Abstract
Environmental pollution has drawn widespread attention to food safety. People are becoming more conscious of their health and the sustainable development of food, and are setting higher standards for food safety, which have led to the development of better alternatives to food. In this study, we examine the willingness of college students to buy alternative foods and the factors that influence their purchase decisions, as well as the sustainable development of alternative products. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between social influence, food safety, nutrition confidence, exercise commitment, dietary habits, satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intention. We conducted a survey among 799 college students. According to the study, social influence, food safety, and dietary habits greatly influence the satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intention of college students when purchasing alternative food. Attitude and purchase intention are positively correlated with satisfaction. Moreover, nutritional confidence and attitude are significant predictors of purchase intentions. The findings of this study supplement the research of college students on the factors that influence the selection of insect foods as alternative foods within the context of frequent food shortages and safety concerns. To assist farmers, producers, consumers, and extension personnel in making informed decisions, we provide relevant information on factors affecting the supply and demand of alternative food.
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Introduction
Research background
The current food system provides food to most of the world’s population, maintaining the livelihood of more than one billion people. Despite the challenges posed by climate change and other factors, the food system continues to provide food to the world’s population Mbow et al.1. Food production and supply will face significant challenges in the future. Land scarcity has led to food safety problems in developing countries. The World Bank estimates that 83 million people in 45 countries are at risk of starvation2. In addition, world health security problems and wars have occurred frequently in recent years. Food systems need to be transformed into environmentally sustainable that can feed the world’s population3. Over the past few years, people have adopted “alternative” and sustainable approaches to food system management and organization4. To achieve sustainable development goals, people around the world must act together, and sustainable solutions can be used to reduce food waste and ensure food safety5. It is one of the most difficult challenges facing humanity around the world to achieve Sustainable Development Goal, which is zero hunger6. In the context of these circumstances, alternative food consumption has attracted considerable attention. Insects are not only nutritious and beneficial to health, but can also be cultivated commercially7.
Both developing and developed countries face challenges in the area of food safety, particularly in the Pacific region8. The development of alternative food networks contributes significantly to the sustainable and safe production of food9. In spite of the fact that much of the world may be facing environmental problems related to food, agriculture, and water, China may have to deal with very serious consequences due to its industrialized food system10,11. While the world’s food supply has kept pace with population growth, more than 820 million people are still undernourished and consume low-quality food, which results in trace element deficiencies and increase diseases12. Whether in developing or developed countries, alternatives provide an effective means of transitioning to a sustainable food system13. For low-income individuals, however, the high prices and limited supply of these products limit their purchasing power.
European cities have developed Urban Food Strategies (UFS) and policies to address global socio-environmental problems. These policies have been widely viewed as strengthening democratic, sustainable, progressive policies14. Food system changes can meet people’s needs for sustainability, food safety, and adequate nutrition, but food safety issues must not be ignored15. Due to the continued growth of the population and the continuation of wars, food shortages have become increasingly severe. Meanwhile, the pollution of land and sea will inevitably make seafood safety and supply more and more problematic. A safe food supply is one of the most important aspects of protecting human rights. Billions of people around the world are at risk due to the presence of unsafe food16. Food insecurity is currently one of the greatest health challenges facing the world, causing a variety of health problems and contributing to high medical expenses17. A number of advantages are associated with insects, including their low breeding costs, wide variety, high edibility, and high protein content. A new source of protein is necessary for humans, and insects are the first choice for the future18. There are a lot of protein and vitamins in edible insects, and they play an important role in food security19. Insects have been shown to be valuable sources of nutrients that can help meet the nutritional requirements of individuals20. There may be a solution to many of these problems by using insect protein. The average rate of food insecurity among college students is 33–51%, while the average rate among adults is 9.8%21. Many college students are sports enthusiasts, and protein supplementation emphasizes the improvement of sports performance. However, cautious use of medical supplements has resulted in problems with protein demand balance22. Furthermore, they are early adopters and challengers of new products, and are often willing to try new products. There has been considerable interest in alternative foods in recent years, but little research has been conducted on alternative foods in polluted ocean environments. Additionally, this study explores the advantages and development strategies of alternative foods. Therefore, investigating college students’ purchase intentions for alternative foods is of great importance.
