su-Jane Chen. 2017. The moderating role of environmental concerns in travel behavior: An exploratory study. Journal of China Tourism Research 13: 193–210. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  14. Chen, Yu-Shan, Ching-Yin Lin, and Weng Chia-Sui. 2015. The influence of environmental friendliness on green trust: The mediation effects of green satisfaction and green perceived quality. Sustainability 7: 10135–52. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  15. Delgado-Ballester, Elena, and José Luis Munuera-Alemán. 2001. Brand trust in the context of consumer loyalty. European Journal of Marketing 35: 1238–58. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  16. Du, Shuili, Jos Bartels, Machiel Reinders, and Sankar Sen. 2017. Organic consumption behavior: A social identification perspective. Food Quality and Preference 62: 190–98. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  17. Eagly, Alice, and Shelly Chakein. 1993. The Psychology of Attitudes. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers. [Google Scholar]
  18. Faul, Franz, Edgar Erdfelder, Albert-Gerorg Lang, and Axel Buchner. 2007. G* Power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behavior Research Methods 39: 175–91. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  19. Fernandes, Teresa, and Ana Calamote. 2016. Unfairness in consumer services: Outcomes of differential treatment of new and existing clients. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 28: 36–44. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  20. Fornell, Claes, and David F. Larcker. 1981. Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research 18: 39–50. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  21. Hair, Joseph F., William C Black, Barry J Babin, and Rolph E. Anderson. 2010. Multivariate Data Analysis. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall. [Google Scholar]
  22. Harrison-Walker, L. Jean. 2001. The measurement of word-of-mouth communication and an investigation of service quality and customer commitment as potential antecedents. Journal of Service Research: 4: 60–75. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  23. Hashem, Shadi, Giuseppina Migliore, Giorgo Schifani, Emanuele Schimmenti, and Susanne Padel. 2018. Motives for buying local, organic food through English box schemes. British Food Journal 120: 1600–14. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  24. Hayes, Andrew F. 2018. An Introduction to Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional Process Analysis: A Regression-Based Approach, 2nd ed. New York: The Guilford Press. [Google Scholar]
  25. Hoang, Hung Cuong, Chovancová Miloslava, Thi Que Huong Hoang, and Abdul Bashiru Jibril. 2019. The theory of planned behavior toward organic food in vietnam: The moderation of environmental concern. Paper presented at DOKBAT 2019-15th International Bata Conference for Ph.D. Students and Young Researchers, Tomas Bata University, Zlín, Czechia, November 6–7; ISBN 978-80-7454-893-2. Available online: http://dokbat.utb.cz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DOKBAT_2019_Conference_Proceedings.pdf (accessed on 15 September 2020).
  26. Hoang, Hung Cuong, Chovancová Miloslava, and Thi Que Huong Hoang. 2020. The interactive effect of level of education and environmental concern toward organic food in Vietnam. Journal of Distribution Science 18: 19–30. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  27. Homburg, Christian, Nicole Koschate, and Wayne D. Hoyer. 2006. The role of cognition and affect in the formation of customer satisfaction: A dynamic perspective. Journal of Marketing 70: 21–31. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  28. Horppu, Marianne, Olli Kuivalainen, Anssi Tarkiainen, and Hanna-Kaisa Ellonen. 2008. Online satisfaction, trust and loyalty, and the impact of the offline parent brand. Journal of Product & Brand Management 17: 403–13. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  29. Huang, Jen-Hung, Bruce C.Y. Lee, and Shu Hsun Ho. 2004. Consumer attitude toward gray market goods. International Marketing Review 21: 598–614. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  30. Imaningsih, Erna S. 2019. The Effect of Green Perceived Quality, Green Perceived Risk on Green Satisfaction and Green Trust on The Body Shop Product. Journal of Marketing and Consumer Research 55: 71–78. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  31. Kantar. 2020. COVID19 Barometer. Available online: https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/coronavirus/covid-19-barometer-shows-consumers-are-in-for-the-long-haul/ (accessed on 30 November 2020).
