Green food consumption in China: segmentation based on attitudes towards food safety

The prevalence of food scares in China has led to acute, public concern with food safety. This has led to demand for both certified organic and green food, a segment that refers to pesticide-reduced food. The objectives of this paper are twofold; firstly, to examine the demographic factors that drive demand for green food, and secondly, to segment Chinese consumers based on their attitudes towards food safety. An online survey was used to collect consumer behaviour information. A total of 402 responses were obtained covering 24 provinces and municipalities in China. Binary probit analysis, ANOVA analysis, and cluster analysis are used in this paper. Income, education, age, gender, presence of young children, household size and overseas experience are variables that have an impact on green food purchase. Young, wealthy males, who have young children and live in a small household, are likely to buy green food. The survey shows that Chinese consumers are willing to pay a price premium for green food; however price will be a major factor restricting the growth of the green food label in China, given market prices. Three segments, the "distrustful consumer", the "ambivalent" and the "trusting consumer" are identified for market segmentation purposes. Market segmentation, based on attitudes, was found to be related to green food purchase. The contribution of the paper includes identifying the determinants of green food purchase and providing some insights into market segmentation. A key task for actors involved in the food supply chain in China is to provide more information to consumers on food safety and the green label. Avenues for future research are outlined in the paper