Intention-behaviour gap and perceived behavioural control-behaviour gap in theory of planned behaviour: moderating roles of communication, satisfaction and trust in organic food consumption

Explaining citizens' plastic reduction behavior with an extended theory of planned behavior model: An empirical study in Switzerland

The growing volume of plastic waste resulting from human activities is suffocating our planet. To combat this escalating issue, this study delves into the formation of plastic reduction behavior among Swiss citizens using an extended theory of planned behavior model. Through an online survey, the study obtained 149 valid responses, which were analyzed using partial least squares-based structural equation modeling. The results indicate a significant and strong relationship between plastic risk perception and attitudes towards plastic reduction and environmental protection. Notably, the cognitive dimension (β = 0.802, p = 0.000) of plastic risk perception exhibits a tighter and stronger association with attitude compared to the emotional dimension (β = 0.406, p = 0.000). Among the three variables in the theory of planned behavior model, perceived behavioral control (β = 0.384, p = 0.000) emerges as the strongest determinant of behavioral willingness for plastic reduction. It is followed by attitude (β = 0.214, p = 0.030). However, no significant relationship is observed between subjective norm and behavioral willingness for plastic reduction (β = 0.07, p = 0.292). Finally, attitude fully mediates the relationship between plastic risk perception and behavioral willingness for plastic reduction. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

Farmers' perceptions of sustainable agriculture in the Red River Delta, Vietnam

While economic growth and food security in Vietnam's Red River Delta are heavily reliant on agriculture, the intensive use of agricultural land has resulted in various negative impacts on the environment, such as soil degradation, water pollution, biodiversity loss, and health effects on humans and animals. The current situation emphasizes an increased need for sustainable agriculture practices in the region. Understanding farmers' decision-making processes and identifying factors that influence their choices is crucial in order to promote their adoption of sustainable agriculture practices. This study examines the impact of attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, age, and gender on farmers' intention to adopt sustainable agriculture practices using the Theory of Planned Behavior and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. The results show that attitude towards sustainable agriculture practices showed a path coefficient of 0.310 (p < 0.001), and perceived behavioral control had a coefficient of 0.305 (p < 0.001), indicating strong positive relationships with intention. However, subjective norms, despite a positive coefficient, did not significantly affect intentions (path coefficient 0.099, p > 0.05). Age was found to have a moderating effect; older farmers are less likely to adopt sustainable agriculture practices compared to their younger counterparts. Gender, however, did not present a significant influence. In light of these findings, policymakers face a challenge in creating incentives to encourage farmers' engagement in sustainable agriculture practices in the Red River Delta and at the same time discourage youth out-migration from the agricultural sector more generally. Overall, this study enriches our theoretical understanding of the factors influencing sustainable agriculture adoption in developing countries and offers practical insights for policymakers and agricultural stakeholders in the Red River Delta to promote more effective and targeted sustainable agriculture practices.

Breaking Conventional Eating Habits: Perception and Acceptance of 3D-Printed Food among Taiwanese University Students

Considering the prevalent strain on environmental resources imparted by existing food systems, prioritizing environmental sustainability is an imperative course of action. Subsequently, the shift towards sustainable production and consumption patterns engenders an escalating demand for environmentally conscious food systems. Thus, 3D-printed food technology surfaces are a promising solution noted for their efficacy in curtailing food waste, bolstering environmental sustainability, and imparting innovative strategies to the food supply chain. Herein, we amalgamate the theory of planned behavior (TPB) framework with several variables, namely 'sensory appeal', 'food neophobia', 'perceived health risk', and 'environmental friendliness' to probe the behavioral intentions of Taiwanese university students' perceptions about 3D-printed food. Employing the snowball sampling method, 370 questionnaires were disseminated, out of which 319, constituting an effective retrieval rate of 86.2%, were deemed valid. Statistical analysis produced intriguing findings. Consumers' inclination to purchase 3D-printed food is substantially determined by their attitudes, subjective norms, sensory appeal, food neophobia, perceived health risks, and environmental friendliness. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, perceived behavioral control did not exhibit a significant impact on consumers' propensity to purchase 3D-printed food. Therefore, businesses should focus on magnifying the sensory appeal of 3D-printed food, coupled with precise nutritional labeling, to bolster consumer interest, enhance acceptance, and augment behavioral intentions. This study sheds light on the potential for the development of 3D-printed food in Taiwan, providing an indispensable reference for future endeavors in Taiwan's 3D-printed food industry.

Health-driven mechanism of organic food consumption: A structural equation modelling approach

The COVID-19 pandemic seriously threatened human survival and development. It has also highlighted the significant correlation between ecological and public health. After three years of the COVID pandemic, Chinese consumers have become more aware of the importance of health. Especially in the Internet era, consumers' purchasing methods and health awareness have been changed. Consumers can buy nutritious and organic foods. To understand the impact of consumer psychology and health beliefs on the willingness to purchase organic food in the post-pandemic period, this study uses organic beef as an example and extracts key variables from three basic theories. The three basic theories include the Health Belief Model (HBM), the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and the Norm Activation Model (NAM), respectively. Specifically, perceived susceptibility and severity are combined to form a health belief variable that can drive organic food purchasing. In contrast, perceived benefit, moral norms, self-efficiency, and controllability are introduced as mediating variables to construct the health driving factors of organic beef purchasing. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and mediation effect tests are used to analyse 539 samples. Meanwhile, paths and mechanisms between health concern and other variables are explored. The results show that health concern is an important driving factor. Health concern can significantly promote the formation of willingness to purchase organic beef. Mediation effect tests suggest that health concern can indirectly affect the willingness to purchase organic beef through perceived benefit, moral norms, and controllability, but the mediation effect of self-efficiency is not significant. This study provides important references for government regulation and certification of organic foods as well as for enterprises'organic food marketing strategies.

