Tropentag 2021, September 15 - 17, hybrid conference, Germany "Towards shifting paradigms in agriculture for a healthy and sustainable future"

Consumer Bevaviour of Regional Cheese from Family Farmers: A Theoretical Model and Measurement Scale

¹Federal University of Goiás (UFG) / State University of Goiás (UEG), Postgraduate Program in Agribusiness (UFG) / Senador Canedo University Unit (UEG), Brazil
²Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Brasília (IFB), Campus Gama, Brazil

Abstract

There is growing interest around the world in the consumption of unprocessed natural foods, including raw milk and dairy products. The production of cow’s milk in Brazil is relevant in the social and economic context as it constitutes one of the main sources of income for the Brazilian family farmer. However, most family farmers are vulnerable to the competitive market of raw milk, have low income, and have a certain specialization of this production. Therefore, the production of regional cheese from cow’s milk can be an alternative for these family farms to increase their income, mitigate the effects of the drop in the price of raw milk and improve economic stability. Despite the importance of knowing the consumer of regional cheese, there is insufficient evidence in scientific research of consumer behavioural effects of specific regional food and more specifically in consumer behavioural effects of regional cheese. So, this work aims to present a theoretical model with research propositions and a measurement scale for the study of behaviour consumers of regional cheese. The bibliographical research was carried out under the perspectives of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Theory of Perceived Risk. The measurement items of each construct were adopted from scales already validated in previous works in English, and later were translated into Portuguese and adapted for Brazilian culture. For theoretical validation, the scale was sent to three researchers specializing in the construction of consumption scales and a specialist in the regional food market to evaluate the items in the scale. After the literature review and theoretical validation, the result obtained was a theoretical model with seven research propositions and a scale that measures the effects that cognitive attitudes, affective attitudes, personal norms, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and perceived risk have on the intention of purchasing regional cheese consumers. This result will be useful for future empirical studies that wish to understand the influence of consumer behaviour on the intention to buy regional cheese and thus contribute with relevant information about this consumer for family farmers to promote and sell their regional cheese.

Keywords: Consumer behaviour, family farmers, regional cheese

Contact Address: Rejane Carmo Rezende Dias, Federal University of Goiás (UFG) / State University of Goiás (UEG), Postgraduate Program in Agribusiness (UFG) / Senador Canedo University Unit (UEG), Rua C-24 Quadra 22 Lote 16 Casa 1, 74265140 Goiânia, Brazil, e-mail: prof.rejane.admgmail.com