Development of extended theory of planned behaviour factorial model for organic food consumption among Malaysian adults
The increasing demand for food has led to modernization and reliance on artificial inputs in agriculture, which has raised people's concerns regarding food safety and the environment. As a result, organic food, which is grown sustainably without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, and GMOs, i...
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Format: | Thesis |
Language: | English English |
Published: |
2023
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/111146/1/FPSK%20%28P%29%202023%204%20-%20IR.pdf |
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Summary: | The increasing demand for food has led to modernization and reliance on artificial inputs
in agriculture, which has raised people's concerns regarding food safety and the
environment. As a result, organic food, which is grown sustainably without synthetic
pesticides, fertilizers, and GMOs, is becoming a popular choice for consumers. However,
organic food actual consumption remains low in Malaysia, and previous research have
mainly focused on predicting people's intention to consume organic food. This study
aimed to understand factors influencing intention and actual consumption of organic food
among Malaysian adults with two study phases.
Phase 1 (quantitative) comprised a pilot survey (stage 1) to test construct validity and
reliability of the instrument. This was followed by an actual survey (stage 2) that
collected 424 responses to develop an extended theory of planned behaviour (E-TPB)
factorial model for organic food consumption among Malaysian adults. Both surveys
utilized online sampling through Facebook. The E-TPB model predicted 72.2% of
organic food consumption intention, with attitude formed by food safety, health and
environmental concerns being the strongest predictor, followed by perceived behavioural
control and subjective norm. Gender was found to have a small effect on consumption
intention, with women having a higher intention than men.
The model predicted 24.2% of actual consumption, with consumption intention being the
strongest predictor. The actual consumption was also contributed by food choice motives
specifically "food safety and nutrition" and "health and mood" as well as individual
monthly income level. Moreover, the study found that trust in organic food certification,
labelling, and control moderated the relationship between intention and actual
consumption of organic food.
In Phase 2, three focus group discussions were conducted via Zoom to explain the factors
of organic food consumption identified in the quantitative study. Two discussions were
held with regular and non-to-occasional organic food consumers, while the third
involved relevant stakeholders. Five themes emerged for organic food perception: "food
safety", "accessibility", "affordability", "production", and "appearance". The factors that
influence organic food consumption were categorized as "internal" and "external"
factors.
The identification of these themes provided specific insights into the psychological and
physical factors that affect organic food consumption, thereby enhancing the quantitative
findings. The discussions also revealed three primary themes related to organic food
certification, labelling, and control: "public confidence", "governance", and "strategy".
These themes emphasized the crucial role of trust in strengthening the relationship
between intention and actual consumption of organic food by providing key elements
associated with it.
The quantitative study found that the E-TPB factorial model of organic food
consumption had satisfactory predictive validity and fit indices and also established the
moderating role of trust in the intention-actual consumption relationship. The qualitative
findings further shed light on how identified factors contribute to organic food
consumption. The study's results can benefit industry players and stakeholders promoting
sustainable development goals through organic food consumption, although caution is
advised when generalizing to all Malaysian adults due to the online sampling. Future
research could further investigate predictors and variables that mediate or moderate to
better understand actual organic food consumption. |
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