Addressing the influencing path of social noise exposure risk perception on noise mitigation behavior

Noise interference has become a common health risk in population-densified urban areas where social noise occurs frequently. However, the influence of an individual's perception of social noise exposure risk on reactive behavior remains unknown. This study developed an integrative psychosocial perspective-based model that includes constructs from two theoretical frameworks (the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Value-Belief-Norm theory) to analyze noise risk perception and behavioral intention for social noise mitigation. Haidian District, Beijing, was selected as the case study area and 300 questionnaires were distributed. The results showed that personal attributes had significant effects on residents' noise exposure risk perception and noise-mitigation behavioral intentions. Noise perception, as represented by awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility, was significantly related to noise mitigation behavioral intention. Awareness of consequences directly positively influenced behavioral intention (β = 0.235, p < 0.001) and indirectly positively influenced behavioral intention through the mediating effect of the ascription of responsibility, which accounted for 24 % of the total effect of awareness of consequences on behavioral intention. This study provides valuable insights into the risks of social noise and encourages adaptive measures to reduce it.

Modelling the mass consumption potential of Plant Based Meat: Evidence from an emerging economy

The rising demand for plant-based meat (PBM) has the potential to minimize environmental degradation and save the lives of numerous animals. Furthermore, the intention to consume eco-friendly products triggers people to consume PBM. However, it is essential to understand the factors that influence consumer intentions and actual PBM consumption to enhance its adoption. By incorporating the Theory of Consumption Value, this study examines the impact of health consciousness, health motivation, personal innovativeness, perceived critical mass, perceived cost, and perceived product value on the intention to consume PBM. The impact of intention to consume PBM on actual consumption is also analyzed. Furthermore, the mediating role of the intention to consume PBM in the relationship between these factors and actual consumption behavior is investigated. Using a cross-sectional research design, 978 responses were obtained from Indonesia. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results showed that health motivation, perceived critical mass perceived cost, and perceived product value were significant predictors of the intention to consume PBM. However, health motivation and personal innovation had insignificant effects on the intention to consume PBM. Moreover, the intention to consume PBM translated into actual consumption behavior. Furthermore, the intention to consume PBM significantly mediated the relationship between actual consumption behavior and factors other than health motivation, personal innovation, and perceived product value. The findings offer valuable insights for industry, policymakers, and producers interested in PBMA markets in developing focused marketing strategies, improving consumer perceptions, and addressing barriers, such as perceived costs to promote PBM consumption, particularly in emerging markets. Integrating the theory of consumption value and PLS-SEM provides a comprehensive understanding of the underlying dynamics and sheds light on the unique factors driving PBM consumption behavior.

Predicting sustainable fashion consumption intentions and practices

The fashion industry has a significant impact on the environment, and sustainable fashion consumption (SFC) has become a pressing concern. This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing sustainable fashion consumption behavior (SCB) among Chinese adults, specifically the role of values, attitudes, and norms in shaping such behavior, using the value-belief-norm framework. The study used an online cross-sectional survey design to collect data from 350 participants recruited through a convenience sampling method using social media platforms and email invitations, and the obtained data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The results of the study showed that biospheric (BV), altruistic (AV), and egoistic (EV) values significantly influenced the New ecological paradigm (EP), which, in turn, positively affected awareness of consequences (AC). Personal norms (PN) were positively influenced by EP, AC, and ascription of responsibility (AR). Social norms (SN) and trust in recycling (TR) were also found to positively influence sustainable fashion consumption intentions (SCI). Finally, the study found that SCI and TR were significant predictors of SCB, whereas the moderating effect of TR not statistically significant. The study's originality lies in its comprehensive investigation of the interplay between various factors (particularly using norms in two facets; PN and SN) in shaping SCB, using a structural equation modeling approach, and exploring the moderating effect of TR. The findings of this study suggest that interventions aimed at promoting SFC should focus on fostering values and beliefs that prioritize the environment, encouraging individuals to take responsibility for their actions, creating an environment in which SFC is normalized, and increasing TR.

Interactive effects of information and trust on consumer choices of organic food: Evidence from China

A large number of studies have explored the separate roles of information and trust in consumer choices of organic food, but little attention has been paid to exploring the interactive effects of information and trust. Here, for the first time to our knowledge, we explored the joint effects of information and consumers' trust in shaping consumer preferences for organic food. A hypothetical choice experiment was employed to elicit consumer preferences for organic food, and a between-subject design approach was used to explore the effects of information. Our results from a sample of 2382 Chinese consumers indicated that consumers are willing to pay extra price for organic rice compared to the conventional rice. Notably, individuals with a high level of trust exhibited a significantly higher willingness to pay for organic rice than those with lower trust levels. Furthermore, the introduction of information leads to a substantial 40% increase in consumers' willingness to pay for organic rice, with an even more significant 50% increase observed among high-trust consumers. These results highlight the augmenting role of trust in amplifying the effects of information. Consequently, effective strategies should encompass both the provision of information and the cultivation of trust concurrently to promote consumer choices of organic food.

Green Purchase Behaviour Gap: The Effect of Past Behaviour on Green Food Product Purchase Intentions among Individual Consumers

The purpose of this study is to examine factors affecting green food product purchase intentions and, specifically, to specify the role of past behaviour in shaping purchase intentions for these products and in switching to environmentally friendly food purchases. As for the theoretical framework, the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was used, with certain modifications proposed; namely, additional constructs were included: past behaviour, knowledge, and trust in green food. Data were collected from 650 green product consumers in Poland. The online survey method was employed. The research revealed that past behaviour is a powerful indicator, which, to the greatest extent, explains purchase behaviours towards green food. This paper explores the fact that attitudes are also strongly linked to green food purchase intentions. Moreover, social norms, trust, and knowledge also have a positive effect on the intention to purchase green food products. Perceived behavioural control is relatively weak but statistically significant. The extended model explains 57% of the variance in green food purchase intentions. By incorporating past behaviour into the TPB, this study gives a new insight into understanding the inconsistency between positive attitudes towards green food and real purchase behaviours. The results of the study provide managers working in the food sector with relevant guidelines for the design of marketing strategies.

Sustainable consumption behaviour: Mediating role of pro-environment self-identity, attitude, and moderation role of environmental protection emotion

This study aims to examine how these factors-egoistic and altruistic values and social consumption motivation-stimulus factors-influence sustainable consumption behaviour (response factor), the mediating role of pro-environmental self-identity and attitude (organism factor), and the moderating effect of environmental protection emotion. We used the stimulus organism response theory to gain a solid and holistic understanding of the concept. We collected 328 original surveys from Indian customers who recently purchased sustainable products via convenience and purposive sampling, and we analysed the data by using structural equation modelling. Intriguingly, the results show that (a) stimulus factors, such as egoistic and altruistic values and social consumption motivation, had a positive influence on pro-environment self-identity and attitude and sustainable consumption behaviour; (b) pro-environment self-identity had a positive effect on attitude; (c) mediation factors (pro-environment self-identity and attitude) had a significantly positive mediation relationship between stimulus and response factors; and (d) environmental protection emotion significantly moderated the relationship between stimulus, organism factors, and response factors. The study contributes to the current body of knowledge in the area of sustainable marketing by examining the rapidly growing phenomenon of sustainable consumer behaviour.

