Abstract:

Identifying sustainable factors that impact the intention to purchase organic food was the topic chosen for this study since organic food consumption is a very current subject. In fact, the demand for these unique products has been increasing over the last few years in Portugal and worldwide. Thus, the general objective of this research was to contribute to the production of knowledge about the attitudes, preferences, habits, and behaviors of Portuguese consumers about organic food. The data was collected through an online questionnaire between January 9, 2024, and February 6, 2024. A sample consisting of 413 consumers of Portuguese nationality was selected. The average age was 44.7 (SD = 11.069 years old), and the median and mode were 47 and 48, respectively. The majority of respondents lived in urban areas (69.2%) of the Bragança (64.0%), Porto (10.4%) and Vila Real (5.1%) districts. Most consumers had a positive level of knowledge about organic foods (83.8%) and identified the European Union organic logo (68.0%). Fresh vegetables (62.7%) and fresh fruits (59.6%) were the most frequently consumed products. These products were usually purchased directly from the producer (50.5%). This research showed that attitudes, environmental concerns, health awareness, and perceived price, in addition to having a positive impact, explained 57.5% of the intention to purchase organic food.