Understanding Millennials and Gen Z’s organic food buying intentions: A mediation and segmentation study

Abstract

Addressing environmental crises requires a shift in consumer behaviour towards more ecologically friendly options. Practicing organic conduct may improve psychological health. However, the desire to purchase health-conscious and ecologically friendly foods is struggling to gain traction. The study investigates the determinants shaping Millennial and Gen Z consumers intention to purchase organic food and segment them into categories based on their consumption motivation. Data from 340 Indian consumers were gathered via a structured questionnaire using a purposive sampling technique. To analyze the conceptual model and validate the hypotheses, structured equation modelling was employed. Green attitude, subjective knowledge, health consciousness and environmental concern have significant positive influence on purchase intention. Moreover, the impact of environmental concern and health consciousness on purchase intention were significantly mediated by green attitude and subjective knowledge. This study is pioneering in examining the influence of health consciousness and environmental concern on subjective knowledge towards organic food and also in examining the mediating effect of subjective knowledge in the relationship between environmental concern, health consciousness and the purchase intention of Millennials and Gen Z consumers within the Indian milieu. Further, millennials and Gen Z consumers are segmented into preventive and therapeutic consumers.