Factors that influence consumer attitude and intention to purchase organic foods

Abstract

The South African Organic farming industry has indicated a stable increase in the production of organic products from insignificant informal sectors to a fast-growing formal sector. Although there is no documented evidence of the origins of the sector, it can be considered that the formalisation of the organic industry started in 1994 with the formation of Organic Agriculture Association of South Africa (OAASA). The expanding organic food sector is a current organisational change in food demand in South Africa. Therefore, it is becoming vital for food marketers to know consumer needs and demands for food in South Africa, particularly organic food, as consumer preferences sturdily affects the direction of the marketers’ approach, in terms of what is in demand and consumed. Accordingly, this research investigated the factors that influence consumer attitude towards organic food and how consumer attitude influences consumers’ buying intentions. A non-experimental quantitative approach was employed to respond to the purpose and goals determined for the study. A survey was circulated to South African purchasers residing in the Gauteng Province, who were over the age of 18 years and liable for their own domestic food acquisitions. A total of 310 questionnaires were completed, but only 301 responses without errors were utilised for statistical analysis. Data collection was conducted by means of an in-store intercept approach and snowball sampling was applied to supplement the purposive sampling approach to achieve a statistically significant respondent sample. In order to examine and understand the socioeconomic characteristics of the sample and further determine the type of respondents who took part in the research, descriptive statistical analysis was used for this current research. Furthermore, to meet the goals of the research, inferential statistical analysis was used to attain the description view of every recognised variable’s performance of the participants. The findings of this research firstly showed that product quality, subjective norms, health and environmental concerns had a positive influence on consumer attitude towards organic food. The analysis further indicated that health concerns had the strongest influence on the respondents’ attitude for organic food, followed by product quality, then subjective norms. Surprisingly, environmental concerns showed no statistically significant influence on the consumers’ attitudes towards the purchase of organic foods. Secondly, the results showed that the respondents had a favourable and positive attitude for organic food. The participants believed that organic food was higher quality, healthier, safer, fresher and tastier than conventionally grown food. Thirdly, the results showed that even though the respondents considered price as a significant influence when purchasing food, and also considered organic foods to be expensive than conventional food products, they still intended to purchase more organic food. The results further showed that, though some respondents had access to organic food in the retail-stores where they regularly shop, other respondents still expressed difficulty in finding organic food products. However, this does not change their intent to purchase more organic food. Lastly, the results indicated that, although respondents had a great intent to buy organic food, this did not translate into actual purchase behaviour, because actual shopping behaviour of organic food was low, which reiterates the intention-behaviour gap. This means that, although the respondents had a strong intention to purchase organic foods, there are still hurdles which hindered them from making the actual buying of organic foods. The intention-behaviour gap among consumers is mostly triggered by the inaccessibility of organic food products, consumers’ lack of confidence in the trustworthiness of organic food certifications, and the high price of organic food. It is therefore advised that organic food sellers must aim to expand purchasers’ awareness of organic food, in terms of what makes organic food distinctive from non-organic food and the justifications for high prices of these products, so they will be more prepared to buy organic food. Organic food traders and marketers must improve the accessibility of these foods by supplying them where it is convenient for purchasers to buy such products. It is also suggested that the South African government must put in place official certification and inspection programmes for organic food products to improve consumer confidence in certified organic food products. This current research can contribute by adding value to the literature on environmental sustainability in the perspective of a growing economy, specifically South Africa. The research further extends its contribution in assisting organic food producers, operations, sellers, government and regulatory institutions to further understand the factors that influence consumer attitude for organic food and consumers’ buying intentions. This will enable the effective development of organic agricultural programmes (e.g. certification) and improve marketing campaigns that will motivate South Africans to select organic food products.