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Factors affecting consumer attitude

towards organic food: an empirical
study in Hong Kong
a b b
Ronnie Cheung , Mei Mei Lau & Aris Y.C. Lam
a
University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
b
School of Professional Education and Executive Development,
Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Published online: 15 Jun 2015.

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To cite this article: Ronnie Cheung, Mei Mei Lau & Aris Y.C. Lam (2015) Factors affecting
consumer attitude towards organic food: an empirical study in Hong Kong, Journal of
Global Scholars of Marketing Science: Bridging Asia and the World, 25:3, 216-231, DOI:
10.1080/21639159.2015.1041782

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 Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science, 2015
Vol. 25, No. 3, 216–231, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21639159.2015.1041782

Factors affecting consumer attitude towards organic food:

an empirical study in Hong Kong
影响消费者对有机食品态度的因素：香港市场的实证研究
Ronnie Cheunga*, Mei Mei Laub and Aris Y.C. Lamb
a
University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia; bSchool of Professional Education and
Executive Development, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
(Received 29 October 2014; Revised 3 January 2015; Accepted 18 March 2015)

This paper presents the findings of a study on the influence of health consciousness,
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organic food knowledge and environmental concern on Hong Kong consumers’

attitudes toward organic foods. A survey was conducted using a sample of 222
respondents and a partial least squares approach was used to validate the research
model. Environmental concern and organic food knowledge are found to have positive
influences on consumers’ attitude towards organic foods, consistent with research
results from prior studies. Our research results also conclude that health consciousness
does not show a significant influence on the attitudes of young consumers toward
organic food products. Several implications of our findings for research and for the
continued development of the organic food industry in Asia are proposed.
Keywords: health consciousness; organic food; organic food knowledge; environ-
mental concern; attitude towards organic food

有机食品是由许多研究者在不同研究领域给出的可互换的定义，如生物学、生态学、自然、
未喷洒、环保。有机食物在生产过程中不使用传统杀虫剂，而动物也不会使用抗生素和生长
激素喂养 (Paul & Rana, 2012)。越来越多的人关注有机食物，因为有机食品是必须通过对环境
损害较小的农场的管理。消费者对生态或绿色产品感兴趣，不仅仅是因为健康的选择，他们
希望为子孙后代保持较好的环境。因此，了解消费者对有机食品的态度对绿色产品市场的发
展非常重要。

根据预期值理论(Ajzen, 2001; Ajzen & Fishbein, 2008; Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975)，健康和环
保信念都会影响消费者对有机食品的态度(Thøgersen, 2007; Wandel & Bugge, 1997)。由于营
销工作者经常以健康和环保推销有机食品，测试这些因素是否能够有助于消费者对有机食品
的态度是很重要的。不同的研究人员也强调了知识和意识对发展消费者对有机食品的积极态
度的重要性(Bonti-Ankomah & Yiridoe, 2006)。因此，本研究提出了消费者对健康意识、环保
意识和有机食品知识的信念，作为消费者对有机食品态度的主要决定因素。

此项研究以定量分析作为主要研究方法。研究目标是中度和重度有机食品使用者，数据
收集方法为结构式问卷。共收到222份问卷用于数据分析。样本主要是在香港的年轻人，大部
分受访者都是介乎“19到29岁”年龄组别中。这项研究以SmartPLS统计软件进行数据分析，以
證明各种因素对有机食品态度的影响。统计分析结果表明，环境问题和有机食品知识是有机
食品态度的决定因素。营销人员应该把更多的重点放在促进对社会有益的环保态度。有机食
品公司需要发展消费者的积极态度，强强调有机食品不是欺诈的宣传，宣传而是通过国际组
织

*Corresponding author. Email: ccheung@acm.org

q 2015 Korean Scholars of Marketing Science

 Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science 217

认证的。营销人员可以通过认证核实的标签来区分他们的有机食品。这将改善消费者对于有
机食物的知识，而且对这些产品的态度有积极的影响。

本研究的统计分析结果显示，健康意识并不积极影响消费者对有机食品的态度。我们的
研究结果也支持Wandel and Bugge (1997)有机食品研究的论据。他们的有机食品研究指出年
轻消费者认主要考虑环境因素，而年长消费者更多考虑的是健康问题。因此，强调产品的环
保因素解决年轻消费者的需求是非常重要的。

