Influence of Ethical Consumption Consciousness on Consumers’ Purchase Intentions for Upcycled Foods

The purpose of this study was to investigate consumer attitudes and purchase intentions toward upcycled food, as well as the factors influencing the purchase intentions for upcycled foods. A questionnaire designed for both online and offline distribution was administered to Korean consumers between April and May 2024, with a total of 367 responses used for data analysis. Only 20.1% of the respondents indicated that they were familiar with upcycled foods, and approximately one-fourth of these had experience purchasing the same. Women had more positive attitudes(p<0.01) and higher purchase intentions (p<0.001) towards upcycled foods than men. The purchase intention of individuals in their 40s was higher than that of those in their 20s and 30s(p<0.05). Consumer attitude(β=0.630, p<0.001), levels of altruism(β=0.102, p<0.05), ethical management consciousness(β=0.085, p<0.05), and gender(β=0.085, p<0.05) were significantly related to consumers’ purchase intentions. The results suggest that marketing efforts for upcycled foods should focus on women with ethical consumption consciousness and that marketing communication on the environmental and social benefits of upcycled food is necessary to foster positive consumer attitudes.