Factors Influencing Chinese Consumers’ Attitudes and Behaviors in the Organic Food Market—In the Context of Sustainable Consumption

Karolina Łopacińska ()
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Karolina Łopacińska: Department of International Business, Wroclaw University of Economics and Business, Komandorska 118/120, 53-345 Wrocław, Poland

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 20, 1-29

Abstract: The objective of this article is to identify and analyze the factors shaping the behavior of Chinese consumers in the organic product market, with a particular focus on young members of Generations Y and Z. These factors are examined in the context of organic consumption and sustainable development, taking into account global and local trends in the organic food market as well as the role of consumers in stimulating clean production and a circular economy. The article applies a research approach that combines a review of the literature with an analysis of quantitative data. In 2022, an online survey was conducted among 1012 Chinese users of the most popular social media platforms, primarily WeChat and Sina Weibo. The respondents were young consumers from Generations Y and Z. The sample was drawn from the IMAS International online panel. The study identified the characteristics attributed to organic food, the frequency and structure of purchases (product categories and share of organic products in the shopping basket), key motives and choice criteria, barriers to purchase, sources of information on organic products, and the role of promotional tools in shaping attitudes and behaviors. The results show that pro-environmental consumption fosters sustainable development and cleaner production, with younger generations emerging as the driving force behind sustainable consumption. The analysis revealed both stimulating and limiting factors influencing the development of sustainable consumption, and highlighted the critical role of digital channels in shaping consumer attitudes and decisions. The study also discusses implications for market stakeholders (producers, distributors, educational institutions, and policymakers) in leveraging the potential of young Chinese consumers as a catalyst for cleaner production and the circular economy.

Keywords: responsible consumption; clean production; circular economy; sustainable development; organic food; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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