Factors Influencing Consumers’ Purchase Intention on Cold Chain Aquatic Products under COVID-19: An Investigation in China

Xin Shen, Xun Cao, Sonia Sadeghian Esfahani and Tayyaba Saleem
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Xin Shen: College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
Xun Cao: College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
Sonia Sadeghian Esfahani: College of Science and Engineering, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
Tayyaba Saleem: College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 8, 1-14

Abstract: Following the detection of COVID-19 in cold chain aquatic products (CCAP) at Xinfadi Produce Wholesale Market in Beijing, China, in June 2020, novel coronavirus positive tests of CCAP have been reported in such markets of Dalian, Xi’an, Qingdao, Taiyuan, and other places, which has aroused the concern of Chinese consumers. The CCAP outbreak puts tremendous pressure on public health management and threatens customer well-being. This article uses the theoretical model of planned behavior (TPB) to investigate Chinese consumers’ purchasing intentions of CCAP under this circumstance. A total of 783 questionnaires were administered in China with empirical analysis through a structural equation model. The results show that attitudes (ATT) towards the safety of CCAP and subjective norms (SN) have significant positive effects on customers’ purchasing behavior intention (BI); the emotional response to the health concern (EM) of CCAP has a significant positive impact on SN, ATT, and BI; and BI of CCAP is significantly affected by individual characteristics. The BI of CCAP for those married consumers living in cities and towns with a low monthly consumption frequency is more likely to be affected by the new coronavirus epidemic events. This paper is one of the first studies that contribute to the literature by exploring the influencing factors of the consumption behavior intention over the COVID-19 pandemic in China from a public health perspective. The findings provide significant implications for cold chain operators, market managers, and policymakers to develop guidelines and offer a framework to initiate and support the produce market and boost consumer health confidence in CCAP at the practitioner level.

Keywords: cold chain aquatic products; health concern; the theory of planned behavior; structural equation model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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