Abstract
Objective: To examine psychosocial and demographic variables associated with consumer intention to purchase sustainably produced foods using an expanded Theory of Planned Behavior. Design: Consumers were approached at the store entrance and asked to complete a self-administered survey. Setting: Three metropolitan Minnesota grocery stores. Participants: Participants (n = 550) were adults who shopped at the store: the majority were white, female, and highly educated and earned ≥ $50,000/year. Participation rates averaged 62%. Main Outcome Measures: The major domain investigated was consumer support for sustainably produced foods. Demographics, beliefs, attitudes, subjective norm, and self-identity and perceived behavioral control were evaluated as predictors of intention to purchase them. Analysis: Descriptive statistics, independent t tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson product moment correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression analyses (p < .05). Results: Consumers were supportive of sustainably produced foods but not highly confident in their ability to purchase them. Independent predictors of intention to purchase them included attitudes, beliefs, perceived behavioral control, subjective norm, past buying behavior, and marital status. Conclusions and Implications: Beliefs, attitudes, and confidence level may influence intention to purchase sustainably produced foods. Nutrition educators could increase consumer's awareness of sustainably produced foods by understanding their beliefs, attitudes, and confidence levels.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 316-325 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior |
Volume | 34 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2002 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and the Midwest Food Alliance provided financial support and assistance. Address for correspondence: Chery Smith, PhD, MPH, RD, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, 225 FScN, 1334 Eckles Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108-6099; Tel: (612) 624-2217; Fax: (612) 625-5272; E-mail: csmith@umn.edu. ©2002 SOCIETY FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION
Funding Information:
We would like to thank the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and the MWFA for their financial support and assistance in facilitating this research study. We would also like to thank the consumers for taking the time to complete the surveys and participating grocery stores for their cooperation.
Keywords
- Food choice
- Local foods
- Organic foods
- Sustainable agriculture
- Theory of Planned Behavior