NGUYEN MANH TUNG FACTORS INFLUENCING ORGANIC FOOD PURCHASE INTENTION AND BEHAVIOR: A THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR PERSPECTIVE BACHELOR OF BUSINESS(MARKETING) HONS NGUYEN MANH TUNG BACHELOR IN MARKETING VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI BACHELOR OF BUSINESS (MARKETING) HELP UNIVERSITY APRIL 2025 APRIL 2025 FACTORS INFLUENCING ORGANIC FOOD PURCHASE INTENTION AND BEHAVIOR: A THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR PERSPECTIVE BY NGUYEN MANH TUNG Graduation Project Submitted to Vietnam National University, Hanoi – International School in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Marketing and Department of Business Studies, HELP University, in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Business (Marketing) Hons APRIL 2025 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Initially, I would like to extend my most heartfelt and sincere gratitude to the International School - Vietnam National University, Hanoi for their assistance in my education and research during the past. I am grateful to all of the teachers, with a special mention to Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Anh, for their assistance in enhancing my knowledge and providing me with vital information and experience during the research process. I successfully completed this assignment within the designated timeframe with the assistance of his guidance and the valuable knowledge and experience he provided.
I am eager to work with him once more in the future. The instructor's ardent support was indispensable in the successful completion of this report. I would also like to express my gratitude to all of my colleagues at the International School - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, for their assistance in facilitating my comprehension of the theory and life experiences. Lastly, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my family for their unwavering support not only in the completion of this report but also in my mental health.
Hanoi,30/04/2025 Sincerely, Nguyen Manh Tung i BUSINESS DEPARTMENT BACHELOR OF BUSINESS MGT400 GRADUATION PROJECT DECLARATION FORM Name: NGUYEN MANH TUNG Student ID: 21070181 – E2300075 Programme of Studies: MARKETING Title of Project/Dissertation: FACTORS INFLUENCING ORGANIC FOOD PURCHASE INTENTION AND BEHAVIOR: A THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR PERSPECTIVE Name of Supervisor(s): Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Anh Declaration: In accordance with the appropriate regulations, I hereby submit the above Graduation Project forexamination and I declare that: (i) I have read and understood the sections on Plagiarism found in the University’s “GeneralInformation to Students” Handbook and certify that the Graduation Project embodies the results of my own work. (ii) I have adhered to the ‘Harvard system of referencing’ or a system acceptable as per “The Referencing Guide” for referencing, quotations and citations in my Graduation Project. Eachcontribution to, and quotation in my Graduation Project from the work of other people has been attributed, and has been cited and referenced.
(iii) I have not allowed and will not allow, anyone to copy my work with the intention of passingit off as his or her own work. (iv) I am aware that I may have to forfeit the degree in the event that plagiarism has beendetected after the award. (vi) I am aware that my Graduation Project may be used by my supervisor(s) and/or HELPUniversity for further research or any collaborative work, and under no circumstances whatsoever would claim any rights to the said work. Signature: Date: ii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS No.
Abbreviations Symbol Full Handwriting 1 HC Heal consciousness 2 FS Food safety concern 3 EC Environmental concern 4 PS Price sensitivity 5 EP Environmental protection 6 PLS- SEM Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling 7 TPB Theory of Planned Behavior 8 β Beta/path coefficient 9 t T-value 10 p p-value 11 HTMT Heterotrait-monotrait Ratio of Correlations 12 H1 (or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 Hypothesis 1 (or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8) or 7 or 8) 13 Composite Reliability CR 14 Cronbach’s Alpha α 15 Average Variance Extracted AVE 16 N Respondents 17 λ Outer Loading 18 Hpoc-test1( or 2 or 3) Hoc-post test 1(or 2 or 3) 19 TRA Theory of Reasoned Action 20 PBC Perceived behavioural control iii LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 2. 1 Theoretical framework of TPB. 2 Alternative structural model. 2 Construct validities and reliabilities (N=200).
3 Discriminant validity Fornell-Larcker (N=200). 4 Discriminant validity: HTMT criterion (N=200). 5 Hypothesis testing results (N=200). 6 Alternative hypothesis testing results(N=200).
39 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. i BACHELOR OF BUSINESS. ii MGT400 GRADUATION PROJECT DECLARATION FORM. ii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.
iii LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES. viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .1 Phenomenon of interest .2 Research objectives and question.3 Scope of study .4 Significance of research. 8 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW .1 Theory of Planned Behavior .2 Definitions of key concepts .2 Food safety concern .1 Health consciousness and Purchasing intention .2 Food safety concern and Purchasing intention.3 Environmental concern and Purchasing intention.4 Price sensitivity as moderator .5 Environmental protection as moderator .6 Purchasing intention and Purchasing behavior. 21 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHOD .2 Data collection method .5 Sampling and data collection .6 Data analysis methods.
27 CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH RESULTS .1 Data demographics analysis .2 Discriminant validity: Fornell-Larcker and HTMT criterion.5 Post-Hoc Analysis. 38 CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION.3 Limitations and future research directions. 65 vii ABSTRACT Purpose: This research examines the determinants affecting consumers' intentions and behaviors regarding the purchase of organic food in Hanoi, Vietnam. This study use the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine the principal factors influencing consumer decision-making, in light of the increasing demand for organic food due to concerns over food safety, health, and environmental sustainability.