The Relationship Between Communicative Actions, Behavioral Intentions, and Corporate Reputation in the Framework of Situational Theory of Problem Solving in a Public Health Crisis

Objectives: This study aims to determine the individuals' communicative actions based on the basic assumptions of the situational theory of problem solving (STOPS) and the effect of these actions on people's willingness to follow WHO's instructions in the event of an epidemic. It also seeks to determine the impact of corporate reputation on people's communicative actions and intention to follow instructions. Methods: Data were collected digitally from 261 graduate students enrolled at a state university in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. A structural equation model (SEM) was employed for data analysis. Results: Perceptual antecedents affected situational motivation, and situational motivation affected communicative actions. Communicative actions were a determining factor in individuals' willingness to follow instructions. The perception of corporate reputation influenced both communicative actions and people's willingness to follow instructions. Conclusion: The study revealed that STOPS can provide an important theoretical framework for more effective risk communication practices in public health crises such as epidemics. It also displayed the relationship between the individuals' communicative actions and their willingness to follow instructions and the determining effect of corporate reputation on both of these factors.

A mixed-methods approach to understanding barriers and facilitators to healthy eating and exercise from five European countries: highlighting the roles of enjoyment, emotion and social engagement

Healthy adults are consistently falling below national and international recommendations for physical activity and dietary intake across Europe. This study took a co-creative approach with adult samples from five European countries to qualitatively and quantitatively establish motivators, barriers and sustaining factors for positive health behaviour change. Stage 1 delivered a newly-designed online programme, creating a community who identified challenges, motivators and solutions to sustaining positive healthy eating and physical activity behaviours. Stage 2 administered an online survey (developed from Stage 1 findings) to a larger sample to quantify the relative importance of these motivators and barriers. Results from both stages indicated enjoyment, positive emotions, and reward as key motivators for both behaviours across all five countries. Barriers included habit-breaking difficulties, temptation and negative affective states. Those with a high BMI placed more importance on social pressure than those with healthy BMI. Participants' reports of motivators and barriers reflected relevant approaches from consumer science, behavioural economics, and psychology. Interventions supporting adults who are not chronically ill but would benefit from improved diet and/or physical activity should not focus exclusively on health as a motivating factor. Emphasis on enjoyable behaviours, social engagement and reward will likely improve engagement and sustained behaviour change.

Modelling the mass consumption potential of organic food: Evidence from an emerging economy

The deterioration of the environment, shortage of resources, and frequent occurrence of food safety issues have made people increasingly concerned about themselves while maintaining their health and protecting the environment through food. Organic food, as a healthy and eco-friendly option, is gradually gaining attention. Based on the value-belief-norm theory, this study explores why individuals consume organic food and the range of factors that lead to this consumer behavior. This study adopted a cross-sectional design and collected quantitative data from conveniently selected 300 youth participants in Bangladesh using an online survey. The findings revealed that health values and motivation have a significant positive effect on healthy eating beliefs, which, together with the awareness of the consequences, affect personal norms toward organic food consumption. Personal norms also have a significant positive effect on organic food consumption behavior among Bangladeshi youth. Finally, trust on organic food positively moderates the effect of personal norms on organic food consumption. The findings of this study are expected to foster the development of a comprehensive framework to promote programs and policies focused on organic and healthy food consumption culture among youth in developing nations.

Do consumers continue to use O2O food delivery services in the post-pandemic era? Roles of sedentary lifestyle

Online-to-offline food delivery (O2OFD) services have become popular worldwide, and consumers' O2OFD usage and sedentary behavior have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, whether consumers will continue to use O2OFD in the post-pandemic era is uncertain, and the relationship between sedentary lifestyle and O2OFD usage is poorly understood to date. Therefore, this study aims to investigate consumers' continued intention to use O2OFD in the post-pandemic era and their subsequent use behavior, as well as to explore the roles of sedentary lifestyle. A research model based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2), integrating network externalities and including sedentary lifestyle, was proposed. A two-stage online survey was conducted in China, with 409 eligible responses used in the data analysis. The results indicate that habit, perceived network size, and perceived complementarity were the main predictors of continued intention, whereas habit and continued intention were the primary determinants of use behavior. Sedentary lifestyle was positively related to O2OFD use behavior and moderated the effects of habit and continued intention on use behavior. In addition to its theoretical contributions, this study has implications for public policies, marketing strategies, and consumer well-being.

The Scoop on SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast): Exploring Consumer Behaviours towards a Novel Ice Cream

With the growing demand for sustainable practises, the food industry is increasingly adopting circular economy approaches. One example is recycling the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) used in kombucha fermentation to create value-added products. However, consumer acceptance of such novel products remains unclear. To address this, the present study examined consumer attitudes towards ice cream made with SCOBY as an ingredient and how this affected their intention to consume it. Drawing on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and additional constructs such as emotions and food neophobia, an online survey was conducted with New Zealand consumers (N = 170). Results showed that the TPB constructs significantly predicted the intention to consume SCOBY ice cream. Moreover, by adding emotions to the constructs, the model's explanatory power was enhanced. Attitudes, subjective norms, and emotions were the main predictors of intention, which in turn was found to be the main predictor of behaviour. Participants' beliefs about the safety and taste of SCOBY ice cream were significantly correlated with their intention and behaviour, as were the opinions of nutritionists/dietitians, friends, and family. The model accounted for 21.7% of the variance in behaviour and 57.4% of the variance in intention. These findings can be used to plan marketing strategies related to waste-to-value-added products such as SCOBY ice cream.

