Attitude towards sustainability as a predictor of consumer behavioral intention. A test of 3x3-item scale in the context of the food market

Abstract

This study investigates the complex relationship between consumer attitudes towards sustainability issues and their behavioral intentions, with a focus on the food market. The purpose of this study is to validate a 3x3 item scale scheme for attitudes towards sustainability that captures its complex structure and aligns with sustainable development pillars. Additionally, the study aims to assess the importance of attitudes toward sustainability, measured with this scale in predicting behavioral intentions within the investigated context, ensuring its applicability in models with multiple variables. A commonly observed attitude-behavior gap is also addressed. A quantitative survey was conducted with 600 Polish consumers. The results indicate a significant link between attitudes towards sustainability and green consumer intentions, further strengthened by the mediating role of trust. The consistency of this relationship across demographic groups was assessed using the Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detector method. Incorporating this scale into future research, alongside other explanatory variables, allows for the identification of factors that differentiate consumers with attitude-behavior inconsistencies from green consumers, thereby facilitating the effective addressing of existing barriers to translating attitudes into expected behavior.