Integrating the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Theory of Consumption Values to Explain Purchase Intentions for Stress-Reducing Beverages: A Cross-Cultural Study of New Zealand, India, and Malaysia

Stress-reducing beverages represent a growing segment of the functional beverage market. Stress is a particularly salient concern among young consumers, who are also the category’s primary early adopters, making them the key target segment for functional beverage innovation. However, the value-based drivers of consumer adoption across different cultures lack sufficient research. This study integrated the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Theory of Consumption Values (TCV) to evaluate purchase intentions among predominantly young adult consumers in New Zealand, India, and Malaysia. Data from 660 participants were analysed using Partial Least Squares Path Modelling (PLS-PM) and multigroup analysis. Findings revealed that while attitudes and subjective norms predicted intention across all groups, the underlying value drivers varied by country. Functional value, specifically perceived health benefits and product safety, was the strongest driver of behavioural intention in India. Initial trust and conditional value showed the strongest associations with behavioural intention in Malaysia. In New Zealand, conditional value (promotional sensitivity) and perceived behavioural control (personal autonomy) showed stronger associations with behavioural intention than functional or social value. For industry, these results indicate that market penetration across the Asia-Pacific region requires culturally tailored rather than standardised strategies: evidence-based efficacy claims in India, certification-led trust-building and low-risk trials in Malaysia, and convenience, retail availability and price promotions in New Zealand. Because demographic composition differed across the three national samples, country-level differences should be interpreted as differences between sampled cohorts rather than established cultural effects.