- Apply for Authority
- P-ISSN1738-3110
- E-ISSN2093-7717
- SCOPUS
ISSN : 1738-3110
An Analysis of the Effects of Consumer Characteristics and Consumer Trust on Purchase Intention of Environment-friendly Agricultural Products
Choi, Hyung-Kyu
Kim, Dong-Hwan
- Downloaded
- Viewed
Abstract
Purpose - The environment-friendly agricultural product market in Korea sees continual high growth. Recently, the Korean government has been actively fostering environment-friendly agriculture as an engine of future growth. Korean people have increasingly become more health-conscious and interested in food safety issues. Many distribution and retailing companies have responded with various promotional activities. However, most of these are not strategic and appear to have unsatisfactory outcomes. The main purpose of this paper is to suggest effective marketing strategies for environment-friendly agricultural products. To achieve this aim, the study empirically investigates the effects of consumer characteristics and trust on the purchase intention of environment-friendly agricultural products. Research design, data, methodology - Based on the theory of planned behavior, and previous studies related to the purchase intention and consumption of environment-friendly agricultural products, we set up five study hypotheses. These related to the demographic characteristics of consumers, purchase intention, and behavior of the products. We then set up a study model and four study hypotheses relating to health consciousness, environmental consciousness, consumer trust level, purchase intention, and behavior of the products. The data were collected using a questionnaire given to consumers living in Seoul and southern Geonggi Province. The final sample size is 403 and mean age is 44.3. SPSS 15.0 for Windows and Amos 7.0 were used as statistical analysis tools. Meaningful results were derived using frequency analysis, correlation analysis, a t-test, and structural equation modeling. Results - Empirical results of this research are as follows. (1) First, it is shown that consumers consider such attributes as intimacy and health to be important when they buy environment-friendly agricultural products. (2) We also found that consumers recognize the value of environment-friendly agricultural products as high, but their trust level as low. (3) Consumer groups consisting of married couples, with higher education, higher income, and higher age are shown to have a higher intention of buying environment-friendly agricultural products than any other consumer group. (4) It is estimated that the level of consumer trust positively affects the purchase intention of environment-friendly agricultural products. The path coefficient (.138) between consumer trust and purchase intention is statistically significant at the α = .05 level. (5). It is also estimated that environmental consciousness positively affects purchase intention. The path coefficient (.245) between environmental consciousness and purchase intention is statistically significant at the α = 0.05 level. The standardized path coefficients of consumer trust and environmental consciousness with purchase intention are .556 and .288 respectively. Therefore, consumer trust affects purchase intention more than environmental consciousness. (6) Finally, purchase intention is estimated to positively affect purchase behavior. Conclusions - Based upon empirical results, this research suggests that marketers of environment-friendly agricultural products should focus more on increasing consumer trust levels, emphasizing the training and education of employees. The government also should pay attention to a standardized certification system for environment-friendly agricultural products. Marketers of environment-friendly agricultural products should consider the consumer groups of married couples, with higher education, higher income, and higher age as a major target segment.
- keywords
- Environment-friendly Agricultural Product, Purchase Intention, Purchase Behavior, Consumer Characteristics, Consumer Trust
Reference
Ahn, Pyong-Ryol (2005), “An Analysis on the Characteristics of Purchasing Behavior for Environment-friendly Agri-products on Consumers in Gwangju”, Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture, 13(3), 229-242.
Ajzen, Icek (1991), “The Theory of Planned Behavior”, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179-211.
An, Seung-Cheol & Park, Sun-Yeung (1999), “A Study of Consumer’s Environmental Consciousness and Purchasing Behavior of Environmental Goods”, Journal of Resource Development, 18(1), 14-25.
Choi, Hwa-Sun & Lee, Kwang-Keun (2012), “A Study of the Factors Influencing Behavioral Intention for Organic Food: Using the Theory of Planned Behavior”, Journal of Distribution Science, 10(2), 53-62.
Follows, Scott B. & Jobber, David (2000), “Environmentally Responsible Purchase Behaviour: A Test of a Consumer Model”, European Journal of Marketing, 34(5/6), 723-746.
Furst, T., Connors, M., Bisogni, C. A., Sobal, J. and Falk, L. W. (1996), “Food Choice: A Conceptual Model of the Process”, Appetite, 26(3), 247-266.
Heo, Seung-Wook & Kim, Ho (2003), “Marketing Strategies and Consumption Situations of Environment-Friendly Agricultural Products in the Metropolitan Area”, Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture, 11(4), 15-37.
Huh, Eun-Jeong (2011), “The Determinants of Consumer’s Attitude and Purchase Intention on the Ethical Products”, Journal of Consumer Studies, 22(2), 89-111.
Huh, Kyungok (2004), “The Effects of Consumers’ Environmental Conservation Behavior on the Purchase of Pro-Environmental and Used Products”, Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association, 42(9), 88.