随着健康意识和态度之间存在对有机食品的非显著关系，未来的研究可以扩展研究的範
围包括产品的具体属性、食品安全和消费者的产品信念，并且探讨有机食品购买意图的决
定因素。

关键词：健康意识; 有机食品; 有机食品知识; 环境问题; 有机食品态度

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1. Introduction
The global organic food market has been expanding in recent years: sales of organic food
and drink amounted to 46 billion US dollars in 2007, having tripled in value over an eight-
year period (Sahota, 2009). Estimated annual growth of 12.8% will be seen in the global
organic food and beverage markets in the next few years. The market size for organic food
was estimated at US$57.2 billion in 2010, and is set to reach US$104.50 billion in 2015
(Marketsandmarkets.com, 2014). Demand for organic food and beverages is growing
rapidly, especially in developed countries such as North American and European Union
countries (Marketsandmarkets.com, 2014). The Asian organic food market has also shown
a growth rate of 16.2% previously and is expected to show an above-average growth rate
of 20.6% from 2010 to 2015. The market growth is due to high domestic production of
organic food, improving economic conditions for consumers, increasing consumer need
for healthy and nutritious food, environmental concerns and demand to reduce the use of
chemicals and pesticides. Governments worldwide have encouraged organic farming
through different types of favorable regulations, driving conventional food stores to focus
more efforts on organic food sales (Marketsandmarkets.com, 2014). Policy makers in the
United States have encouraged consumers to more healthful food choices away from home
and proposed that restaurants should include calorie information on all menu forms
(Ellison, Lusk, & Davis, 2013). The current situation suggests that organic food is gaining
popularity among consumers.
Organic food is food that is produced without using conventional pesticides or feeding
animals without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones (Paul & Rana, 2012); however,
to date no study has confirmed organic foods as being more healthy than conventional
foods (Kaufmann, Panni, & Orphanidou, 2012; Schifferstein & Oude Ophuis, 1998).
People are increasingly conscious of what they eat today. More people are focusing on
organic foods from farms that are managed through processes that have a less damaging
impact on the environment (Lee & Park, 2013). According to a recent survey conducted by
the Research Division of Hong Kong Legislative Council Secretariat (2013), in 2012 there
were 451 organic farms in Hong Kong providing organic food for local communities; in
that year they produced about five tons of organic vegetables per day, which is 0.2% of the
total fresh vegetable supply in Hong Kong. These statistics show great opportunities for
the organic food market in Hong Kong. Therefore, this study investigates the determinants
of consumers’ attitudes towards organic food products, which are important for
development of a niche market of green products.
 218 R. Cheung et al.

2. Literature review
Organic foods are described by many researchers with different, interchangeable terms
such as biological, ecological, natural, unsprayed, free of pesticides and environmentally
friendly. In order to define organic foods more precisely, the European Commission has
established a formal regulation that describes the standards of labeling, production
methods and inspections necessary in the organic food production process (Padel,
Röcklinsberg, & Schmid, 2009). In accordance with the regulation, “organic” is the
official term commonly adopted by operators. Organic food production should use organic
manure and organic farming methods should avoid the use of synthetic chemicals and
pesticides (Chen, 2009; Rozin, 2005). As a result, organic end-products should not contain
residues of such chemicals (LNV, 1992). Therefore, compared with conventional foods,
organic foods generally contain less harmful additives; they also carry no additional risk of
food poisoning (Chen, 2009).
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2.1 Health-consciousness
Health-consciousness is defined as the degree of readiness to undertake healthy actions
(Becker et al., 1977). It reflects the awareness, self-consciousness and concern for one’s
state of well-being and the degree of readiness to undertake healthy actions in order to
prevent illness (Michaelidou & Hassan, 2008; Newsom, McFarland, Kaplan, Huguet, &
Zani, 2005; Oude Ophuis, 1989; Schifferstein & Oude Ophuis, 1998).