Motivating green behaviour in Bangladeshi employees: Self-determination theory application

Academic research indicates that Bangladesh has relatively low levels of employee green behaviour. Developed and developing nations worldwide have raised environmental awareness within their workforces in response to the alarming rate of environmental deterioration caused by human activities. This study looks into potential links between the motives (intrinsic and extrinsic), green behaviour, and attitudes of Bangladeshi employees. A theoretically supported framework has been developed using self-determination theory. Purposive sampling was used for this survey on Bangladeshi financial institutions (private banks). Data were analyzed using partial least squares based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings propose that employee green attitude mediates the relationship between intrinsic motivation and employee green behaviour. Employee green attitude (EGA) also mediates the relationship between employee green behaviour (EGB) and introjected, identified, integrated, and external regulation (external motivation). The outcomes display a negative relationship between introjected regulation and employee green behaviour as well as external regulation and employee green behaviour, contradicting other research. In Bangladesh, EGA and EGB are understudied; therefore, this research has significance. This research will assist the international community in addressing environmental, social, and economic concerns for a more sustainable future.

Modelling the significance of health values, beliefs and norms on the intention to consume and the consumption of organic foods

The present research aims to extend the value-belief-norm model by including health values, health consciousness, healthy eating beliefs, and trust in organic food as the impelling factors. This study empirically tested the holistic framework to understand the important factors in consumers' decision-making processes concerning organic food consumption. A web-based survey was performed to collect data from a convenience sample of 571 organic food consuming university students in China. The hypotheses were tested using partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Based on the findings, health values and health consciousness had substantial impacts on healthy eating beliefs, which in turn positively affected personal norms and awareness of consequences. Additionally, awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility had major effects on personal norms. Likewise, personal norms and trust in organic food had a profound influence on the intention to consume organic foods, which in turn significantly induced actual consumption. The findings not only provide novel insights for researchers to understand the aspects of organic food consumption but present a guideline for marketers to develop appropriate marketing tactics to grow the organic food business. This study recommends that policymakers should focus on increasing the awareness and knowledge of organic food, encouraging organic food production, and prioritising campaigns showcasing the unique health benefits of organic food to stimulate increased consumption.

Factors Influencing Consumers' Organic Food Continuous Purchase Intentions during the Post-Pandemic Era: An Empirical Investigation in China

During the evolutionary phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers' eating habits and spending behaviours have progressively shifted to the pursuit of the safer and healthier food products, such as organic food. Therefore, this study investigated the factors affecting Chinese buyers' organic food continuous purchase intentions (CPI) during the post-pandemic era. To better adapt to the current consumption context in China, this study proposed a modified TPB framework (M-TPB), by replacing subjective norms with Chinese cultural variables, such as face consciousness and group conformity, and adding constructs of perceived value of organic food (PVOF), health consciousness, and the impact of COVID-19 (IOC). Convincingly, experimental results from a structural equation model analysis of 460 usable responses indicate that M-TPB has superior explanatory power (R² = 65%) compared with the TPB model (R² = 40%) for explaining organic food CPI during the post-pandemic period. The path analysis demonstrated that perceived behavioural control, attitude, face consciousness, group conformity, health consciousness, IOC, and PVOF had substantial positive effects on CPI, while subjective norms were not significantly related. Moreover, IOC exhibited a positive and significant relationship with health consciousness and PVOF. These findings can be useful for stakeholders in the Chinese organic food industry to generate timely promoting strategies during the post-pandemic period.

Examining the effect of consumer experience on co-creation and loyalty for healthy meat consumption

Introduction

The eating behavior of consumers throughout the world is changing rapidly due to increasing recognition of healthy food consumption. This study attempted to examine the role of perceived experience consumption responses in the context of healthy food consumption. In archiving the objectives of the study, this research investigates the relationship among the perception of customer sensory experience, customer co-creation, and customer loyalty (e.g., spreading positive word of mouth and recommending the food) of KKU1 premium chicken. This study also examines the moderating role of health consciousness in consumers' decision-making processes.

Methods

A purposive sampling survey of 487 customers who had consumed healthy chicken meat products, namely, KKU1 premium chicken in Thailand were collected. Multi-group analyses of the consumption experience (e.g., first-time and repurchase consumers) were examined. A structural equation model (SEM) was used to test the proposed hypotheses.

Results

The study found that customer co-creation has a significant positive effect on customer loyalty. In addition, the relationship between customer sensory experience and customer co-creation was moderated by health consciousness. This suggests that sensory experiences and health conscious customers are more prone to indulge in co-creation behavior. Moreover, there are different levels of customer co-creation behavior and loyalty among different prior consumption experiences.

Discussion

Based on these findings, including the contingency role of health consciousness in consumers' decision-making processes can be more effectiveness. These findings can provide an important reference for the producer of a healthy food-marketing strategy.

Research on household emergency supplies storage from the theory of planned behavior and intention-behavior gap in the context of COVID-19

Introduction

In the context of COVID-19 epidemic, household-level emergency supplies are becoming a critical link in the national emergency response mechanism for public health emergencies. The main goal of this study is to analyze the forming process of household emergency supplies storage intention and behavior based on the theory of planned behavior.

Methods

A total of 486 valid questionnaires were obtained from China and analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Results

The study found that subjective norms and perceived behavioral control had a positive impact on residents' intention to store emergency supplies, while attitudes did not play a significant role. Community institutional trust and community network play significant moderating roles in the transformation from intentions to behaviors.

Discussion

This study explored the influencing factors of residents' household emergency supplies storage, and introduced community institutional trust and community network as moderating variables to analyze the process of transformation of residents' household emergency supplies storage intentions to behaviors from the perspective of community situation, and initially constructed a two-stage integration model including intention formation and behavior transformation. By analyzing the forming process of household emergency supplies behavior, this paper revealed the effective paths for the formation of household emergency supplies storage intention, and put forward policy suggestions from the government and community levels.

Community Safety Behavior in Response to Coronavirus Pandemic

The purpose of this study is to explore the behavior and lifestyle of individuals in response to the coronavirus that the safety behavior of people in the coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic. Hence, the study integrates the theory of planned behavior and the health belief model to understand the behavioral change in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The current study is qualitative therefore, a survey-based online questionnaire was used for data collection from university students and staff (faculty and nonfaculty) residing in top-tier cities of Pakistan, nonprobability convenient sampling was used to approach the audience. A two-stage approach was used to test the model using partial least square (variance-based structural equation modeling). The reliability and validity of the measurement model indicate that the data is reliable and valid. Outcomes prove all the relationships as proposed by the study, except for the impact of perceived barriers on intention and individual safety behavior. Perceived barriers act as obstacles that abstain individuals from following the standard operating procedures. The research agenda provides new insights into the fields of marketing, health care, consumer behavior, and behavioral studies. It contributes to the existing literature in the field of social marketing by studying the behavior and changes in the behavior of people in the global pandemic.

