Why Do Consumers Buy Organic? Exploring Motivations and Socio-Economic Patterns
The study explored the relationship between motivations and attitudes for purchasing certified organic food and the socio-economic characteristics of consumers. The research involved 1020 Polish respondents, using in-depth interviews with a structured electronic questionnaire. Participants were sele...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Agriculture |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/1/50 |
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| author | Dominika Jakubowska Małgorzata Grzywińska-Rąpca Mariola Grzybowska-Brzezińska |
| author_facet | Dominika Jakubowska Małgorzata Grzywińska-Rąpca Mariola Grzybowska-Brzezińska |
| author_sort | Dominika Jakubowska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The study explored the relationship between motivations and attitudes for purchasing certified organic food and the socio-economic characteristics of consumers. The research involved 1020 Polish respondents, using in-depth interviews with a structured electronic questionnaire. Participants were selected through non-random, purposive sampling, selecting only consumers of organic food. The findings revealed that altruistic-egoistic motives are prevalent among consumers with higher food expenditure, particularly on organic products. Three main categories of organic food consumers’ attitudes were identified: pro-environmental, driven by concerns for sustainability and environmental protection; pro-health, centered on personal and family health and food safety; and pro-wellbeing, focusing on personal satisfaction, emotional wellbeing, and ethical considerations. Women were more likely to prioritize pro-health attitudes, reflecting a focus on personal and family health. Additionally, higher household income was linked to stronger pro-environmental and pro-health purchasing attitudes. This study contributes to consumer behavior theory and practical applications by offering a framework that integrates altruistic-egoistic and hedonic motives, as well as pro-environmental, pro-health, and hedonic attitudes, illustrating their roles in shaping organic food purchasing decisions and highlighting the interplay between these motivations and socio-economic characteristics. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-68f0f4804e7c40a195b80771dae6f67c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj-art-68f0f4804e7c40a195b80771dae6f67c2025-01-10T13:13:31ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722024-12-011515010.3390/agriculture15010050Why Do Consumers Buy Organic? Exploring Motivations and Socio-Economic PatternsDominika Jakubowska0Małgorzata Grzywińska-Rąpca1Mariola Grzybowska-Brzezińska2Department of Market and Consumption, Institute of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, PolandDepartment of Market and Consumption, Institute of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, PolandDepartment of Market and Consumption, Institute of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, PolandThe study explored the relationship between motivations and attitudes for purchasing certified organic food and the socio-economic characteristics of consumers. The research involved 1020 Polish respondents, using in-depth interviews with a structured electronic questionnaire. Participants were selected through non-random, purposive sampling, selecting only consumers of organic food. The findings revealed that altruistic-egoistic motives are prevalent among consumers with higher food expenditure, particularly on organic products. Three main categories of organic food consumers’ attitudes were identified: pro-environmental, driven by concerns for sustainability and environmental protection; pro-health, centered on personal and family health and food safety; and pro-wellbeing, focusing on personal satisfaction, emotional wellbeing, and ethical considerations. Women were more likely to prioritize pro-health attitudes, reflecting a focus on personal and family health. Additionally, higher household income was linked to stronger pro-environmental and pro-health purchasing attitudes. This study contributes to consumer behavior theory and practical applications by offering a framework that integrates altruistic-egoistic and hedonic motives, as well as pro-environmental, pro-health, and hedonic attitudes, illustrating their roles in shaping organic food purchasing decisions and highlighting the interplay between these motivations and socio-economic characteristics.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/1/50organic foodconsumer behaviorconsumer motivesstructural equation modelling |
| spellingShingle | Dominika Jakubowska Małgorzata Grzywińska-Rąpca Mariola Grzybowska-Brzezińska Why Do Consumers Buy Organic? Exploring Motivations and Socio-Economic Patterns Agriculture organic food consumer behavior consumer motives structural equation modelling |
| title | Why Do Consumers Buy Organic? Exploring Motivations and Socio-Economic Patterns |
| title_full | Why Do Consumers Buy Organic? Exploring Motivations and Socio-Economic Patterns |
| title_fullStr | Why Do Consumers Buy Organic? Exploring Motivations and Socio-Economic Patterns |
| title_full_unstemmed | Why Do Consumers Buy Organic? Exploring Motivations and Socio-Economic Patterns |
| title_short | Why Do Consumers Buy Organic? Exploring Motivations and Socio-Economic Patterns |
| title_sort | why do consumers buy organic exploring motivations and socio economic patterns |
| topic | organic food consumer behavior consumer motives structural equation modelling |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/1/50 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dominikajakubowska whydoconsumersbuyorganicexploringmotivationsandsocioeconomicpatterns AT małgorzatagrzywinskarapca whydoconsumersbuyorganicexploringmotivationsandsocioeconomicpatterns AT mariolagrzybowskabrzezinska whydoconsumersbuyorganicexploringmotivationsandsocioeconomicpatterns |