Title: Factors influencing organic food purchasing behaviour: does gender matter? A comparative study between Malaysia and Pakistan

Authors: Abdullah Al-Swidi; Muhammad Haroon Hafeez; Hamid Mahmood Gelaidan; Redhwan Saleh

Addresses: Department of Management and Marketing, College of Business and Economics, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar ' Department of Marketing, College of Business Administration, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ' Department of Management and Marketing, College of Business and Economics, Qatar University P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar ' College of Business and Information Technology, Lawrence Technology University, 21000, West Ten Mile Road, MI, 48075, USA

Abstract: Organic food, as part of green and sustainable consumption, has recently received attention from scholars and practitioners. This paper examines the influence of subjective norms on attitude, perceived behavioural control, and buying intention across gender groups in Malaysia and Pakistan. It, therefore, investigates the applicability of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in the organic food consumption context. The data were collected from consumers in Malaysia and Pakistan. The data were then analysed using structural equation modelling, utilising smart-PLS software. The study established the validity and reliability of the measurements and then used the multi-group analysis techniques to test the anticipated model. The results confirmed the catalytic role of subjective norms in shaping attitudes toward buying organic food and in enhancing the perceived behaviour control. This study provides useful theoretical and practical insights into how men and women differ in their respective ecological behaviours with respect to organic food consumption.

Keywords: TPB; theory of planned behaviour; organic food; structural equation modelling; multi-group analysis; Malaysia; Pakistan.

DOI: 10.1504/JGBA.2025.149998

Journal for Global Business Advancement, 2025 Vol.17 No.2, pp.167 - 190

Received: 11 Feb 2022
Received in revised form: 23 May 2022
Accepted: 02 Jun 2022
Published online: 21 Nov 2025 *

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