Os efeitos da forma dos alimentos e da sua origem de produção na intenção de compra dos consumidores

Abstract

This article investigates the direct effects of food (normal / abnormal) form and Locavorism, meaning origin of production (local / nonlocal) on consumer purchase intent. This empirical research covered two experiments. Experiment 1 was conducted with the objective of testing the direct effect of food shape (normal vs. abnormal) on consumers' purchase intention. Additionally, study 1 investigated the moderating effects of the variables “predominance of organic food in the shopping basket”, “subjective knowledge”, “social influence” and “price sensitivity” in the relationship between the form of the food and the purchase intention of consumers. Experiment 2 was conducted to investigate whether the information consumers have access to when making a purchase may influence their decision making regarding food in an abnormal way. In this specific case, study 2 tested the direct effect of Locavorism (local / nonlocal) on consumer purchase intent, the effect of interaction between (normal / abnormal) food form and Locavorism (local / nonlocal) on consumer intent, consumer purchase and the moderating effect of the price sensitivity variable on the relationship between Locavorism (local food) and purchase intent. The results of study 1 support its main hypothesis that the form of food (normal / abnormal) has an effect on the intention to buy (vegetable) food. That is, consumers are less willing to buy food in an abnormal way. The results of study 2 reveal that Locavorism (local / nonlocal) affects consumers' purchase intent; What is more, the form of food (normal / abnormal) and Locavorism (local / nonlocal) interact affecting consumers' buying intent. These results demonstrate that when the product is abnormally presented with the information that it was produced locally, the buying intention is higher compared to non-local products. The most obvious contribution of this research relates to the finding that consumers are more willing to consume imperfect foods if they are of local origin.