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Does information about environmental considerations affect Chinese and UK consumers' purchase intentions for traced foods? A path analysis

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Andy Jin, Yasuhiro Matsuoka, Dr Glyn Jones, Professor Lynn FrewerORCiD

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

© The Author(s) 2024. Consumers are increasingly focused on making sustainable food choices, necessitating transparent and trusted systems for providing sustainability information. This can be implemented, for instance, through application of traceability systems that “carry” sustainability information about production and distribution. Currently, the literature on traceability mainly addresses consumer perceptions regarding the benefits of traceability concerning food safety and recalls. This research assessed consumers’ perceptions of the benefits of tracing food sustainability information in relation to purchase decisions. Data were collected using online surveys in China (n = 1515) and the UK (n = 1656). Path analysis indicated that higher perceived benefits of tracing sustainability information had small positive impacts on purchase intentions in both countries, with these being more pronounced for traced beef compared to milk and apples. The impacts of perceived environmental benefits on purchase intentions were partially mediated by perceptions of improved food safety and quality. This indirect influence was more prominent among UK respondents, implying potentially stronger safety and quality “halo” effects associated with environmental sustainability information compared to Chinese respondents. Stronger pro-environmental attitudes and greater perceived environmental threats linked to food production correlated with higher perceived environmental benefits of tracing food sustainability information and purchase intentions for traced foods in both countries. Positive correlations between pro-environmental attitudes and perceived environmental threats were only observed for UK respondents, suggesting that environmental issues related to food production might be more integrated into the general environmental attitudes of UK respondents. Implications for marketing strategies and policymaking are proposed considering diverse consumer responses to traced foods between the UK and China, food categories, and socio-demographic groups.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Jin S, Matsuoka Y, Yue M, Jones G, Frewer LJ

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Environment, Development and Sustainability

Year: 2024

Pages: ePub ahead of Print

Online publication date: 07/06/2024

Acceptance date: 27/05/2024

Date deposited: 27/05/2024

ISSN (print): 1387-585X

ISSN (electronic): 1573-2975

Publisher: Springer Nature

URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-024-05097-0

DOI: 10.1007/s10668-024-05097-0

Data Access Statement: Data and code will be made available on request.


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
BBSRC - China Agritech Challenge—REmote sensing and Decision support for Apple tree Precision management, Production and globaL tracEability (RED-APPLE)
BB/S020985/1

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