Extending the TPB Model to Explain Public’s Purchase Intention of Sustainability Labeled Coffee in Taiwan: The Moderating Role of Climate Change Skepticism: An Abstract

Abstract

Mankind is now facing serious sustainability challenges of the environment and the society from climate change to inequity social problems. Consumers can take responsibility to society and the environment by purchasing products that are least harmful to humans and nature. By doing so, the opportunities of life and consumption of other people and future generations are affected as little as possible. Previous studies indicated that the inclusion of perceived moral obligations in the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model has greatly improved the prediction of individual’s behavioral intention. Self-identity was also found as a significant predictor of pro-environmental behaviors. But an individual’s skepticism and uncertainty of climate change may reduce his or her willingness to act pro-environmental behaviors. In view of the growing coffee consumption market in Taiwan and the environmental impact of coffee production, this study aims to explore Taiwanese public’s attitude toward purchasing sustainability labeled coffee and their purchase intentions. People’s perceived moral obligation and pro-environmental self-identity are included in the TPB model to increase the model’s explanatory power. The moderating effect of people’s skeptical attitude toward climate change is also considered in this study. A nationwide and self-reported questionnaire was distributed in Taiwan. The collected data was analyzed by moderated regression analysis. The research results revealed that as expected the original three components in the TPB model (i.e., attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) have influences on people’s purchase intentions of sustainability labeled coffee, the additional two factors (i.e., perceived moral obligations and pro-environmental self-identity) also have influences on people’s purchase intentions of sustainability labeled coffee. Moreover, the moderating effect of climate change skepticism on the positive relationship between pro-environmental self-identity and purchase intentions of sustainable labeled coffee was verified. The empirical research findings facilitate a better understanding of Taiwanese public’s attitude toward purchasing sustainability labeled coffee and their purchase intentions.