Understanding Students’ and Science Educators’ Eco-Labeled Food Purchase Behaviors: Extension of Theory of Planned Behavior with Self-Identity, Personal Norm, Willingness to Pay, and Eco-Label Knowledge

ABSTRACT

This study aims to understand antecedents of students’ and science educators’ purchasing behaviors for eco-labeled foods with the extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model including self-identity, personal norm, willingness to pay, and eco-label knowledge in the Turkish context. A web-based survey was used to collect data from 3,393 people including middle school students, high school students, pre-service science teachers, science teachers, and academic staff. The results revealed that both the original (32%) and extended (37%) TPB models successfully explained intentions to purchase eco-labeled foods. In addition, personal norm, eco-label knowledge, and intention explained 25% of the variance in purchase behaviors indicating an acceptable explanatory power. In the original TPB model, attitude and perceived behavioral control had positive influence on intention, and in addition to those factors, willingness to pay and self-identity had a positive effect on intention in the extended TPB model. However, subjective norm had no significant influence on intention for both models. As a result, the study has important practical implications for policy and curriculum makers, education stakeholders, and science educators.

KEYWORDS:

• Purchase of eco-labeled food
• theory of planned behavior
• self-identity
• personal norm
• willingness to pay
• eco-label knowledge
• science education