COVID-19 pandemic: what drives consumers’ willingness to purchase organic food?

Abstract

The consumption of organic food is increasing globally due to heightening awareness of its benefits in terms of nutrients such as antioxidants and minerals as compared to conventional food. Organic food is also safer to consume as it is farmed without using human-made or artificial chemical fertilizers, pesticides, growth hormones or regulators and feed additives. Nevertheless, very few studies have been conducted to understand the demand side in purchasing organic foods, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the underlying factors that drive consumers’ willingness to purchase organic foods during the inevitable challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the two underpinning theories; Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT). A questionnaire-based survey was distributed using WhatsApp messaging to 100 respondents as this method was deemed safer compared to the face-to-face method during the pandemic. PLS-SEM was employed to test the structural relationship of the constructs proposed in the model. The results indicated that response efficacy, attitudes, and subjective norm had a significant influence on consumers’ willingness to purchase organic food. The remaining constructs based on the PMT model had no impact on willingness. Further investigation revealed that response efficacy was the most important factor driving consumers to purchase organic food during the COVID-19 pandemic.