Decoding organic food choices: exploring brand identification, credibility, ambiguity tolerance in shaping consumer attitudes and intentions using SEM and fsQCA
Peerzada Munaqib, Sheikh Basharul Islam, Mohd Abass Bhat, Mushtaq Ahmad Darzi, Shagufta Tariq KhanPurpose
This study examines the influence of consumers' brand image identification, credibility towards organic food brands and ambiguity tolerance on the attitude-intention link, grounded in the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework. It also explores the mediating role of consumers' attitude and the moderating role of gender.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were obtained from 390 Indian consumers through purposive sampling method. Hypotheses testing was performed using structural equation modelling (SEM). To capture gender-based differences, permutation-based multigroup analysis (MGA) was conducted. Additionally, fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was employed to validate the SEM results and provide configurational insights.
Findings
The results demonstrate that brand image identification, credibility identification and ambiguity tolerance significantly and positively influence consumer attitudes and purchase intention. Attitude mediates the relationship between these antecedents and purchase intention, underscoring its critical role in shaping purchasing behaviour. Further, MGA results reveal notable gender differences across several paths in the model. The fsQCA findings confirm and enrich the SEM outcomes by identifying alternative pathways leading to purchase intention.
Practical implications
The findings offer actionable insights for marketers, managers and policymakers in the organic food sector to design communication strategies, develop consumer-centric branding and tailor marketing initiatives that enhance favourable attitudes and purchase intentions across gender groups.
Originality/value
This study pioneers the integration of brand image identification, credibility identification and ambiguity tolerance into the S-O-R framework within the Indian organic food context, offering methodological rigour and a comprehensive understanding of consumer decision-making.