  32. Kim, Yun-Hee. 2018. Organic shoppers’ involvement in organic foods: Self and identity. British Food Journal 121: 139–56. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  33. Kim, Taegoo, Woo Gon Kim, and Hong-Bumm Kim. 2009. The effects of perceived justice on recovery satisfaction, trust, word-of-mouth, and revisit intention in upscale hotels. Tourism Management 30: 51–62. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  34. Koklic, Mateja Kos Koklic, Urša Golob, Klement Podnar, and Vesna Zabkar. 2019. The interplay of past consumption, attitudes and personal norms in organic food buying. Appetite 137: 27–34. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  35. Konuk, Faruk Anil. 2018. Price fairness, satisfaction, and trust as antecedents of purchase intentions towards organic food. Journal of Consumer Behaviour 17: 141–8. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  36. Konuk, Faruk Anil. 2019. The influence of perceived food quality, price fairness, perceived value and satisfaction on customers’ revisit and word-of-mouth intentions towards organic food restaurants. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 50: 103–10. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  37. Krystallis, Athanasios, and George Chryssohoidis. 2005. Consumers’ willingness to pay for organic food: Factors that affect it and variation per organic product type. British Food Journal 107: 320–43. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  38. Liang, Rong-Da. 2016. Predicting intentions to purchase organic food: The moderating effects of organic food prices. British Food Journal 118: 183–99. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  39. Lien, Che Hui, and Yang Cao. 2014. Examining WeChat users’ motivations, trust, attitudes, and positive word-of-mouth: Evidence from China. Computers in Human Behavior 41: 104–11. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  40. Lindgreen, Adam. 2003. Trust as a valuable strategic variable in the food industry: Different types of trust and their implementation. British Food Journal 105: 310–27. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  41. Lyu, Fang, and Jaewon Choi. 2020. The Forecasting Sales Volume and Satisfaction of Organic Products through Text Mining on Web Customer Reviews. Sustainability 12: 4383. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  42. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. 2020. Annual Report of Organic Production. Available online: https://www.mapa.gob.es/es/alimentacion/temas/produccion-eco/estadisticas_ae_2019_word_ver31_tcm30-540808.pdf (accessed on 20 November 2020).
  43. Miranda, Máximo Santos, and Helena Rubio Canales. 2017. El bioconsumo: Una oportunidad de negocio en continua expansión. Estrategia Financiera 352: 38–45. [Google Scholar]
  44. Mkhize, Sandile, and Debbie Ellis. 2020. Creativity in marketing communication to overcome barriers to organic produce purchases: The case of a developing nation. Journal of Cleaner Production 242: 118415. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  45. Lu, Lu, and Christina Qing Chi. 2018. An examination of the perceived value of organic dining. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 30: 2826–44. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  46. Moisander, Johanna, and Sinikka Pesonen. 2002. Narratives of sustainable ways of living: Constructing the self and the other as a green consumer. Management Decision 40: 329–42. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  47. Montoro Ríos, F.J., F. Muñoz Leiva, and J.A. Castañeda García. 2006. Productos de agricultura ecológica y sistemas de certificación: Perfiles de consumidor. Distribución y Consumo 87: 62–73. [Google Scholar]
  48. Nair, Suja R. 2018. Analyzing the relationship between store attributes, satisfaction, patronage-intention and lifestyle in food and grocery store choice behavior. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management 46: 70–89. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  49. Nguyen, Hoang Viet, Ninh Nguyen, Bach Khoa Nguyen, Antonio Lobo, and Phuong Anh Vu. 2019. Organic food purchases in an emerging market: The influence of consumers’ personal factors and green marketing practices of food stores. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16: 1037. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
  50. Nosi, Costanza, Tommaso Pucci, Cecilia Silvestri, and Barbara Aquilani. 2017. Does value co-creation really matter? An investigation of Italian millennials intention to buy electric cars. Sustainability 9: 2159. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  51. Olsen, Svein Ottar. 2007. Repurchase loyalty: The role of involvement and satisfaction. Psychology & Marketing 24: 315–41. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  52. Paul, Justin, and Jyoti Rana. 2012. Consumer behavior and purchase intention for organic food. Journal of Consumer Marketing 29: 412–22. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  53. Paul, Justin, Ashwin Modi, and Jayesh Patel. 2016. Predicting green product consumption using theory of planned behaviour and reasoned action. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 29: 123–34. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  54. Pham, Thu Huong, The Ninh Nguyen, Thi Thu Hoai Phan, and Nam Thanh Nguyen. 