The effect of credence attributes on willingness to pay a premium for organic food: A moderated mediation model of attitudes and uncertainty

Objective

With consumers' concerns about food safety and the environment growing, the interest in organic food has increased. However, due to the late start of the organic food market in China, the market size of the Chinese organic food industry is still relatively small. This study aims to examine whether organic food credence attributes have an impact on consumers' attitudes and willingness to pay a premium (WTPP), in order to provide valuable information to facilitate the development of the organic food market in China.

Methods

A questionnaire survey was conducted with 647 respondents in China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to verify the model and test the relationships among the constructs.

Results

SEM analyses showed that credence attributes stimulate consumers' attitudes and increase consumers' WTPP. Utilitarian attitudes and hedonistic attitudes play a partially mediating role in the relationship between credence attributes and WTPP. Uncertainty negatively moderates the role between utilitarian attitudes and WTPP, while it positively moderates the role between hedonistic attitudes and WTPP.

Discussion

The findings reveal the motivations and barriers for Chinese consumers to purchase organic food at a premium, providing a theoretical basis for companies to gain a deeper understanding of consumer groups and develop organic food marketing strategies.

Effect of green marketing mix, green customer value, and attitude on green purchase intention: evidence from the USA

The undertaken research examines the impact of green attitude, green customer value (e.g., environmental image and perceived value), and green marketing mix (e.g., product, packaging, price, promotion, and place) on green purchasing intention. The research has integrated fundamental theoretical approaches of customers' purchasing such as attitude-behavior context (ABC) theory, signaling theory, and theory of planned behavior (TPB) in the modified conceptual framework. Additionally, this research has also incorporated the green psychological benefits (e.g., nature experience, self-expressive, and warm glow) as mediating construct. The modified conceptual framework also unified green marketing (e.g., environmental advertising and green word of mouth) as moderator to investigate further the connotation between attitude, green customer value, green marketing mix, and green purchase intention. The survey method is used to collect data with a sample size of 896 customers that are well-versed with eco-friendly green products and services from the different urban centers of the USA. The data is analyzed through a structural equation modeling (SEM)-based multivariate approach by using SPSS 26, AMOS 26, and conditional process modeling software. The findings have demonstrated a positive and significant impact of green customer value, green marketing mix, and attitude on the green purchase intention of US customers. The study has further concluded that the green psychological benefits (mediator) and green advertising (moderator) have a significant influence on a relationship between attitude, green customer value (environmental image and perceived value), green marketing mix, and green purchasing intention. The results of this research can be helpful for researchers and academicians to get insight into theoretical approaches to green purchasing, and it can also be helpful for marketers to devise green marketing strategies to gain optimal competitive advantage in the long run.

Influencing Factors and Group Differences of Urban Consumers' Willingness to Pay for Low-Carbon Agricultural Products in China

Developing low-carbon agriculture has become a development goal for low-carbon economies in various countries, and consumers' awareness and willingness to pay (WTP) for low-carbon agricultural products is an important link in achieving the sustainable development of low-carbon agriculture. The theory of planned behavior is a widely used framework to explain consumers' food choices. Considering the intrinsic norms of consumers, their perceptions of low-carbon agricultural products, and shifts in consumer behavior, our study adds the influence of environmental awareness and consumer preferences to the theoretical framework of analysis. We choose the contingent valuing method (CVM) and use 532 consumer questionnaires in Shanghai to validate Chinese urban consumers' WTP for low-carbon products and its influencing factors. The findings show that Chinese urban consumers have a high overall awareness of low-carbon agricultural products and, after strengthening the conceptual information of consumers, most consumers agree that low-carbon vegetables are more conducive to ecological environment protection, quality, and safety guarantees than conventional vegetables. The existing analysis showed that some variables such as bid price, behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and consumption preferences significantly influenced consumers' willingness to pay for low-carbon leafy greens, while the effect of the environmental awareness variable was not significant. Further research found that consumers' WTP for low-carbon leafy greens showed significant group differences across income, gender, age, and education. Therefore, to promote the consumption of low-carbon agricultural products in China, we should attach importance to the publicity and guidance of low-carbon vegetables and strengthen the certification of low-carbon vegetable products. This study can provide policy reference for reasonably regulating and subdividing China's low-carbon agricultural products market.

Internet Use on Closing Intention-Behavior Gap in Green Consumption-A Mediation and Moderation Theoretical Model

The rapid development of the Internet as an information medium has provided new opportunities for promoting green consumption. Therefore, a study on the theoretical mechanism is helpful to make better use of the Internet media to promote green consumption and close consumers' green consumption intention-behavior gap. In this study, data from 419 valid questionnaires were collected and analyzed through PLS-SEM within the framework of the theory of planned behavior. The results show that there are two pathways of Internet media promoting green consumption, namely the moderating effect and the mediating effect. First, through the moderating effect, Internet use can promote the conversion of intention to behavior and perceived behavioral control to behavior, thus closing the intention-behavior gap. Second, through the mediating effect, Internet use promotes green consumption behavior through the mediator of personal perceived environmental threats. The research indicates that the potential of Internet information media should be fully explored in promoting green consumption, disseminating environmental knowledge, reporting environmental issues, and guiding the transformation of individual green consumption intention into behavior.

How does risk perception of the COVID-19 pandemic affect the consumption behavior of green food?

Attention to health is on the rise with the global pandemic of COVID-19, especially in food security. Green food is viewed as a healthy, safe, and nutritious food, which plays a significant role in enhancing immunity. This study aimed to investigate how risk perception affects the consumption behavior of green food. Risk perception and health awareness were added to the original model based on the extended theory of planned behavior. And an online survey about the influence of COVID-19 on consumers' green food consumption behavior was conducted with 612 valid respondents recruited. The results indicate that risk perception has a positive effect on both consumption intention and behavior. The mediating effect analysis shows that risk perception influences green food consumption intention by improving people's attitudes, subjective norms, and health awareness. These findings can not only help clarify the relationship between green food consumption behavior and the risk perception of COVID-19 but also provide some valuable implications for policymakers and marketers in promoting green food.

