Measuring the Preference of Street Food Consumers on Food Safety Knowledge: An Integrated TPB Approach

Abstract

The issue of food safety is a very important issue throughout the world and has become a hot topic of conversation including in Indonesia. Even though we know that in developing countries, street-vended food is one of the biggest contributors to employment, it is difficult for the government or the authorities to control and ensure the safety of street-vended food. This study aims to analyze the factors that influence consumer behavior in buying street-vended food and consumer knowledge on food safety. The conceptual model proposed describes the relationship between these factors in shaping consumer behavior using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Data collection was carried out through a questionnaire distributed to street food consumers in Jabodetabek with an age range of 25-40 years (Millennial Generation). The collected data were analyzed using the partial least square (PLS) method to determine the factors that influence consumer behavior. As a result, As a result, 6 of the 8 hypotheses were accepted, while the rest were rejected. From these results, it is clear that, the tendency of consumers in Indonesia to recognize the importance of food safety and also to understand food products that are good for their bodies to consume. However, in their application, they underestimate the food safety of the food products they buy. It's hoped that the output of this research can be used to facilitate recommendations in the formulation of policies regarding food safety and consumer protection in Indonesia and to improve the available data for risk analysis or food safety strategies in Indonesia.