Huh, Kyungok (2005), “Analysis of Determinant Factors on the Purchase of and Willingness-to-pay for Organic Products”, Korean Family Resource Management Association Quarterly, 9(2), 77-92.
Jo, Je-uk & Yoo, Duck-ki (2000), “Analysis of Customer Loyalty and Purchasing Behaviors towards Environment-friendly Agricultural Products”, Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture, 17(3), 273-289.
Kang, Lee-Ju (2008), “Characteristics of Purchase Behavior of Organically Farmed Produce by Life Styles in Home Makers”, Consumption Culture Study, 11(1), 1-20.
Kim, Gwang-Suk, Song, Jang-Gwen and Lee, Seung-A (2009), “The Effect of Fair Trade on Consumer Behavior: In Terms of Ethical Consumerism”, Korean Management Review, 38(1), 295-315.
Kim, Gye-Soo (2007), New Amos 7.0 Structural Equation Model Analysis, Seoul, Korea: Hannarae Publishing Co., 398-402.
Kim, Sung-Sook (2007), “A Study on Consumer’s Attitude for Food Safety and Purchase of Environment Friendly Agricultural Products”, Journal of Korean Home Management Association, 25(6), 15-32.
Kim, In-Jung & Lee, Joon-Ho (2011), “The Housewives’ Purchase Behaviors on Environment-friendly Agricultural Products in Daejeon Area”, Korean Journal of Community Nutrition, 16(3), 386-397.
Kim, Chang-Gil, Jeong, Hak-kyun, and Moon, Dong-Hyun (2012), “Production and Consumption Status and Market Prospects for Environment-Friendly Agri-foods”, KREI Rural Policy Focus, 14, Seoul, Korea: Korea Rural Economic Institute.
Kim, Chang-Gil, Kim, Tae-Young and Seo, Sung-Cheon (2005), Analysis of Consumer Preferences and Purchasing Behaviors towards Environmentally Friendly Agricultural Products, Seoul, Korea: Korea Rural Economic Institute.
Kim, Ho, Heo, Seung-Wook and Lee, Ji-Eun (2010), “An Analysis and Implications on the Consumption and Consciousness Situation of Green Consumers”, Korean Journal of Food Marketing Economics, 27(3), 43-62.
Lee, Haksik & Lim, Ji-Hoon (2007), Structural Equation Modelling with AMOS 6.0, Paju, Korea: Bobmunsa, 71-72.
Lee, Ji-Eun (2011), “The Effectiveness of Consumer’s Environmental Consciousness on Environment-Friendly Agricultural Products Perception and Purchase Intention”, Korean Journal of Agricultural Management and Policy, 38(2), 196-219.
Lee, Jong-Sung, Oh, Ju-Sung, Shon, Hung-Dae, Yang, Won-Jin, Chung, Won-Bok, Jeong Soon-Jae and Kim, Doh-Hoon (2002), “An Analysis of Consumer’s Taste on Environment-Friendly Agricultural Products in Korea”, Korean Journal of Life Science, 12(4), 433-441.
Loureiro, Maria L. & Lotade, Justus (2005), “Do Fair Trade and Eco-Labels in Coffee Wake Up the Consumer Science?”, Ecological Economics, 53, 129-138.
Park, Sojin & You, So-Ye (2007), “A Study of the Effect of Health Motivation and Environmental Concern on Choosing Organic Food”, Consumption Culture Study, 10(4), 107-126.
Plesmacker, P. D., Janssens, W., Sterckx E. and Mielants C. (2006), “Fair-Trade Beliefs, Attitudes and Buying Behavior of Belgian Consumers”, International Journal Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, 11(1), 125-138.
Seo, Sun-Young (2010), “What does mean the Eco-Mom in Korea?”, Consumption Culture Study, 13(3), 123-139.
Shaw, Deirdre & Shiu, Edward (2002a), “An Assessment of Ethical Obligation and Self-identity in Ethical Consumer Decision-making: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach”, International Journal of Consumer Studies, 26(4), 286-293.
Shaw, Deirdre & Shiu, Edward (2002b), “The Role of Ethical Obligation and Self-identity in Ethical Consumer Choice”, International Journal of Consumer Studies, 26(2), 109-116.
Shaw, Deirdr & Shiu, Edward (2003), “Ethics in Consumer Choice: A Multivariate Modelling Approach”, European Journal of Marketing, 37(10), 1485-1489.
Sin, Chul-Ro & Kim, Jin-Suk (2008), “A Survey on the consumer’s Purchasing Pattern for Environmental-friendly Agricultural products”, Journal of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 42(1), 77-91.
Statistics Korea (2012), “e-National Indicators”, from http://www.index.go.kr/egams/stts/jsp/potal/stts/PO_STTS_ IdxMain.jsp?idx_cd=1292&bbs=INDX_001&clas_div=C&rootKey =1.48.0.
- Downloaded
- Viewed
- 0KCI Citations
- 0WOS Citations