Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the causal relationship study between seven sub-dimensions of perceived risk(quality risk, psychological risk, health risk, financial risk, environmental risk, time-loss risk, and social risk) and behavioral intentions in the context of food upcycling. Furthermore, this study analyzes the differences in perceived risk based on the respondents’ demographic factors. Research design, data, and methodology: As food upcycling products have yet to achieve widespread adoption, this study collected data from potential consumers through a professional online survey company in South Korea. The empirical analysis was conducted using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 21.0 software, and differences based on demographic factors were analyzed through t-tests, One-way ANOVA, and post hoc LSD pairwise comparisons. Result: The results of this study indicated that three dimensions of perceived risk(health risk, financial risk, and social risk) negatively affect behavioral intentions. In addition, the results indicated that differences in seven sub-dimensions of perceived risk were found in demographic factors, such as gender, age, and marital status. Conclusions: The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the theoretical expansion of food upcycling and provide practical marketing implications for popularization for food upcycling products.