Publication:

Modelling consumer behaviour on organic vegetable purchases in Chegutu, Zimbabwe

Background Organic food consumption contributes significantly to health and environmental benefits, positioning it as a critical component of sustainable consumption and production (SCP). Yet in many developing contexts such as Zimbabwe, research has emphasized production over consumer behaviour, slowing sectoral growth. This study investigates what motivates consumers in Chegutu, Mashonaland West Province, to choose organic vegetables.

Methods A mall-intercept survey was conducted with 200 participants in Chegutu. Data were collected via mobile devices. Given that the decision to purchase organic vegetables is binary (yes or no), binary logistic regression was employed to identify the factors influencing consumer choice.

Results Results show that belief in health benefits and exposure to information about organic foods through in-store advertisements or handouts significantly increase the likelihood of purchasing organic vegetables. In contrast, having attained secondary education and having stronger perceptions of environmental benefits are associated with lower likelihood of purchasing organic vegetables.

Conclusions To stimulate growth in Zimbabwe’s organic food sector, policy and industry stakeholders should focus on increasing both availability and visibility of organic products. Health-oriented awareness campaigns and point-of-purchase educational materials are likely to be effective. Also, further research is needed to understand why greater environmental concern or secondary education might reduce organic purchasing, to better target interventions.