2.2 Environmental concern

Environmental concern refers to the environmental consideration embedded in a person’s
mind and their perception of themself as an integral part of the natural environment
(Zelezny & Schultz, 2000). It is linked to variables showing consumers’ awareness of
negative effects on the environment (Gil, Gracia, & Sanchez Garcia, 2001). In recent
years, environmental concern has grown in societal importance. Indeed, consumers are
interested in ecological or green products not only because of their perception that these
are healthier options, but also because they hope to sustain the environment for future
generations. Therefore, some are prepared to switch their brand choice for ecological
reasons and reduce the harms done to the environment by helping to reduce pollution (Fraj
& Martinez, 2007; Paul & Rana, 2012). Perceptions of severity of environmental problems
are extensively reported in the environmental literature. Ecologically concerned
consumers believe that current environmental conditions are deteriorating and represent
serious problems that must be addressed through environmentally friendly behaviors.
Therefore, environmental concern is important for studying the behavior of green
consumers.

2.3 Organic food knowledge

Organic food knowledge refers to an individual’s knowledge regarding organic foods.
Factors affecting consumers’ adoption of organic food include their knowledge about
organic farming and organic labels, their value priorities and their perceived need for such
products (Grankvist, Lekedal, & Marmendal, 2007). Product knowledge is regarded as an
important factor in consumer decision-making (Alba & Hutchinson, 1987; Brucks, 1985).
For the organic food market, it is also important to develop knowledge and awareness of
organic food products. Consumers do not purchase as much organic food in the USA
 Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science 219

mainly because they do not have sufficient knowledge and awareness of organic food
products (Demeritt, 2002). If consumers’ awareness of the reasons for purchasing organic
foods, behind the price premium factor, is high, they are more willing to purchase them
(McEachern, Padel, & Foster, 2005). Therefore, possessing organic food knowledge is
important for the successful development of the organic food market.

2.4 Attitude towards organic food

An attitude is a psychological tendency that shows a degree of favor or disfavor through
evaluating an entity (Eagly & Chaiken, 1998). Research by Stobbelaar et al. (2007)
indicated that consumers tend to have a positive attitude toward organic food. Reasons for
favorable attitudes toward organic food include the perception of organic food as more
healthy and safe (Advisory Council on Food and Environmental Hygiene, December
2011). Another study found that the main factors arousing interest in organic food were
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expressed in the phrases “healthier” (54.5%), “nutritious” (4.9%) and “tastier” (4.5%)
(Chinnici, D’Amico, & Pecorino, 2002). Therefore, attitude toward organic food is an
important criterion to study. Attitudes toward organic food products can be measured
through the personal desirability of a food product and how consumers feel about it.
Organic food is a specific type of food product considered to be more desirable and
environmentally friendly than conventional food products, in spite of the price difference
between organic and conventional food products. Therefore, the measurements of
consumer attitude toward organic food products can be operationalized by considering
aspects such as “superior quality”, “being better”, “more attractive”, “[having] no harmful
effects” and “in fashion” (Gil et al., 2001).

3. Research framework and hypotheses development

Consumer attitude theory posits that individuals behave in ways that are consistent with
their attitudes. According to Allport (1935, p. 810), attitude is defined as “a mental and
neutral state of readiness, which exerts a direct influence upon the individual’s response to
all objects and situations with which it is related”. Attitudes are regarded as the most
consistent dimension explaining adoption of green products (Chyong, Phang, Hasan, &
Buncha, 2006). Previous studies have also shown that attitude is a significant predictor of
organic food adoption (Pieniak, Aertsens, & Verbeke, 2010). A number of studies have
investigated determinants of organic food adoption and different models are used in the
literature. It is important to employ consumer attitude theories to investigate consumer
attitudes and examine the major factors that have a significant influence on attitude
towards organic food products. According to expectancy-value theory (Ajzen, 2001;
Ajzen & Fishbein, 2008; Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975), attitude towards a behavior can be
predicted by the multiplying effects of the strengths of beliefs and the evaluations of the
behavior. Beliefs about health and environmental consequences are considered to have the
strongest impact on consumers’ attitudes toward organic food adoption (Thøgersen, 2007;
Wandel & Bugge, 1997). Since marketers often promote organic foods as being healthier
and more environmentally friendly, it is important to test whether these factors can
contribute to consumer attitude towards organic food products. To establish further
development of the organic food market, various researchers have stressed the importance
of knowledge and awareness in developing positive attitudes toward organic foods among
consumers (Bonti-Ankomah & Yiridoe, 2006). In this study, consumers’ beliefs regarding
 220 R. Cheung et al.

health consciousness, environmental concern and organic food knowledge are modeled as
the major predictors of consumer attitude towards organic food products.

