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Intention to purchase sustainable food: the role of epistemic trust, credibility of science and scepticism about climate change

Jessica Pileri (Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy)
Giulia Rocchi (Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy)
Federica Luciani (Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy)
Matteo Reho (Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy)
Giorgio Veneziani (Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy)
Carlo Lai (Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy)

British Food Journal

ISSN: 0007-070X

Article publication date: 25 October 2024

Issue publication date: 20 November 2024

32

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigated the role of epistemic trust in shaping consumers intentions towards purchasing sustainable food products by examining the relationships between epistemic trust, credibility of science, scepticism about climate change and intentions to purchase sustainable food.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using a survey. A total of 391 consumers participated in the study. Structural equation modelling was employed for data analysis.

Findings

The results showed that the trust dimension was significantly and positively associated with credibility of science (p = 0.004) and negatively with scepticism about climate change (p = 0.018); mistrust was significantly and negatively associated with credibility of science (p = ≤0.001); credibility of science had a significant negative effect on scepticism about climate change (p = ≤0.001) and scepticism about climate change had a significant direct and negative impact on intention to purchase sustainable food (p = ≤0.001). Furthermore, results indicated that the link between trust, mistrust and intention to purchase sustainable food was significantly mediated by the credibility of science and scepticism about climate change.

Practical implications

The results can preliminarily suggest policies promoting transparency and direct consumer experiences in organisational practices, with implications extending to other sectors like education and public information.

Originality/value

For the first time, epistemic trust is specifically considered as an antecedent of intentions to purchase sustainable food, while also examining its relationships with scepticism about climate change and the credibility of science.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The study has received funding from PON R&I (Research and Innovation) program 2014–2020 under grant agreement by Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR), D.M. n. 1061, 10/08/2021.

Citation

Pileri, J., Rocchi, G., Luciani, F., Reho, M., Veneziani, G. and Lai, C. (2024), "Intention to purchase sustainable food: the role of epistemic trust, credibility of science and scepticism about climate change", British Food Journal, Vol. 126 No. 12, pp. 4503-4519. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-04-2024-0332

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited

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