The Role of Health-Related Product Attributes, Health Concerns, and Children’s Age on Attitudes and Intentions Toward Organic Food

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to develop a theoretical model based on the Mehrabian and Russell’s Stimulus-Organism-Response model (1974) in order to examine the influence of consumers’ health-related organic food attributes on utilitarian/hedonic attitudes and behavioral intentions. In addition, the moderation effects of health consciousness and children’s age are tested. According to Cue Utilization Theory (Cox 1967; Olson and Jacoby 1972), consumers may try to overcome their uncertainty by choosing one or more cues as a basis for their evaluation of product quality. In our study, two key product attributes (i.e., nutrition and natural content) are used to evaluate the value of health and safety in organic foods. As to the moderation effects of health consciousness and children’s age, we expect that health-conscious consumers are likely to be deeply committed to evaluate food quality attributes and establish perceptions and attitudes toward organic food purchases. We also expect that consumers’ attitudes will become more positive when children’s age in a family is younger. Accordingly, the following six hypotheses are developed: H1: Health-related organic product attributes will have a significant positive effect on utilitarian attitudes.H2: Health-related organic product attributes will have a significant positive effect on hedonic attitudes.H3: Utilitarian attitudes will have a significant positive effect on behavioral intentions to buy organic foods.H4: Hedonic attitudes will have a significant positive effect on behavioral intentions to buy organic foods.H5: Health-related organic food attributes will have a more significant effect on (a) utilitarian and (b) hedonic attitudes among more health-conscious consumers than among less health-conscious consumers.H6: Health-related organic food attributes will have a more significant effect on (a) utilitarian and (b) hedonic attitudes for consumers who have children aged 12 years old or under than for those who have children aged over 12 years old or no children. Seven hundred twenty-five consumer panels registered with a market research firm participated in the web survey. Multi-item scales validated in previous studies were identified and modified for the current study. Five children’s age categories (less than 1 year old; 1-5 years of age; 6-12 years of age; 13-17 years of age; and 18 years old or older) were measured. Fifty-five percent of the respondents were female. The mean age was 43 years old with a range of 20 to 85 years old. 60.8% of the respondents were married. The two most common income categories were $30,000 to $59,999 and $60,000 to $89,999. In regard to education, 38.8% had completed their bachelor’s degree. Data analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling with AMOS 19.0. The fit indices for the measurement model indicated a reasonable fit of the data: χ2 (195) = 681.089, p < 0.001; χ2/df = 3.493; RMSEA = 0.059; CFI = 0.960; TLI = 0.952. The results also revealed a good level of fit for the structural model: χ2 (197) = 931.869, p < 0.001; χ2/df = 4.730; RMSEA = 0.072; CFI = 0.939; TLI = 0.929. All the hypothesized paths were significant and each effect was in the same direction to what was hypothesized. We found strong evidence for the proposed model as indicated by support for all the hypothesized relationships. Health-related attributes showed a significant effect on both utilitarian and hedonic attitudes. Although both relationships were significant, health-related attributes were more closely related to utilitarian attitudes than hedonic attitudes. It seems that health-related attributes encourage consumers to be more engaged in cognitive judgments than emotionally driven evaluations. Based on the finding that utilitarian attitudes more strongly affected behavioral intentions than hedonic attitudes, we conclude that utilitarian attitudes play a more critical role in consumers’ purchase decision of organic food than hedonic attitudes. Therefore, organic food retailers should endeavor to make consumers to develop utilitarian attitudes by illuminating how organic food can fulfill their practical (health-related) needs. Based on significant moderation effects of health consciousness and children’s age, organic food retailers should pay more careful attention to consumers who are concerned about their health. In addition, organic food retailers should target a family with infants and young children (12 years old or less).