Turkish consumers' purchase intentions towards organic food: A comparison between students and professionals

This thesis investigates the purchasing intentions of Turkish consumers towards organic food, focusing on a comparative analysis between student and professional demographic segments. Utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a foundational framework, this research has been extended beyond traditional predictors of consumer behavior—attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control—by incorporating environmental concern, food safety concern, health consciousness, product knowledge, and willingness to pay as additional factors. Through an online survey (N=154), this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the driving forces behind the increasing consumer shift towards organic food. This research identifies key factors related to organic food purchase intentions and highlights significant differences between students and professionals. This differentiation allows for the development of targeted marketing strategies and policy recommendations aimed at promoting organic food consumption across diverse consumer groups. The findings contribute to the broader literature on consumer behavior towards organic food and offer practical insights for producers, marketers, and policymakers aiming to foster healthier and more sustainable consumption patterns. This study not only fills a gap in existing research by integrating extended factors within the TPB framework but also provides a novel comparative analysis between two distinct consumer segments within the Turkish context.