3.1 Health consciousness and attitude towards organic food

Previous research has found that increased health consciousness could lead to greater
demand for health supplements and health products (Mesanovic, Kadic-Maglajlic, &
Cicic, 2013). Consumers who are interested in health-related products and seek relevant
health information are those who tend to be more concerned with their health. Consumers
who purchase organic food tend to choose healthier foods because they are concerned
about health improvement, health maintenance and quality of life (Schifferstein & Oude
Ophuis, 1998). They think that some conventional foods may be harmful to their health.
Indeed, organic foods contain more nutrients and are often safer, healthier, better quality
and more tasty, which can help to fulfill these consumers’ needs (Radman, 2005). Hence,
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consumers who are conscious of their health have more positive attitudes toward organic
foods (Magnusson, Arvola, Hursti, Åberg, & Sjödén, 2003). Perceptions of improved
health can be gained from eating organic food and this has a significant influence on the
choice of organic versus conventional food (Baker, Thompson, Engelken, & Huntley,
2004; Lea & Worsley, 2005; Lockie, Lyons, Lawrence, & Grice, 2004; McEachern et al.,
2005). Research from Chen (2009) confirms that health-consciousness is a significant
predictor of attitude towards organic food. Therefore, the following hypothesis is
proposed:
H1: Consumers’ health-consciousness is positively related to attitude towards organic
foods.

3.2 The influence of environmental concern

According to prior studies, environmental concern is one of the important considerations
or criteria for the buying and consumption of organic food (Grunert & Juhl, 1995;
Makatouni, 2002; Schifferstein & Oude Ophuis, 1998; Squires, Juric, & Bettina Cornwell,
2001). Environmental concern is defined as a strong attitude towards protecting the
environment and is associated with awareness of negative effects on the environment (Gil
et al., 2001; Minton & Rose, 1997). It has been suggested that environmental concern is
related to an individual’s fundamental beliefs (Stern, Dietz, & Kalof, 1993). From the
consumer’s perspective, they are likely to develop a positive attitude towards organic food
if organic production is associated with a positive impact on the environment (Shafie &
Rennie, 2012). Previous studies show that environmental concerns should be related to
environmentally friendly behaviors such as purchasing safe products, recycling and
contributing money to environmental groups (Gil et al., 2001; Grunert & Juhl, 1995).
Research by Grankvist and colleagues (Grankvist & Biel, 2001; Grankvist et al., 2007) has
shown that increased awareness of environmental problems is critical in consumers’
choice of eco-labeled food products. A number of studies have confirmed the impact of
environmentally concerned attitudes on green purchase intention (Mostafa, 2006). Ajzen
and Fishbein (2008) argue that general attitudes such as environmental concern influence
behavior indirectly. A number of studies also show that environmental concern has a direct
influence on attitudes toward eco-friendly products (Wandel & Bugge, 1997). Chen and
Tung (2014) posit that environmental concern has a direct influence on the attitude toward
green hotels. Various studies on organic food products (Çabuk, Tanrikulu, & Gelibolu,
 Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science 221

2014; Chen, 2009) also confirm that environmental concern is a major contributor to
consumers’ attitudes toward organic food. Based on the above studies, it is reasonable to
hypothesize the following:
H2: Consumers’ environmental concern is positively related to attitude towards
organic foods.

3.3 Relationship between organic food knowledge and attitude

Attitudes toward organic food have been found to be significantly and positively influenced
by knowledge about organic food (Aertsens, Mondelaers, Verbeke, Buysse, & Van
Huylenbroeck, 2011). Previous studies have shown that there is a positive association
between knowledge and organic food consumption (McEachern et al., 2005). Several
studies have shown that higher awareness and knowledge about organic food has a positive
influence on attitudes toward and consumption of organic food (Gracia & De Magistris,
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2008; McEachern et al., 2005; Stobbelaar et al., 2007). The relationship between organic
food knowledge and consumers’ attitudes is therefore hypothesized as follows:
H3: Consumers’ perceptions of their organic food knowledge are positively related to
attitude towards organic foods.
The overall research framework for this study is depicted in Figure 1. This research
model was developed to show the relationships among consumers’ health-consciousness,
environmental concern, organic food knowledge and attitude towards organic food.