2018. Evaluating the purchase behaviour of organic food by young consumers in an emerging market economy. Journal of Strategic Marketing 4488: 1–17. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  55. Preacher, Kristopher J., and Andrew F. Hayes. 2004. SPSS and SAS procedures for estimating indirect effects in simple mediation models. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers 36: 717–31. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  56. Qi, Xin, Huaming Yu, and Angelika Ploeger. 2020. Exploring Influential Factors Including COVID-19 on Green Food Purchase Intentions and the Intention–Behaviour Gap: A Qualitative Study among Consumers in a Chinese Context. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17: 7106. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  57. Rizzo, Giuseppina, Massimiliano Borrello, Giovanni Dara Guccione, Giorgio Schifani, and Luigi Cembalo. 2020. Organic food consumption: The relevance of the health attribute. Sustainability 12: 595. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  58. Ryu, Kisang, and Heesup Han. 2010. Influence of the quality of food, service, and physical environment on customer satisfaction and behavioral intention in quick-casual restaurants: Moderating role of perceived price. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research 34: 310–29. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  59. Shih, Hung-Pin, Kee-hung Lai, and T.C. Edwin Cheng. 2013. Informational and relational influences on electronic word of mouth: An empirical study of an online consumer discussion forum. International Journal of Electronic Commerce 17: 137–65. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  60. Sirdeshmukh, Deepak, Jagdip Singh, and Barry Sabol. 2002. Consumer trust, value, and loyalty in relational exchanges. Journal of Marketing 66: 15–37. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  61. Tandon, Anushree, Armandeep Dhir, Puneet Kaur, Shiksha Kushwah, and Jari Salo. 2020. Behavioral reasoning perspectives on organic food purchase. Appetite 154: 104786. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  62. Taufique, Khan M.R., Andrea Vocino, and Michael Jay Polonsky. 2017. The influence of eco-label knowledge and trust on pro-environmental consumer behaviour in an emerging market. Journal of Strategic Marketing 25: 511–29. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  63. Thøgersen, John, Marcia Dutra de Barcellos, Marcelo Gattermann Perin, and Yanfeng Zhou. 2015. Consumer buying motives and attitudes towards organic food in two emerging markets: China and Brazil. International Marketing Review 32: 389–413. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  64. Vermeir, Iris, and Wim Verbeke. 2006. Sustainable Food Consumption: Exploring the Consumer “Attitude—Behavioral Intention” Gap. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 19: 169–94. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  65. Vlahović, Branislav, Anton Puškarić, and Marko Jeločnik. 2011. Consumer Attitude to Organic Food Consumption in Serbia. Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti Bulletin, Economic Sciences Series 63: 45–52. [Google Scholar]
  66. Voon, Jan P., Kwang Sing Ngui, and Anand Agrawal. 2011. Determinants of willingness to purchase organic food: An exploratory study using structural equation modeling. International Food and Agribusiness Management Review 14: 103–20. Available online: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1875186 (accessed on 21 August 2020).
  67. Wang, Chun-yang, and Maxwell K. Hsu. 2010. The relationships of destination image, satisfaction, and behavioral intentions: An integrated model. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing 27: 829–43. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  68. Woodside, Arch G., Lisa L. Frey, and Robert Timothy Daly. 1989. Linking sort/ice anlity, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intention. Journal of Health Care Marketing 9: 5–17. [Google Scholar]
  69. Zanoli, Raffaele, and Simona Naspetti. 2002. Consumer motivations in the purchase of organic food: A means-end approach. British Food Journal 104: 643–53. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  70. Zboja, James J., and Clay M. Voorhees. 2006. The impact of brand trust and satisfaction on retailer repurchase intentions. Journal of Services Marketing 20: 381–90. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Jrfm 13 00330 g001 550
Figure 1. The development of organic production (1991–2019). Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (2020).
Figure 1. The development of organic production (1991–2019). Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (2020).
Jrfm 13 00330 g001
Jrfm 13 00330 g002 550
Figure 2. Conceptual model.
Figure 2. Conceptual model.
Jrfm 13 00330 g002
Table
Table 1. Sample demographics.
Table 1. Sample demographics.
VariableCategoriesFrequencyPercentage
GenderMale4724%
Female14876%
AgeLess than 24 years3015%
25–45 years6634%
46–65 years8041%
More than 65 years1910%
EducationPrimary education3417%
General certificate of education2915%
General certificate of higher education4423%
Graduate8845%
Table
Table 2. Reliability and validity analysis.
Table 2. Reliability and validity analysis.
MeasuresItem Descriptionλ Stand.
