Exploring consumer attitude and its influence on the intention to purchase genetically modified (GM) food products : towards an integrated research framework to advance food security

Abstract

Research in South Africa (SA) has not yet explored consumers’ attitudes toward genetically modified food products (GMFPs) and attitude’s influence on their purchase intention (PI) by combining the Expectancy Value (EV) Model of Attitudes and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) framework. It remains unknown what drives consumer attitudes toward these food products and its influence on PI. This study developed an integrated attitudinal framework to advance food security that highlighted the key aspects contributing to attitude development towards GMFPs. A qualitative methodology was used, together with a constructivist paradigm and phenomenological, descriptive and exploratory research design. Purposive, convenience and snowball sampling were used to recruit 32 participants residing in the Midlands in KwaZulu-Natal through a Facebook post. Data analysis revealed that the participants believed GMFPs have an altered state of existence, beneficial traits, with related risks and concerns. These food products were also valued for what consumers gain from them, but made ethical connotations to them. Consumer-related benefits were further expected of GMFPs, suggesting a dual attitude toward GMFPs. The findings suggest that the beliefs component of the EV Model of Attitudes plays the most prominent role in attitude formation in the GMFP context, followed by the values component, with the expectations component being the least influential. The participants lacked GMFP knowledge and did not consult GM-related information sources, leaving consumers’ beliefs about GMFPs factually unfounded, with knowledge influencing the beliefs of GMFPs. It was demonstrated that attitudes and subjective norms do not influence the PI of GMFPs, while perceived behavioural control (PBC) does. This study contributes to the GMFP industry by showing what drives consumers’ attitudes toward GMFPs, its influence on PI, and which components of the EV Model of Attitudes are the most influential in driving attitudes toward GMFPs, thereby highlighting key aspects that can be used to create consumer acceptance towards GMFPs to advance their food security status.

Uphando eMzantsi Afrika okwangoku alukayiphicothi indlela abaziva ngayo abathengi malunga neemveliso zokutya eziguqulwe ngokwemveliso yazo (iiGMFP) kunye nendlela abaziva ngayo echaphazela ngayo injongo yabo yokuthenga (PI) ngokusebenzisa indibanisela yesikhokelo se-Expectancy Value (EV) Model of Attitude kunye neTheory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Akwaziwa ukuba yintoni eqhuba indlela abaziva ngayo abathengi malunga nezi mveliso zokutya kunye nempembelelo yayo kwinjongo yabo yokuthenga (PI). Olu phando luqulunqe isikhokelo esihlanganisiweyo sendlela abaziva ngayo abathengi ukuqhubela phambili ukhuseleko lokutya, ukugqamisa iinkalo eziphambili ezinegalelo kuphuhliso lwendlela abaziva ngayo malunga neeGMFP. Kusetyenziswe indlela yophandontyilazwi, isikhokelo sengcingane yokudalwa kolwazi nokuqonda ngokwamava okuphila/ezentlalo kunye noyilo lophando lokuqonda iingcamango ngesiganeko esithile, oluchazayo noluphicothayo. Kusetyenziswe iindlela zovandlakanyo ezifana nokukhetha igcuntswana ledatha ngenjongo (purposive sampling), ukukhetha igcuntswana ledatha ngokufanelekileyo nalula (convenience sampling) kunye nokukhetha igcuntswana ledatha ngokufumaneka nzima (snowball sampling) ukukhangela iqela labathathinxaxheba abangama32 abahlala eMidlands KwaZulu-Natal ngokuxhoma ikhwelo kuFacebook. Uhlalutyo lwedatha lubonise ukuba abathathinxaxheba bakholelwa ukuba iiGMPP zikwimeko eguqulweyo, kukho imingcipheko neenkxalabo ezinxulumene nazo, kwaye ezi mveliso zineempawu eziluncedo. Ezi mveliso zokutya nazo zixatyiselwe oko abathengi abanokukufumana kuzo, kodwa abathengi bangqamanisa iingcamango ezithile zokuziphatha kuzo. Iinzuzo ezinxulumene nabathengi bezilindeleke ngakumbi kwiiGMFP, nto leyo ebonisa indlela entlantlumbini abaziva ngayo malunga neeGMFP. Iziphumo zibonisa ukuba icandelo leenkolelo ze-EV Model of Attitudes lidlala indima ebonakalayo ekubunjweni kwendlela yokucinga okanye abaziva ngayo abathengi ngokubhekiselele kwiGMFP, lilandelwe licandelo lexabiso, lize lona icandelo lokulindela isiphumo esithile libenempembelelo encinci. Abathathinxaxheba bebengenalo ulwazi lweGMFP kwaye abakhange bayijonge imithombo yolwazi enxulumene neGM, nto leyo eshiya iinkolelo zabathengi malunga neeGMFP zibeyinyaniso engenasihlahla, ezinolwazi oluphembelela iinkolelo zeeGMFP. Kubonakaliswe ukuba iindlela zokucinga okanye abaziva ngayo kunye neenkolelo zabathengi aziyiphembeleli iPI yeeGMFP, ngelixa ulawulo lwendlela yokuziphatha olubonwayo (perceived behavioural control (PBC)) luyiphembelela. Olu phando lunegalelo kushishino lweGMFP ngokubonisa ukuba yintoni eqhubela phambili iindlela zokucinga okanye abaziva ngazo abathengi malunga neeGMFP kunye nempembelelo yazo kwiPI, lukwabonisa amacandelo e-EV Model of Attitudes anempembelelo ngakumbi ukuqhubela phambili iindlela abaziva ngazo abathengi malunga neGMFP, ngaloo ndlela lugqamisa iinkalo eziphambili ezinokusetyenziswa ukudala ukwamkelwa kweeGMFP ngabathengi ukuqhubela phambili isimo sabo sokhuseleko lokutya. *The student and supervisor are unable to confirm the correctness of the translated abstract