4. Data collection and analysis

A survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire. To target consumers of organic
food products, a combination of purposive and judgmental sampling was used and we sent
invitations to a total of 250 participants in Hong Kong. By the deadline of 12 March 2014,
222 completed questionnaires had been received; these have been used for data analysis.
Table 1 provides an overview of the respondents’ demographic profiles. The survey
included respondents who have purchased organic food products in Hong Kong. Male
respondents represented 49% of the sample, while 51% of the respondents were female.
The subjects included respondents from different age groups: 16– 18 (6%), 19– 24 (40%),
25 –29 (34%), 30 –39 (14%), 40 –49 (5%) and 50 or over (1%). In terms of monthly salary,
the survey included respondents from four salary categories: $15,000 or below (65%),
$15,001 –$30,000 (30%), $30,001 – $50,000 (4%), and above $50,000 (1%). In all, 11%
of the respondents had education levels of secondary education or below; 27% had an

Figure 1. Research framework.

 222 R. Cheung et al.

Table 1. Demographic profile of respondents.

Demographic variables Frequency (per cent)

Gender
Female 51%
Male 49%
Salary
$15,000 or below 65%
$15,001 –$30,000 30%
$30,001 –$50,000 4%
Above $50,000 1%
Age
16 – 18 6%
19 – 24 40%
25 – 29 34%
30 – 39 14%
40 – 49 5%
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50 þ 1%
Education Level
Secondary or below 11%
Associate degree or higher diploma 27%
Undergraduate 60%
Postgraduate 2%

associate degree or higher diploma; 60% of the respondents had reached undergraduate
education level and 2% of the respondents were postgraduates. We targeted medium and
heavy users of organic products and found our respondents had purchased organic
products two times per week on average. The sample mainly consisted of young adults in
Hong Kong and the majority of respondents were within the 19– 29 age group.

4.1 Questionnaire design

The questionnaire (as shown in Appendix I) was developed using research instruments
from the literature. The questionnaire was designed to cover items relating to four
constructs: environmental concern, health consciousness, organic food knowledge and
attitude towards organic food. Most of the constructs were operationalized by modifying
previously validated scales. Environmental concern was measured using four items
adapted from Fujii (2006). Health-onsciousness was measured using five items adapted
from Schifferstein and Oude Ophuis (1998). Attitude toward organic food was measured
using five questionnaire items adapted from Gil et al. (2001). Finally, the questionnaire
items for organic food knowledge were adapted from Aertsens et al. (2011), which
provided three items for measuring subjective organic food knowledge, and an additional
questionnaire item was adapted from Pal (2012). Each construct was measured using
multiple indicators in order to effectively capture the underlying theoretical dimensions
(Premkumar & Ramamurthy, 1995). For every variable relating to these measures,
respondents were asked to indicate their agreement with each statement using a seven-
point Likert scale ranging from “1 ¼ strongly disagree” to “7 ¼ strongly agree”. The
questionnaire was divided into two sections. Section one included the major constructs
used in the research framework. Section two focused on items that solicited demographic
information, including age, gender, education level and monthly income. In order to
enhance the internal validity of the constructs, pre-testing was conducted to modify the
 Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science 223

questionnaire before conducting the survey. In total 15 copies of the questionnaire were
randomly distributed in the pilot test, which resulted in refinements of the questionnaire
items.

4.2 Data analysis

Structural equation modeling (SEM) is a method used to measure latent, unobserved
concepts containing multiple observed indicators (Chin, 1998; Jöreskog, 1989).
To analyze the relationships between latent constructs, structural equation modeling
(SEM) provides a common method for estimating causal models. In this study, partial least
squares SEM (PLS-SEM) was used for data analysis instead of covariance-based SEM
(CB-SEM) approaches. Partial least squares SEM (PLS-SEM) is a commonly used form of
statistical analysis for latent variables, and can be used both to confirm the validity of the
constructs of an instrument and assess the structural relationships among the constructs
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(Chin, 1998; Gefen et al., 2000). PLS-SEM is better suited when the focus is on prediction,
whereas CB-SEM is recommended for theory testing and requires a more stringent
adherence to distributional assumptions and a large sample size (Jöreskog & Wold, 1982).
The current study used PLS-SEM because its premises are less limiting. SmartPLS 2.0,
a statistical software application for PLS-SEM path modeling, was used to measure the
associations among the key constructs proposed in this study. Furthermore, the statistical
software SPSS was used to compile the demographic profile of the respondents.