It specifically examines the influence of health awareness, food safety apprehensions, environmental issues, price sensitivity, and ecological preservation on purchase intentions and actual buying behavior. The research seeks to reconcile the disparity between consumer knowledge and behavior, providing insights into the reasons customers may show interest in organic food but refrain from purchasing it. Approach: A quantitative research technique was used, using a standardized survey questionnaire that received 200 responses from consumers in Hanoi. The study used a 5-point Likert scale to evaluate consumer attitudes, concerns, and actions about organic food consumption.
Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4, enabling rigorous statistical confirmation of hypotheses. The research assessed the direct influence of health awareness, food safety, and environmental concerns on purchase intentions, together with the moderating effects of price sensitivity and environmental preservation. The correlation between buying intention and actual purchasing behavior was also analyzed. Findings: The data show that health awareness, food safety apprehensions, and environmental factors positively affect purchase intention, with food safety apprehensions having the greatest impact.
The concept was not fully supported by health and environmental awareness. Strong price sensitivity moderated the relationship, as people were less likely to buy organic food despite its benefits. Environmental protection exhibited a negative moderating effect, suggesting that sustainability advocates may select eco-friendly behaviors above organic food. The research confirmed the Theory of Planned Behavior paradigm by showing a strong link between purchase intention and actual purchasing behavior.
Originality: This study offers novel insights into customer behavior about organic food in a growing market such as Vietnam. The results challenge traditional beliefs on the correlation between environmental awareness and organic food consumption, underscoring the need for focused marketing approaches. Businesses and politicians viii have to prioritize the reduction of pricing barriers, the enhancement of consumer confidence in organic certifications, and the clear communication of the environmental advantages of organic food to promote increased adoption. The paper also proposes additional research avenues, such as examining social effects, cultural differences, and long-term behavioral patterns to enhance the knowledge of organic food consumption.
Keywords: Health consciousness, Food safety concern, Environmental concern, Price sensitivity, Environmental protection, Purchasing intention, Purchasing behavior. ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Phenomenon of interest Concerns over conventional agricultural practices, food safety, human health, animal welfare, and environmental concerns are contributing to the growing demand in organically produced items on a worldwide scale. According to Soonthonsmai (2007), green consumers are those who are aware of and concerned about issues related to the local and global environment. They acknowledge and declare that every product and service has an impact on the environment, and their goal is to reduce the amount of damage that is caused to the environment as much as this is feasible.
They have the willingness to make adjustments to their buying and consuming patterns in order to make them more environmentally friendly, and they are also willing to pay a greater price for the things. On the other hand, a person who is environmentally aware does not necessarily participate in ecologically beneficial behaviors or practices when it comes to buying goods. Ohtomo and Hirose (2007) found that people who are environmentally conscious may not always participate in activities that are beneficial to the environment. For instance, people may throw away rubbish when others in their immediate proximity do the same thing, which is a reactive activity rather than a deliberate decision.
Furthermore, despite the fact that the vast majority of consumers have positive attitudes about the acquisition of organic products (Saba and Messina, 2003), they often face a number of challenges. Insufficient understanding, mistrust in organic certification systems, and worries about quality are some of the factors that prevent consumers from purchasing organic foods (Thompson, 1998). The most significant impediments are the high prices of organic foods, the restricted availability of organic foods, and, to a lesser extent, the limited availability of organic foods. According to Gottschalk and Leistner (2013), the key factor that influences the purchase of organic products is the evaluation of the price of the product.
1 As a result, it is of the utmost importance to research the customer's impressions of organic food items, as well as their behavioral intentions and actual purchase habits in relation to these products. To begin the process of fostering demand for organic food products, the first step is to determine the consumer's intentions toward organic food. The decision-making process that buyers go through while considering the purchase of organic food goods is broken down into five distinct stages, as stated by Armstrong and Kotler (2010). The second stage of the decision-making process is referred to as the Information Search stage.
This stage is associated with cognition because it involves presenting information to consumers in a way that encourages awareness and attention. This information enables consumers to recognize available options, identify purchasing locations, and comprehend the rationale behind their purchases (Armstrong and Kotler, 2010). The ensuing stages, namely the evaluation of alternatives and the choice to purchase, will be influenced by their perception and belief of the information on the product. This study intends to improve our understanding of the ways in which health consciousness, concerns about food safety, environmental concerns, price sensitivity, and the desire to buy organic food interact with one another to shape consumer behavior about the purchase of organic food.
Furthermore, we anticipate that the research will yield major insights that will aid businesses in designing efficient marketing strategies for organic food goods. This will be accomplished by evaluating the influence that these features have on the intention to buy. The study may be of assistance to businesses in the formulation of more effective sustainability-oriented product development strategies, which will ultimately result in an increase in sales and customer loyalty. This will be accomplished by explaining the role of environmental protection as a mediating variable.2 Practical issues In the competitive food industry, managers often face challenges in comprehending the factors that motivate customers to choose organic food items.
Although there is increasing knowledge of the health, safety, and environmental advantages of organic food, consumer behavior does not consistently reflect these concerns. A principal issue for managers is discerning the precise causes that drive customers to choose organic 2 food, despite a prevailing tendency towards health and sustainability (Massey et al.