“From farm to fork, naturally”: consumers’ intentions to buy organic food through online platforms, extending the UTAUT model with values

Purpose This study aims to extend the UTAUT model by incorporating attitude, egoistic and altruistic values as additional constructs to predict customers’ intentions to purchase organic food products through online platforms. Further, the moderating effect of price consciousness was also examined in the present study. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected on a convenience basis from 467 respondents in Delhi NCR, India, through an online-based questionnaire via social networking sites. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique was applied using SmartPLS 4 to analyze the data. Findings The empirical results demonstrate a robust model showing that all the UTAUT constructs (“performance expectancy,” “effort expectancy,” “facilitating conditions” and “social influence”) positively influence online purchase intentions for organic food products. Similarly, attitude, egoistic and altruistic values positively impact purchase intentions. In terms of moderation effects, price consciousness significantly and negatively influences the relationship between egoistic values and online purchase intention as well as the relationship between altruistic values and online purchase intention. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study stands apart from other studies in many ways. First, it emphasizes the interplay of a unique combination of constructs to extend the UTAUT model for a special generation cohort (youths). Second, the moderating role of price consciousness was also examined to get more robust results.