Identifying the Determinants of Egg Food Quality, and the Structural Relationship Between Egg Food Quality, Trust, and Loyalty: The Case of the U.S. Market

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Eggs serve as an important source of nutrition for the general public. However, despite their importance, research examining consumer characteristics related to egg consumption remains limited, focusing on the quality. Therefore, the primary objective of this work is to define the concept of food quality from the consumer’s perspective in the U.S. egg market. This work employs five attributes to evaluate the food quality of eggs, including price fairness, nutritional value, product size, packaging, and hygiene. Methods: This research also investigates the structural relationships between food quality attributes, trust, and loyalty. Food quality is operationalized through five sub-dimensions: price fairness, nutritional value, product size, packaging, and hygiene. Data were collected via an online survey using the Clickworker platform, resulting in 311 valid responses for statistical analysis. Covariance-based structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed hypotheses. Results: The findings reveal that trust is positively influenced by price fairness, nutritional value, packaging, and hygiene. Furthermore, loyalty is positively affected by nutritional value, product size, and trust. Conclusion: This research contributes to the literature by offering a consumer-centered definition of egg quality and by identifying key quality-related attributes that influence trust and loyalty.