Title: The determinants of purchasing local food: price transparency and customer expertise role

Authors: Maher Toukabri

Addresses: College of Business Administration, Northern Border University, P.O. Box 1312-91431, Saudi Arabia; URCC Research Unit, Tunis El Manar University, Tunisia

Abstract: In this study, we concentrate on the purchasing local food antecedents within the proximity and confidence in traceability system. Likewise, this research tests the moderating roles of the consumer's expertise and price transparency in the purchasing process of local food. The results of an empirical study directed among two samples of local food consumers, allowed us to validate the measurements and to check the research hypotheses. Therefore, we deduct that consumer expertise plays a positive moderating role in a local product consumption. Similarly, the relationship between confidence in traceability system and the intention to purchase local food is stronger when the consumer is offered not only a low price but also price transparency concerning the products in question. Hence, this research has improved the theoretical background related to local and healthy food. Moreover, it provides marketers with the real tools to promote local food consumption.

Keywords: consumer expertise; confidence in traceability system; proximity; price transparency; local food.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBE.2021.115089

International Journal of Business Environment, 2021 Vol.12 No.2, pp.149 - 169

Received: 22 Jan 2020
Accepted: 20 Jul 2020

Published online: 18 May 2021 *

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