In Chinese food culture, insects are not a mainstream food. They are often eaten as snacks, and only a small number of people will eat them. Food novelty phobia and disgust or fear of insects are two of the biggest challenges faced by college students when choosing insect foods23. Insect food appears in the form of innovative snacks with good taste and texture, which have increased the popularity of insect snacks among Chinese college students and have been proven to be effective from an economic, environmental, and nutritional standpoint24. Furthermore, in the Internet age, college students are also leaders of the times and trends, and their consumption trends influence other groups as well. It was found that college-educated, young, higher-income men were more inclined to accept insect foods if they were tasty and safe25. Therefore, promoting insect food will be beneficial when people realize its nutritional value and sustainability.
Preliminary research and surveys indicate that large populations throughout the world are increasingly accepting alternative foods. As a result of its high protein content and sustainable benefits for the environment and human development, it has attracted an increasing number of attentions. Alternative foods in China have also attracted considerable attention from scholars because of their high protein content and potential benefits for the environment and human development. A number of issues related to food safety are likely to result in more people paying attention to the development of alternative foods. The purpose of this study is to explore the development direction of alternative foods in special periods, which is conducive to promoting sustainable food production, reducing environmental risks, and ensuring food safety. These foods are not only conducive to coping with food safety issues, but also have great significance for alleviating people’s concerns about food safety, meeting sports protein needs, as well as seeking solutions to food production issues.
Research purposes
The purpose of this study is to investigate factors that influence purchase intention in of alternative food. College students were selected for the survey because insect specialty foods are available in most regions of China, they are eager to try new foods, and they are one of the largest groups of individuals participating in sports. Provides an overview of the data gaps and the need for further research on sustainability, food safety, and the acceptance of alternative products. Food safety is strongly related to sustainable development goals and faces many challenges, both now and in the future26. Food alternatives can improve food security, contribute to environmental sustainability, and have a significant impact on sustainability27. The research results indicate that food safety is the key issue in alternative food research, mainly including the quality, hygiene, safety, and other aspects of food. As an emerging food source, maintaining food safety is the primary determinant for acceptance, so these aspects should be given particular attention.
Our study developed a structural equation model to study the purchase intention of alternative products, focusing on the path relationships between social influence, food safety, nutrition confidence, exercise commitment, dietary habits, satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intention. When trying to identify the key influencing factors, food safety for alternative foods is of the utmost importance. From a social impact perspective, we should cultivate healthy, green eating habits via social publicity. Only by meeting high food quality standards can we improve the satisfaction of the participants and increase the likelihood that they will purchase alternative products. In order to promote global food optimization, alleviate the current food shortages and food safety concerns plaguing the world, and provide producers, consumers, sellers, promoters, etc. with an analysis of factors that determine consumers’ intention to purchase alternative foods, producers can make more informed decisions.
Literature review
Alternative foods
A growing body of research has focused on the detrimental effects of traditional meat, and many scholars have become increasingly concerned about the impact of healthy and sustainable alternatives28. A number of alternative food networks are emerging as alternatives to the industrial food system, but they have been criticized as exclusionary due to the fact that these networks are based on the ability of consumers to pay higher prices for healthier, fresher foods29. The consumption patterns of food should be transformed into sustainable and healthy eating patterns, which are effective means of eliminating hunger and all forms of malnutrition30. It is the goal of food democracy to ensure that food systems are more sustainable, starting with individuals31. In this study, alternative foods are examined in order to reduce negative environmental impacts and address food shortages without compromising food safety.
Theoretical framework
As a theoretical framework, this study chooses the theory of planned behavior as a means of explanation of participants’ intention to purchase alternative foods. This theory considers factors at the individual, environmental, and social levels, and provides a scientific basis that reflects the joint effects of multiple factors. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) asserts that purchase intention (dependent variable) is influenced by three core factors: attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control32. Behavioral intention and perceived behavioral control in specific situations determine behavior according to this model, which is used to understand and predict individual behavior33. Previous research has validated TPB as a widely used theoretical model in social psychology34. Thus, this paper examines purchase intention based on the TPB model.
