Information seeking and credibility-related cues in Chinese consumers’ organic food purchase intention: an integrated TPB–alphabet model

Abstract

Introduction In China’s rapidly expanding organic food market, organic food remains a credence-based food category in which consumers rely on information and certification cues to evaluate product authenticity, safety, and sustainability. This study examines how information seeking and organic food credibility cues shape Chinese consumers’ organic food purchase intention by integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) with selected components of Alphabet Theory. Methods Data were collected from 412 screened consumers in mainland China and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Results Information seeking was positively associated with organic food knowledge, which in turn was positively associated with attitude toward organic food. Attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, social media, eco-labels, and perceived government support all positively influenced purchase intention. Bootstrapped indirect-effect analysis further confirmed a sequential pathway from information seeking to purchase intention through knowledge and attitude. Discussion The findings indicate that organic food choice in China is formed through both internal learning-evaluation processes and external credibility-related cues operating at digital, product-certification, and institutional levels. The study contributes to food consumer science by explaining how consumers interpret organic food claims under information asymmetry and offers implications for food retailers, certification bodies, and policymakers.