Employees buying organic food intention: An extension of the theory of planned behavior

A gradual increase in population and urbanization has increased the demand for global resources, which ultimately burdens the depletion of resources and challenges environmental sustainability worldwide. In recent decades, nature sustainability has been the biggest challenge encountered by humankind. In addition, the changing lifestyle and consumption patterns have enormously played a key role. However, the consumption pattern from the employee’s perspective suffers from the lack of research. Therefore, grounded on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this research explores the antecedents and consequences of employees’ buying intentions in the world’s emerging market (China). Data were collected using a web-based link shared via WeChat and Q.Q.; resultants into 451 valid responses and partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS 4 have been administered for the analysis. Besides the insignificant effect of descriptive norms on buying intention and environmental concerns on purchasing behavior, other factors significantly impact purchase intention and actual buying behavior. This research witnesses a significant mediating role of buying intention. This research suggests that practitioners (i.e., marketers, government, policymakers, and environmental focus companies) develop strategies for public advertisement and launch a general message and campaigns both in urban and rural areas to prevent environmental sustainability and increases awareness related to organic consumption.

Sustainable Consumption: Will They Buy It Again? Factors Influencing the Intention to Repurchase Organic Food Grain

Global consumption trends point to rising demand for organic food as people become more health-conscious. The factors that people consider while making initial organic purchases have been discussed at length. However, the published research is scant about the factors that affect consumers’ propensity to repurchase organic goods. The present research fills this gap by focusing on what influences consumers’ decisions to repurchase organic grain. The Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory and the Theory of Planned Behaviour are the theoretical foundations of the present investigation. The consumer’s attitude toward organic grains and their desire to repurchase organic grains are influenced by health consciousness and previous experience. The repurchase intent was determined to be controlled by the buyer’s willingness to pay and their level of trust in the organic grain. This cross-sectional study collected the necessary data from five chosen urban centres in India. Smart PLS 3.2.9 was used to analyse the gathered data from 463 respondents. According to the findings, health consciousness and past experience favourably influence attitudes and repurchase intent. The trust that consumers have built up in organic grain as a result of past experiences is what drives their desire to make more purchases. Willingness to pay significantly controls and impacts the inclination to repurchase. The association between health consciousness and repurchase intention is partially mediated by attitude, as is the relationship between past experience and repurchase intention. The relationship between health consciousness and the desire to repurchase is partially mediated by the willingness to pay.

Exploring Factors Affecting Consumer Behavioral Intentions toward Online Food Ordering in Thailand

Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, ordering food online has become very popular. This study used a structural equation model to analyze the indicators that influence the decision to order food through a food-delivery platform. The theory of planned behavior and the technology acceptance model were both used, along with a new factor, the task–technology fit (TTF) model, to study platform suitability. Data were collected using a questionnaire given to a group of 1320 consumers. The results showed that attitudes toward on-line delivery most significantly affected the behavioral intentions of the consumers, followed by subjective norms. Among attitudes, perceived ease of use was the most significant, followed by perceived usefulness and trust. The study’s results revealed that TTF had the most significant impact on perceived ease of use, followed by perceived usefulness. This means that, if a food-ordering platform is deemed appropriate, consumers will continue to use it, and business sustainability will be enhanced.

How Collectivism Affects Organic Food Purchase Intention and Behavior: A Study with Norwegian and Portuguese Young Consumers

Organic food purchase behavior is attracting increasing attention from researchers and managers. However, there is a need to further explore differences among groups of consumers, namely with regards to cultural dimensions. To help fill this gap, this article aims to examine the impact of collectivism on the determinants of organic food purchase intention and behavior. Building on the theory of planned behavior, this article suggests its extension by considering an additional set of explanatory variables that are shown to be relevant to explain consumer behavior. It includes a quantitative study conducted with young consumers from two European countries, Norway (n = 468) and Portugal (n = 448). Structural equation modelling allowed to conclude that collectivism positively impacts attitude, subjective norm, perceived price, and environmental concern towards organic food. The expected positive impacts of collectivism on product availability and health concerns were not supported by the study. Furthermore, the positive impact of attitude, subjective norm, perceived price, health consciousness, and environmental concerns on intention to purchase organic food were also confirmed, even though availability had an insignificant impact on intentions. Finally, and aligned with extant literature, this study also found a positive impact of intention to purchase behavior on organic food. Interestingly, the positive relationship between Collectivism and Availability, and between Availability and Purchase Intention, was only significant for Portugal. The study confirms the relevance of considering cultural dimensions, particularly collectivism/individualism, to further understand consumer behaviors toward organic food. Based on the findings, implications for both managers and researchers are highlighted.

Pull the Emotional Trigger or the Rational String? A Multi-Group Analysis of Organic Food Consumption

The organic food industry in China has been developing fast with the increasing consumer demand for healthier, safer, and more nutritious foods since the epidemic outbreak. It is of great significance to understand the psychological preference of consumers for organic food and adjust the marketing strategy accordingly. In this study, we adopted the multi-group structural equation model (SEM) to analyze 571 questionnaire data and explored the effects of consumers’ perception on the sensory appeal of organic food, perception on promotional stimulation, positive emotion, and perceived social value on the purchase intention of organic food. Based on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) model, this study divides the route affecting organic consumption behavior into the rational route and emotional route. It was proved that the emotional route (positive emotion) has a greater impact on the purchase intention of organic food than the rational route (perceived social value). In addition, there are different purchase intentions among different product types. Specifically, compared with organic tea, positive emotion has a greater effect on the purchase intention for organic rice. This study provides an important reference for the organic food-marketing strategy of enterprises.

Willingness to Pay for Healthy Housing During the COVID-19 Pandemic in China: Evidence From Eye-Tracking Experiment

Healthy housing can set its occupants completely in good physical, mental and social conditions, but there is a lack of research in China on the public's willingness to pay (WTP) for healthy housing. From the perspective of cognitive psychology, this study constructs an analytical framework based on the model of "theory of planned behavior" (TPB), the theory of selective information exposure, and the model of "emotions as social information," while exploring the effect mechanism of the online reviews on the public's WTP for healthy housing during COVID-19 pandemic. In combination with eye-tracking experiments and subjective reports, physiological, psychological and behavioral multimodal data on WTP of 65 participants for healthy housing are collected. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is adopted to analyze the formation effect mechanism of the public's WTP for healthy housing. This study acquires the following results: (i) Information attentiveness to online reviews on different valence information of healthy housing as obtained in eye tracking experiments delivers significant effect on attitude, subjective norm (SN) and perceived behavioral control (PBC), but has no direct effect on the public's WTP for healthy housing; (ii) Hypotheses from TPB model are verified. attitude, PBC and SN can all make significant effect on WTP for healthy housing, with attitude showcasing the most prominent effect; and (iii) In terms of the mediating effect, information attentiveness can deliver significant indirect effect on WTP through attitude.