Ucwaningo eNingizimu Afrika (SA) alusivezi kahle isimo sokuthi bacabangani abathengi mayelana nemikhiqizo yokudla eyakhiwe ngemifuziselo (GMFPs) kanye nokuthi ukucabanga kwabo kunamuphi umthelela ekuthengweni kwempahla (PI) ngokusebenzisa inhlanganisela ye-Expectancy Value (EV) Model of Attitudes kanye nohlaka lwe-Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Namanje akwaziwa ukuthi yini elawula ukucabanga kwabathengi mayelana nale mikhiqizo ngokunjalo nomthelela wayo ku-PI. Lolu cwaningo luqhamuke nohlaka oludidiyelwe mayelana nokucabanga kwabathengi ukuze kuphuculwe indlela yokuvikeleka kokudla okugqamisa iminxa ethile emqoka enomthelela endleleni yokucabanga ngokwe-GMFP. Lapha kuye kwasetshenziswa indlela yokuhlola isimo, uhlelo lokuhlola ukucabanga komuntu ngayedwa nalokho okumangazayo, uhlelo lokuchaza nokuhlola isehlo. Kuye kwasetshenziswa ingosi ka-Facebook kwaqhanyukwa nohlelo lokunxenxa abantu ukuba nabo banxenxe abanye kwase kutholakala ababambiqhaza abangama-32 abahlala Maphakathi neKwaZulu-Natali. Imininingwane yocwaningo iveza ukuthi ababambiqhaza bakholelwa ekutheni ama-GMFP awukushintsha kwesimo sokuphila, anobungozi futhi kunezikhalo ngawo, ngokunjalo nokuthi lolu hlobo lwemikhiqizo lunokhondolo oluthile. Le mikhiqizo yokudla iphinde yakalwa nangokuthi abathengi bangazuzani kuyo, kodwa kunezinto abathengi abaziphawulayo ngendlela abacabanga ngayo ngale mikhiqizo. Bekulindeleke ukuba kuvele ukuthi yini ezohlonyulwa abathengi mayelana ne-GMFP, ngokubheka ukucabanga ngezindlela ezimbili mayelana ne-GMFP. Imiphumela iveza ukuthi ingxenye yezinkolelo ze-EV Model of Attitudes idlala indima enkulu kakhulu endleleni yokucabanga ngokuphathelene ne-GMFP, kulandelwa ingxenye yezinga lomkhiqizo, neveza ukuthi kuncane kakhulu okuphawulekayo nokungumthelela ngalokhu. Ababambiqhaza bebengenalo ulwazi lwe-GMFP futhi abalwenzanga uphenyo ngokubheka imithombo enolwazi oluhlobene ne-GM, lokhu-ke kudale ukuthi kungatholakali kahle ukuthi abathengi bakholelwa kukuphi mayelana nama-GMFP, ngenxa yemininingwane engaqondakali ngokokucabanga nge- GMFP. Kuye kwavela ukuthi indlela yokucabanga nezinkambiso ezizimele akunamthelela ku- PI yama-GMFP, ekubeni kuyaye kube nomthelela othile ngokulawulwa kokuziphatha (PBC). Lolu cwaningo lunomthelela emkhakheni ye-GMFP ngokuthi lubonisa ukuthi yini elawula indlela yokucabanga kwabathengi mayelana nama-GMFP nomthelela ku-PI, luphinde futhi lubonise izingxenye ze-EV Model of Attitudes ezinomthelela omkhulu ekulawuleni ukucabanga nge-GMFP, ngokuthi kugqanyiswe iminxa emqoka engasetshenziswa ukuze abathengi bamukele imikhiqizo ye-GMFP ekuphuculeni isimo sokuvikeleka kokudla. *The student and supervisor are unable to confirm the correctness of the translated abstract.