Determinants of Willingness to Purchase Organic Food: An Exploratory Study Using Structural Equation Modeling

The global organic food market has grown tremendously over the past decade. The present study investigated the determinants of willingness to purchase organic food among consumers in a Malaysian city, using a questionnaire survey. The Theory of Planned Behavior informed the research framework and hypotheses. Using structural equation modeling, attitude, subjective norms and affordability (behavioral control) were modeled to impact intention or willingness to pay (WTP) for organic food. WTP in turn predicted actual purchase. Attitude and subjective norms exerted significant positive effects on WTP while the effect of affordability was not significant. Attitude further impacted subjective norms and affordability, thus indicating that efforts to promote consumption growth should focus on influencing consumer attitudes.