The Role of Beliefs, Pride, and Perceived Barriers in Decision-Making Regarding Purchasing Value-Added Pulse Products among US Consumers

This study explores the underlying psychological structure of purchasing value-added pulse products. It expands the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model by incorporating an emotional factor and explains consumers’ attitudes and subsequent behavioral intentions in the context of value-added pulse products (VAPPs). The study results showed the significant effect of pride on the purchase intention of value-added pulse products, as well as the moderating effect of perceived barriers on some of the relationships among the variables. Although value-added pulse products are emerging as a means of income maximization in the agri-food industry, there is a lack of understanding about consumers who purchase these products. This study fills the gap by developing a research framework for agriculture-related businesses. The findings may provide further insights into consumers’ attitudes and behaviors in consuming agri-foods, thereby assisting pulse producers and marketers to develop a more effective marketing strategy.

Investigating the Role of Ethical Self-Identity and Its Effect on Consumption Values and Intentions to Adopt Green Vehicles among Generation Z

Consumption values and consumer identities have been widely explored as needed in the literature on sustainability, but they are mainly treated as separate predictors of sustainable behavior. Researchers are calling for further analysis of these variables’ combined impacts to investigate sustainable behavior. This research integrates consumption values theory (functional, social, conditional, epistemic, and emotional) and ethical self-identity to explore the intention to adopt green vehicles among Generation Z. The data in this paper were collected from 319 respondents through a structured questionnaire in two universities in Islamabad, Pakistan. We used the PLS-SEM approach to analyze the results; we found that functional value (quality), social value, conditional value, and emotional value significantly influenced the intention to adopt green vehicles among Generation Z. The study further demonstrated that ethical self-identity significantly mediates the relationship between consumption values and the intention to adopt green vehicles among Generation Z. Our findings indicate that ethical self-identity inferences are favorable when promoting green vehicles among Generation Z. Therefore, the results of this study provide novel understandings for marketers and policymakers in Pakistan to emphasize the improvement of consumer values and ethical self-identity, which will eventually contribute to the adoption of green vehicles. In addition, automakers should promote green ideas, to encourage Generation Z to replace their existing vehicles with alternative green options in Pakistan.

Organic food purchase decisions from a context-based behavioral reasoning approach

While the burgeoning development of organic foods has received great interest from academicians, the green gap has been posing challenges to the understanding of the inconsistency between consumers' actions and their positive intentions towards organic foods. The latest marketing literature has pointed to the potential of the cognitive and reasoning process taking into account context-specificity as the answer to the problem. Applying the novel Behavioral Reasoning Theory, this study sets out to bridge this gap by providing insights into the context-based reasoning process of Vietnamese consumers. PLS-SEM method was employed to test the proposed hypotheses between values, reasons, attitudes, behavioral intention, and actual purchase behavior among 300 consumers from two big cities (i.e., Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh) in Vietnam. The mediation analysis was conducted for reasons and attitudes. The model was also extended using trust and knowledge factors. Overall, the results suggested the strong cognitive routes originated from values onto reasons and attitudes, whereas attitudes and reasons (for and against) positively influenced purchase intentions. Additionally, the mediational effects of both reasons and attitudes were not established. Trust was found strengthening reasons for and attitudes while mitigating reasons against. Consumers' knowledge rendered impacts on intentions but not attitudes. Useful implications for academicians, marketers, and policymakers were also discussed.

Values, Motives, and Organic Food Consumption in China: A Moderating Role of Perceived Uncertainty

The present research attempts to understand the importance of altruistic and egoistic values in determining consumers' motives and intention to purchase organic foods. Using the face-to-face survey approach, a total of 1,067 responses were collected from consumers in China. Data analysis was performed using a two-step structural equation modeling (SEM) approach, i.e., measurement and structural models. The findings indicated that both values influence the intention to purchase organic foods through the mediation of motives. Specifically, the altruistic value influences the environmental concern (EC), and the egoistic value influences the health concern (HC). Moreover, the perceived uncertainty negatively moderates a relationship between consumer HC and organic purchase intention while positively moderating a relationship between consumer EC and organic purchase intention. Several implications and suggestions are also discussed.

Food Citizenship as an Agroecological Tool for Food System Re-Design

The modern agrifood system has a strong socio-economic and health impact on stakeholders, from producers to consumers. According to agroecological studies, a key factor for the food system to change is a stronger connection between farmers and consumers and the implementation of Food Citizenship. In this paper, we present the results of preliminary research on the consumer approach to vegetable and fruit purchase in Italy. Our main aim was to group consumers according to the major criteria guiding their food purchase patterns, to outline the main criteria underpinning their choices and assess their degree of environmental, economic and social awareness. Cluster analysis was able to pick out two groups with significant statistical differences, i.e., 55.4% of the sample showed, through their consumption patterns, deeper environmental and social concerns. Specifically, when comparing food purchasing patterns, ethical choices, biodiversity and global warming were the most influential factors to discriminate the two clusters. Moreover, organic food consumption confirmed its status as an acknowledged way to reduce the environmental impact of the modern agrifood system for which respondents are willing to pay a higher price compared to conventional food. Nonetheless, the whole sample of respondents perceived organic food as expensive and not good for value.

