Environmental awareness, consumption of organic products and gender

Abstract

Purpose – It was aimed to propose and test a theoretical model to evaluate how some dimensions of environmental awareness influence the intention of consuming organic products using gender as a control variable.
Design/methodology/approach – The research was developed through quantitative methodology with the  use of multivariate data analysis (PLS-SEM). The model uses a second-order construct. Although, it was onducted in a nonprobabilistic way using a convenience sample, with 213 university students.
Findings – It was confirmed the relation between the environmental awareness dimensions’ influence and the intention to buy organic products that is also influenced according to the consumers’ gender. There is a more positive effect and intensity in the organics’ purchase by women.
Research limitations/implications – The nonprobabilistic nature in addition to the use of the convenience sample, factors that do not allow the generalization of the results, are some limitations. Moreover, the dimensions of environmental awareness proposed do not include all of the motivators about the organic consumption.
Practical implications – The results identified the factors that motivate the intention to consume organic products in Brazilian context and can contribute to managerial strategies formulation in order to increase the value perceived by the customer in relation to the consumption of these products.
Originality/value –This paper presents a deeper understanding about the dynamics between the factors that can guide the choice for organic products, besides providing a greater theoretical and empirical support tested by the use of a second-order construct.