4.3 Measurement model

The PLS-SEM measurement model for the reflective constructs was evaluated by
examining the convergent and discriminant validity of the individual indicator and the
composite reliability of a block of indicators. Convergent validity was assessed by
examining the correlation (loading) between the indicators, and the construct scores were
computed using PLS-SEM techniques. The measurement scales were evaluated using the
three criteria suggested by Chin (1998), and Fornell and Larcker (1981): (1) all indicator
factor loadings should be significant and exceed 0.5; (2) composite reliability should
exceed 0.7; (3) average variance extracted (AVE) from each construct should exceed 0.5.
Convergent validity shows the degree to which the items of a certain instrument are
related. Convergent validity can be assessed by the composite reliability, AVE and factor
loading measurements. Table 2 shows the values for the loadings of the measurement
model. All the reflective measures met the recommended levels for composite reliability
and AVE. The composite reliabilities of the constructs ranged from 0.84 to 0.91, with all
values above the recommended level of 0.7. The Cronbach’s alpha values of the constructs
ranged from 0.76 to 0.87, again with all values above the recommended level of 0.7 (Hair,
Black, Babin, & Anderson, 2010). This indicates that all the items exhibit strong internal
reliability. The AVE values, ranging from 0.59 to 0.72, were greater than the variance due
to measurement error, and were all above the recommended value of 0.5. A confirmatory
factor analysis was also conducted to test the convergent validity of each construct. The
analysis showed that all the items have factor loadings higher than 0.5 in the confirmatory
factor analysis (above the recommended minimum value). Furthermore, each indicator’s
loading was found to be higher than all its cross-loadings. Therefore, all the conditions for
convergent validity were met.
A rule for assessing the discriminant validity requires the square root of the AVE to be
larger than the correlations between the construct and any other construct in the model
 224 R. Cheung et al.

Table 2. The measurement model.

Average
variance Composite
Factor extracted reliability Cronbach’s
Constructs Indicators loadings t-value (AVE) (CR) alpha (a)
Environmental ENVATT1 0.86 42.36 0.59 0.84 0.76
concern(ENVATT) ENVATT2 0.76 15.39
ENVATT3 0.63 9.16
ENVATT4 0.74 17.25
Health-consciousness HEALTHCON1 0.87 52.13 0.60 0.88 0.84
(HEALTHCON) HEALTHCON2 0.56 7.74
HEALTHCON3 0.78 19.37
HEALTHCON4 0.85 27.11
HEALTHCON5 0.77 25.41
Organic food OFOODKNOW1 0.79 21.23 0.72 0.91 0.87
knowledge OFOODKNOW2 0.80 18.36
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(OFOODKNOW) OFOODKNOW3 0.90 51.39

OFOODKNOW4 0.91 98.40
Attitude towards ATTOFOOD1 0.73 14.65 0.65 0.90 0.86
organic food ATTOFOOD2 0.75 16.81
(ATTOFOOD) ATTOFOOD3 0.86 46.66
ATTOFOOD4 0.79 25.64
ATTOFOOD5 0.90 77.79

(Chin, 1998). In Table 3, the diagonal entries (in bold) represent the square root of the
AVE for each construct. All other entries represent the corresponding correlation coefficients
among the constructs. As shown in Table 3, all constructs met the minimum requirements.
Therefore, all constructs in the model displayed adequate discriminant validity.

Table 3. The correlation matrix and discriminant validity.