Attitude
(adapted from Hoang et al. 2019)		I think that purchasing an organic product is interesting.0.807
I think that purchasing an organic product is a good idea.0.849
I think that purchasing an organic product is important.0.828
I think that purchasing an organic product is beneficial.0.941
I think that purchasing an organic product is favourable.0.937
Satisfaction
(adapted from Konuk 2018)		I am satisfied with my decision to purchase this organic product.0.907
I am happy to purchase this organic product.0.904
My choice to purchase this organic product is a wise one.0.913
Trust
(adapted from Voon et al. 2011)		I trust that those selling organic products are honest about the organic nature of their products.0.791
I trust the organic certification logo on organic product labels.0.942
I trust the information on organic product labels.0.957
Purchase intention (adapted from Konuk 2018)I am willing to buy this organic product in the future.0.899
I plan to purchase this organic product.0.919
I will make an effort to buy this organic product.0.961
WOM intention (Konuk 2019)I will recommend this product to other people who seek my advice.0.935
I will say positive things to my acquaintances about this product.0.960
I will encourage other people to buy this product.0.941
Table
Table 3. Reliability and validity analysis.
Table 3. Reliability and validity analysis.
ConstructsCRAVEα
Attitude0.9420.7650.943
Satisfaction0.9340.8240.934
Trust0.9270.8100.922
Purchase intention0.9480.8590.949
WOM intention0.9620.8940.962
Measurement Model Fit Indexes: S-BX2(109) = 127.9417, p < 0.001. BBNFI = 0.900, BBNNFI = 0.905, CFI = 0.924, IFI = 0.924, RMSEA = 0.057, SRMR = 0.050.
Notes: CR = Composite Reliability; AVE = Average Variance Extracted; α = Cronbach’s α; BBNFI = Bentler-Bonett Normed Fit Index; BBNNFI = Bentler-Bonnet Non-Normed Fit Index; CFI = Confirmatory Fit Index; IFI = Incremental Fit Index; RMSEA = Root Mean Square Error of Approximation; SRMR = Standardized Root Mean Square Residual.
Table
Table 4. Discriminant validity of the measurement model.
Table 4. Discriminant validity of the measurement model.
Constructs12345
1. Attitude0.765
2. Satisfaction0.5030.824
3. Trust0.1710.3990.810
4. Purchase intention0.4750.7460.3050.859
5. WOM intention0.4010.7070.3460.7890.894
The diagonal indicates the AVE of each concept.
Table
Table 5. Structural model results.
Table 5. Structural model results.
HypothesesCoefficientt-ValueHypotheses Supported
H1: Attitude → Satisfaction0.7499.934 ***Yes
H2: Satisfaction → Trust0.6698.706 ***Yes
H3a: Attitude → Purchase intention0.1282.114 *Yes
H3b: Satisfaction → Purchase intention0.86012.764 ***Yes
H3c: Trust → Purchase intention0.1882.794 **Yes
H4a: Attitude → WOM intention0.2152.582 **Yes
H4b: Satisfaction → WOM intention0.79710.264 ***Yes
H4c: Trust → WOM intention0.1202.239 *Yes
* p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.01; ns: not significant.
Table
Table 6. Results of the moderation model: environmental concern.
Table 6. Results of the moderation model: environmental concern.
HypothesisβtpLLCIULCIModeration
H3a: ATT→ PI27203.40700.00110.03990.2144Yes
H3b: SA → PI−0.0118−0.24450.8071−0.10720.0836No
H3c: TR → PI0.00170.02650.9789−0.12470.1281No
H4a: ATT → WI0.67602.77950.00710.06520.2005Yes
H4b: SA → WI−0.0234−0.4687−0.6398−0.12180.0750No
H4c: TR → WI−0.0109−0.17740.8594−0.13260.1107No
Note: Attitude (ATT); Satisfaction (SA); Trust (TR); Purchase intention (PI); WOM intention (WI).
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Cachero-Martínez, S. Consumer Behaviour towards Organic Products: The Moderating Role of Environmental Concern. J. Risk Financial Manag. 2020, 13, 330. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm13120330

AMA Style

Cachero-Martínez S. Consumer Behaviour towards Organic Products: The Moderating Role of Environmental Concern. Journal of Risk and Financial Management. 2020; 13(12):330. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm13120330

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cachero-Martínez, Silvia. 2020. "Consumer Behaviour towards Organic Products: The Moderating Role of Environmental Concern" Journal of Risk and Financial Management 13, no. 12: 330. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm13120330

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop