The role of sequential mediating factors of knowledge and attitude affecting organic food consumption: SOR perspective

Abstract

The organic food market is growing strongly globally, but in Vietnam, it is still in its early stages. This consumer market in the provinces and cities around big cities accounts for a large proportion but has not been paid much attention in previous studies. Therefore, the study aims to examine how health consciousness (YTSK), consumer knowledge (KT), and consumer attitudes (TD) influence intention (YD) and willingness to pay (SLCT) for organic food and examines the role of sequential intermediaries of KT and TD within the framework of the Stimulus - Process - Response (S-O-R) model. Data was collected through direct interviews with people living and working in 13 provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region, going to shopping centers, supermarkets, organic food stores, and department stores. Grocery stores that sell organic food through a stratified random sampling method. With 311 valid samples, the study used the PLS-SEM technique for analysis. The findings show that YTSK, KT, and TD all have a significant impact on YD and SLCT for organic food, in which TD consumption has the strongest impact. The results showed that the sequential mediating factors, including KT and TD, consecutively had significant impacts on YTSK and YD, as well as YTSK and SLCT. The study results provide encouraging and valuable insights for researchers, marketers, and retailers to find practical solutions to promote consumer purchases of organic food, permitting an increase in the expansion of the organic food market in small cities and the suburbs of big cities.