Environmental Health Organic food Attitude towards

concern consciousness knowledge organic food
Construct (ENVATT) (HEALTHCON) (OFOODKNOW) (ATTOFOOD)
Environmental 0.77
concern (ENVATT)
Health 0.41 0.78
consciousness
(HEALTHCON)
Organic food 0.28 0.59 0.85
knowledge
(OFOODKNOW)
Attitude towards 0.48 0.55 0.77 0.81
organic food
(ATTOFOOD)
Notes: 1. Diagonal entries (in bold) represent the square root of the AVE values.
2. All other entries represent the correlation coefficients
 Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science 225

4.4 Structural model

The structural model was evaluated by examining the structural paths, t-statistics, and
variance explained (the R-squared value). Path significances were determined by running
the model, using the SmartPLS statistical package, through a bootstrap re-sampling
routine with 222 cases and 1000 bootstrap re-samples. The path coefficients for the
research model are presented in Table 4. The three hypotheses presented in this study were
tested using partial least square techniques. The path significance of each hypothesized
association in the research model and the variance explained (R 2) by each path were
examined. In Table 4, the path coefficients with all the significant paths are highlighted
with asterisks. Not all the structural paths were found to be statistically significant in the
research model. In this study, a two-tailed t-test was used because independent variables
may either show a positive effect or a negative effect on the dependent variables (Helm,
Eggert, & Garnefeld, 2010). According to the two-tailed t-test (d.f. ¼ 221), the 0.05
significance level, or p , 0.05, requires a t-value . 1.97, and the 0.01 significance level,
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or p , 0.01, requires a t-value . 2.60. The 0.001 significance level, or p , 0.001, requires
the corresponding t-value . 3.34. According to the statistics, H2 and H3 were supported:
attitudes toward organic food were predicted by organic food knowledge and
environmental concern, which explained 68% (R 2 ¼ 0.68) of the variance in the attitude
towards organic food, indicating a high overall R-squared value. Health-consciousness did
not have any significant impact on the attitude towards organic food and thus H1 was
rejected.
The exogenous variables in the research model explained large amounts of variance of
consumer attitudes toward organic food (R 2 ¼ 0.68). The R 2 value can be divided based
on the path coefficients and correlations between the dependent and explanatory variables
(Tenenhaus, Vinzi, Chatelin, & Lauro, 2005). According to Tenenhaus et al. (2005), the
value of R 2 for consumer attitude towards organic food may be decomposed in terms of
the multiple regression coefficients and correlations between the dependent variable and
the explanatory ones as follows:

R 2 ¼ 0:04* 0:55 þ 0:28* 0:479 þ 0:67* 0:773 ¼ 0:68

Table 5 illustrates the contribution of R 2 value by each explanatory variable in

predicting the dependent variable corresponding to consumer attitude towards organic
food. For this model, organic food knowledge contributed the most in the prediction of
consumer attitude towards organic food, at 76.8% of R 2. In addition, environmental

Table 4. The path coefficients.

Hypotheses
Path b t Sig. R 2 supported
H2: Environmental concern – . Attitude toward 0.28 6.84 *** 0.68 Yes
organic food
H1: Health-consciousness – . Attitude toward 0.04 0.66 No
organic food
H3: Organic food knowledge – . Attitude toward 0.67 13.65 *** Yes
organic food
Note: *** p , 0.001.
 226 R. Cheung et al.

Table 5. The explanation of consumer attitude toward organic food.

Independent variable b r Contribution to R 2 R2

Health-consciousness 0.04 0.550 3.3% 0.68
Environmental concern 0.28 0.479 19.9%
Organic food knowledge 0.67 0.773 76.8%

concern contributed 19.9% of R 2. On the other hand, health consciousness contributed

only 3.3% of R 2 – far lower than those of other exogenous variables.

