Social Feedback Loop in the Organic Food Purchase Decision-Making Process

Marko Ogorevc, Kaja Primc, Renata Slabe-Erker, Barbara Kalar, Miha Dominko, Nika Murovec and Tjaša Bartolj
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Marko Ogorevc: Institute for Economic Research, Kardeljeva ploščad 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Kaja Primc: Institute for Economic Research, Kardeljeva ploščad 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Renata Slabe-Erker: Institute for Economic Research, Kardeljeva ploščad 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Barbara Kalar: Institute for Economic Research, Kardeljeva ploščad 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Miha Dominko: Institute for Economic Research, Kardeljeva ploščad 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Nika Murovec: Institute for Economic Research, Kardeljeva ploščad 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Tjaša Bartolj: Institute for Economic Research, Kardeljeva ploščad 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-18

Abstract: To ensure the food industry continues to grow, it is vital to properly understand the factors that impact the purchasing of organic food. Research offers ambiguous findings about what drives consumers to decide to purchase food labeled as organic. This study advances the current theories on organic food-purchasing behavior, which overlook the importance of the two-way interaction of social norms and individual behavior, suggesting that the role of social norms may have been simplified. We suggest the causal processes associated with organic food decision-making involve the social feedback loop, a powerful force that takes the current state into the phase of transition. Positive feedback is key to maintaining and developing the sustainable behavior of the society, where an initial change in consumer behavior to purchase organic food is magnified when that change resounds through social norms. This is especially pronounced in Norway and Slovenia, where marketers can make more cost- and time-efficient use of persuasive messages and requests. In addition, we provide a comprehensive delineation of organic food purchase decision-making of close to 14,000 individuals from 15 countries that includes key psychosocial antecedents, along with Schwartz’s values, attitudes, social norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions. Using a mixed-methods approach (i.e., statistical matching, spatial econometrics, structural equation modeling), the present paper thus intends to add to the understanding of environmentally friendly purchase behavior beyond unidirectional and single-theory relationships.

Keywords: organic food purchasing; Schwartz’s theory; feedback loop; attitudes; intentions; social norms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:4174-:d:360523

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