Food-related research literature discussed the relationship between social influence, habits, and behavioral intentions35. Michael Bosnjak proved that habits can greatly improve the predictive quality of intentions32. As consumers have become more concerned about food safety and quality issues, Jawad Iqbal et al. discussed personal health awareness, food safety, and purchase intention in their study on organic foods36. According to Yamna Khanet al., consumers’ purchase intentions for food were analyzed from the perspective of attitude, behavioral intention, behavior, trust, and other factors37. According to Ying Li, attitudes, reputation, and social responsibility influence the intention to purchase green food38. Based on previous research, this paper aims to explore the relationship between social influence, food safety, nutritional confidence, exercise commitment, dietary habits, satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intention.
Our study developed a hypothetical model that includes social influence, food safety, nutritional confidence, exercise commitment, dietary habits, satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intention. Firstly, we have chosen social influence as the independent variable. This dimension is similar to the concept of subjective norm in the theory of planned behavior39. An individual’s subjective norms are defined as the perceived social pressures that influence their behavior40. An individual’s social influence is his or her belief that important people in his or her life believe the new thing is appropriate for him or her to use41. In this study, we examine the participants’ purchase intention to make alternative food choices, that is, when faced with a new food choice, whether friends or important people believe that the individual should make the choice. Second, nutritional confidence, exercise commitment, and dietary habits were selected as components of perceived behavioral control within the theoretical framework of planned behavior. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of these dimensions in the marketing of food. The study by Irazusta-Garmendia, et al.42 examined dietary habits and nutritional knowledge, which involves consumers’ ability to judge how food and nutrients affect their health43. According to Robidi et al.44, food safety is an issue that requires attention Food safety is a condition and an effort to prevent illness. Lastly, satisfaction and attitude correspond to the attitude in the theoretical framework of planned behavior. Satisfaction measures how well a product or service meets consumer expectations45. The attitude of an individual toward a particular product is a key factor in predicting his or her choice of a food or product46, thereby encouraging alternative food purchase behaviors, which is the main purpose of the study. Thus, this study aims to quantify these variables and encourage people to purchase alternative foods.
Social influence
A person’s social influence refers to the extent to which they believe that important persons in their lives should use of a new product or service41. In social influence, we refer to the extent to which teachers, relatives, friends, etc. believe that students should take advantage of the new service47. We observe, in this regard, that individuals are influenced by their social environment and peers when making decisions48. A number of social influences influence the popularity of alternative foods, including cultural differences, regional eating habits and preferences. Alternative foods are peculiar in nature, which makes it difficult to popularize them without overcoming psychological and social barriers. It has been demonstrated that social influence is a key factor in the acceptance of insect-based products, and insect-based foods are becoming increasingly popular in terms of sustainability and safety49. The acceptance of insect food alternatives may increase if they are able to meet high food safety standards and eliminate public concerns regarding hygiene and health. It is important to note that social influence significantly affects purchase intentions50. The social influence of participants has a significant promoting effect on their consumption51, thereby resulting in an increase in their purchase intention52. Social influence on purchase intention has been proven to have an interactive effect. However53, suggests that the significant effect of social influence on behavior intention is also moderated by user acceptance. Therefore, social influence has an important role to play in the development of alternative foods. When individuals choose alternative foods, they will be influenced by the multidimensional influences of society. It is crucial to maintain a positive social influence on them.