Comparison of the Purchasing Behaviour of Polish and United Kingdom Consumers in the Organic Food Market during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The main objective of the study was to compare young consumer purchasing behaviour towards organic food in Poland (PL) and the United Kingdom (UK), countries with different levels of organic market maturity. The study was conducted by means of an online survey questionnaire during the COVID-19 pandemic between December 2020 and February 2021. The sample consisted of 862 PL and 161 UK consumers. 31% of PL respondents and 58.4% of UK respondents indicated they purchase organic products. Descriptive statistics, the Mann–Whitney U test and the two proportion Z test were used for statistical analyses. The results indicate that young consumers pay particular attention to the freshness and quality of consumed products. Concern for their own health and that of their loved ones, as well as the desire to eat better-quality products were the main motivations for the respondents to purchase organic products. Organic vegetables and fruits, eggs, dairy products, and meat and meat products, were among the most frequently purchased products in the studied cohorts. Experts (e.g., a dietitian, physician) were declared to be the first source of information concerning food products for young consumers. Next, family members were indicated. Social media content (PL respondents) and information from websites managed by institutions (UK respondents) were mentioned as the third source. UK consumers preferred short supply chains. The present study can be used by government bodies and companies to select the most effective communication channels for education and advertising and to develop effective commercial strategies aimed at young consumers.

Modeling the public attitude towards organic foods: a big data and text mining approach

This study aims to identify the topics that users post on Twitter about organic foods and to analyze the emotion-based sentiment of those tweets. The study addresses a call for an application of big data and text mining in different fields of research, as well as proposes more objective research methods in studies on food consumption. There is a growing interest in understanding consumer choices for foods which are caused by the predominant contribution of the food industry to climate change. So far, customer attitudes towards organic food have been studied mostly with self-reported methods, such as questionnaires and interviews, which have many limitations. Therefore, in the present study, we used big data and text mining techniques as more objective methods to analyze the public attitude about organic foods. A total of 43,724 Twitter posts were extracted with streaming Application Programming Interface (API). Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) algorithm was applied for topic modeling. A test of topic significance was performed to evaluate the quality of the topics. Public sentiment was analyzed based on the NRC emotion lexicon by utilizing Syuzhet package. Topic modeling results showed that people discuss on variety of themes related to organic foods such as plant-based diet, saving the planet, organic farming and standardization, authenticity, and food delivery, etc. Sentiment analysis results suggest that people view organic foods positively, though there are also people who are skeptical about the claims that organic foods are natural and free from chemicals and pesticides. The study contributes to the field of consumer behavior by implementing research methods grounded in text mining and big data. The study contributes also to the advancement of research in the field of sustainable food consumption by providing a fresh perspective on public attitude toward organic foods, filling the gaps in existing literature and research.

Mechanisms for the prevention of adolescent intimate partner violence: A realist review of interventions in low- and middle-income countries

Adolescent girls are among those at the greatest risk of experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). Despite adolescence being widely regarded as a window of opportunity to influence attitudes and behaviours related to gender equality, evidence on what works to prevent IPV at this critical stage is limited outside of high-income, school-based settings. Even less is understood about the mechanisms of change in these interventions. We conducted a realist review of primary prevention interventions for adolescent IPV in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to synthesise evidence on how they work, for whom, and under which circumstances. The review took place in four iterative stages: 1) exploratory scoping, 2) developing initial programme theory, 3) systematic database search, screening and extraction, and 4) purposive searching and refinement of programme theory. We identified eleven adolescent IPV prevention interventions in LMICs, most of which demonstrated a positive impact on IPV experience and/or perpetration (n = 10). Most interventions (n = 9) implemented school- or community-based interactive peer-group education to transform attitudes and norms around gender and relationships for behaviour change. The central mechanism of change related to gender transformative content prompting adolescents to critically reflect on their attitudes and relationships, leading to a reconceptualisation of their values and beliefs. This central mechanism was supported by two secondary implementation mechanisms: 1) the design and delivery of interventions: interactive, age-appropriate education delivered in peer-groups provided adolescents a safe space to engage with content and build communication skills, and 2) the target group: social norms interventions targeting the wider community created enabling environments supportive of individual change. This review highlights the immense potential of gender transformative interventions during the critical period of adolescence for IPV prevention. Future interventions should consider the broader drivers of adolescent IPV and ensure intersectionality informed approaches to maximise their potential to capitalise on this window of opportunity.

Exploring the Antecedents of Organic Food Purchase Intention: An Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior

Worldwide organic food consumption has registered a consistent rise in recent years. Despite the relevant body of literature on the topic, it is necessary to further understand the antecedents of purchase intention. This article aims to identify the factors that influence the consumer’s intention to purchase organic food. It extends the theory of planned behavior model by including environmental concerns, health concerns, and perceived quality as determinants of attitude toward organic food products. Additionally, it considers the effect of product availability on consumers’ perceived behavioral control. This article includes a quantitative study that was conducted in Portugal in 2020 (n = 206). Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed set of research hypotheses. In line with extant literature, this study confirmed that attitude toward organic food is the main determinant of purchase intention. Additionally, it demonstrates that health concerns and perceived quality have a significant impact on attitude toward organic food. The impact of environmental concerns on attitude was not confirmed by this study. Based on these findings, it is recommended that managers stress health benefits and quality of organic food in order to foster positive attitudes and consequently leverage purchase intention.

Conservation Education Impacts of Animal Ambassadors in Zoos

To mitigate the effects of anthropogenic environmental impacts, conservation education (CE) aims to increase public awareness of biodiversity and encourage the uptake of pro-environmental behaviours (PEB). One way of achieving this goal is the use of controlled animal interactions with animal ambassadors to promote CE goals. This study aimed to determine how differing experiences with ambassador Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti) affected visitors’ knowledge of conservation actions (CA) and their likelihood to perform PEBs in a UK zoo. A quasi-experimental repeated measures questionnaire was used to investigate this aim. Visit types were categorised as (a) ‘penguin parade’, (b) ‘animal encounter’, (c) ‘exhibit viewing’ and (d) a ‘control’ groups. A Kruskal–Wallis test was used to determine if responses to rating scale items related to PEBs differed according to experience. No significant (p > 0.05) differences were detectable between groups. Qualitative data provided in open ended questions relating to CAs were coded into themes and the percentage of responses were calculated for each theme. Whilst the ‘exhibit viewing’ group mentioned sustainable fish significantly more (p = 0.017) than the ‘control’ group, no significant difference was found for any other pair-wise comparison (p > 0.05 in all cases). Overall, this study highlights that zoo visitors gained specific conservation-based knowledge and had higher behavioural intentions towards PEBs than they previously had. However, no evidence was found to suggest that animal encounters improved CE outcomes. To ensure best practice is followed and CE outcomes are considered equally alongside ambassador animal welfare concerns, further research is recommended.