5. Conclusion and discussion

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From a theoretical standpoint, it is noteworthy that the existing model of attitudes toward
organic food provides a better understanding of consumers’ attitudes toward organic
foods. Empirical results of this study indicate that the consumer’s environmental concern
and organic food knowledge are the determinants in their formation of positive attitudes
toward organic foods.
The findings are consistent with many previous studies (Baker & Crosbie, 1993;
Chen, 2009; Chumpitaz & Keslemont, 1997; Grunert & Juhl, 1995; Jolly, Schutz, Diez-
Knauf, & Johal, 1989; Jordan & Elnaghebb, 1991; Samdahl & Robertson, 1989; Viaene
& Gellynck, 1997). Since environmental concern and organic food knowledge are
positively related to attitudes toward organic foods, it is essential to focus marketing
activities on these factors to develop positive attitudes toward organic foods, especially
targeting mature adults in Hong Kong. Marketers should put more emphasis on
promoting environmentally friendly attitudes that are beneficial to society. Organic food
companies need to develop positive attitudes among consumers by emphasizing the fact
that the claims made regarding organic food are not fraudulent (Advisory Council on
Food and Environmental Hygiene, December 2011) and organic food products are
recognized by international organizations. Marketers can differentiate their organic food
products through labels (Trabelsi Trigui & Giraud, 2012) that are verified through
certification. This would result in improved consumer knowledge regarding organic food,
which in turn has a positive effect on attitudes toward these products. The above
recommendations should be incorporated into operators’ long-term marketing strategies
in order to develop positive attitudes in the innovative market segment represented by
green consumers of food products.
However, health-consciousness does not show a significant influence on consumer
attitudes toward organic food. It is important to note that our research results are different
from those of other studies that propose a positive association between health-
consciousness and attitude towards organic food (Çabuk et al., 2014; Chen, 2009). This
difference can be explained by the research results of Wandel and Bugge (1997), which
show a contrast between young adults and old adults in the choice of organic food
products. They posit that young consumers consider their choice of organic foods by
putting more consideration on the environment, whereas old consumers put more
consideration on their own health when they make a choice on food products. Since our
respondents mainly consist of young consumers falling in the 19 –29 age range, it is
important to note this difference in order to address the requirements of different
consumers.
 Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science 227

6. Limitations and directions of future research

There are several limitations to this study that should be taken into consideration; they may
also be considered as topics for further research. First, because of the cross-sectional
design of this study, we cannot study the long-term variations among the constructs. Such
relationships should be tested over time. Our empirical results appear to be stable despite
this being a cross-sectional study; still, future research could use a longitudinal design for
all constructs in the model to improve the research design. Second, only three independent
factors are considered in this study: future research could consider investigation of other
factors, such as food safety concerns, gender difference and the mediating effect of healthy
lifestyles on consumer attitudes.
Remarkable growth in market share has been recorded in the certified organic food
products market in developed and industrialized cities (Aschemann, Hamm, Naspetti, &
Zanoli, 2007; Richter, 2008). Research suggests that organic food has been popular among
consumers for some time because many consumers are concerned about health and
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nutrition, the harm done to the environment, the use of chemicals and pesticides in
conventional farming and animal welfare (Squires et al., 2001). Such consumers also
perceived organic food as healthier, safer and more environmentally sound (Paul & Rana,
2012). Therefore, there is a need for further research in this area. For example, further
studies can compare the different attitudes toward different forms of organic food and
processed foods.
With a non-significant relationship found between health-consciousness and attitude
towards organic food, other constructs such as recognized health benefits or health
awareness (Rupesh Mervin & Velmurugan, 2013) could be used to replace health-
consciousness. The adoption behaviors of difference age groups could be compared to
provide segmentation information for marketers. Future studies could also extend the
research model to focus on product-specific attributes, food safety and product beliefs of
consumers, and to investigate the factors that influence purchase intentions for organic
food products.

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Appendix I. A section of the questionnaire relating to the research framework

Attitude toward organic food

1. Organic foods have superior quality.
2. Organic foods are better than conventional ones.
3. Organic foods are more attractive.
4. Organic foods have no harmful effects.
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5. Organic foods are in fashion.

Environmental concern
6. Humans must live in harmony with nature in order to survive.
7. I think environmental problems are very important.
8. I think environmental problems cannot be ignored.
9. I think we should care about environmental problems.
Organic food knowledge
10. I know a lot about how to judge the quality of organic products.
11. People who know me consider me as an expert in the field of organic products.
12. I know the aspects which distinguish an organic product from a non-organic one.
13. In comparison with an average person I know a lot about organic food.
Health-consciousness
14. I consider myself very health-conscious.
15. I think that I take health into account a lot in my life.
16. My health is so valuable to me that I am prepared to sacrifice many things for it.
17. I think that I pay more attention to health than other people.
18. I often think about whether everything I do is healthy.