Purchasing Organic Food: Social Heterogeneity in the Mean Effects of Drivers
We explore how social heterogeneity shapes the mean effects of drivers of organic food purchase behaviours, incorporating social practice theory regarding the psychological model underpinning those purchases. However, we extend the model beyond individual motivations to address broader social influences. Using a representative Spanish population sample, we developed a holistic model that uncovered the extent to which social practices shape heterogeneity in the drivers’ effects. We identified four social organic food purchase practices that differed in the mean effects of the sequential determinants, with age and family lifecycle stage, more than social position, better explaining differences. The results underscore the need for policy interventions sensitive to the heterogenous determinants of organic food purchase behaviors, and targeted approaches based on more effective and inclusive sustainable consumption policies.
Keywords
Organic food, social heterogeneity, sustainable practices, responsible environmental behaviour theory, demographic influence, policy intervention.