Food safety
Food safety has become a global health priority as it poses a threat to the health of people54. We need to find food alternatives that are sustainably produced and of high nutritional quality so that all people have adequate access to food as part of the 2030 Agenda55. Several studies have indicated that food insecurity will persist for many years to come, with an estimated 17 million Americans experiencing food insecurity56. In addition, COVID-19 has resulted in food insecurity, primarily due to adverse effects on the health of individuals and the public57. During this period, a variety of income shocks were experienced, which resulted in significant increases in household food insecurity58. Meanwhile, the world’s 2030 goal of eradicating hunger and malnutrition is being challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of some measures59. It is of utmost importance that countries with different economic development ensure food safety60. Using a structural equation model to evaluate the interaction between food safety knowledge, attitude, and practices, it was found that sufficient food safety knowledge is positively associated with consumer attitudes61. The safety of food is an important aspect of human health and survival62. This paper investigates the impact of food safety on the alternative foods purchase intention, taking into account the irreplaceable role that food safety plays in the choice of alternative foods.
Nutritional confidence
Nutrition plays an important role in the health of everyone63. Individuals who regularly participate in sports must possess adequate nutritional knowledge in order to maintain healthy eating habits64. Nutritional knowledge refers to the ability of consumers to judge the composition of foods and nutrients and their effects on health43. The knowledge of nutrition plays a very important role in the health of an individual throughout his or her life65. To put it another way, nutritional confidence is a crucial factor in enabling people to make healthy dietary choices. In order to influence people’s purchasing intentions, nutrition-related information is an important factor66. Nutritional knowledge is essential to navigating the complex food system effectively, as we found67. It is therefore believed that nutritional confidence plays a significant role in the development of healthy eating behaviors and dietary choices. A good foundation of nutritional knowledge enables individuals to identify the nutritional value of certain foods, experience greater objective satisfaction after eating related foods, and develop a more positive attitude. Thus, people with high nutritional confidence can have a greater effect on a food’s value by influencing their purchase intentions.
Commitment to sports
The concept of sport commitment is defined as the psychological construct that reflects a participant’s determination and desire to continue to engage in athletic activity68. A commitment refers to the degree of agreement to something in a particular manner69. It is defined as the recognition of an organization by a participant and the intensity of that recognition70. An athlete’s commitment to participating in sports plays a key role in explaining their motivation to do so71. Commitment to sports is an important factor affecting individuals’ participation in sports and their ability to maintain a healthy diet72. Individual behavior will be positively affected by commitment73. There is a positive correlation between commitment and satisfaction among people74. Sport can improve health and regulate emotions and states of mind75. Physical activity contributes to the development of a healthy lifestyle76. Engaging in physical activity enhances satisfaction77. Several studies have been conducted on sport commitment in the field of sports, and these studies are notable for their ability to predict athletes’ continued participation in sports78. A person who uses exercise to improve their health often adopts healthier eating habits and purchases healthier dietary products. Exercise also requires higher nutritional requirements, which are met by alternative products. Accordingly, this study examined the relationship between food satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intention based on the new model of exercise commitment in order to better understand how exercise commitment affects food satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intention.
Dietary habit
People are increasingly aware of the importance of healthy dietary habits for their own health79. The bad dietary habits of people are directly related to their own unhealthy lifestyles, including a lack of physical activity, which can adversely affect their health80. Developing healthy dietary habits is always important, and individuals should have an understanding of unhealthy dietary habits64. Increasing food safety measures can significantly reduce the incidence of foodborne illnesses81. According to82, a participant’s dietary habits have a significant impact on their attitudes toward food choices. Dietary habits can have an impact on a consumer’s purchasing intentions83. The concept of sustainable consumption is closely related to healthy dietary habits84. Keeping a healthy diet is beneficial for improving immunity. Public health organizations advocate maintaining a healthy dietary habits85. Alternative foods are becoming more popular in today’s world as people become more aware of their health and the environment. Eating habits are generally related to health, environment, and lifestyle, while alternative foods provide innovative solutions for food and environmental problems. The accumulation of nutritional knowledge and the cultivation of healthy dietary habits can be accomplished throughout our lives. It should be noted that dietary habits of most people tend to be fixed to an extent. Therefore, analyzing the impact of dietary habits on the intermediary variables and dependent variables of the model using insect food as an alternative food will be an important step in the promotion of alternative insect foods.
Satisfaction
The concept of customer satisfaction can be defined as the user’s psychological state after comparing the actual use of a product with the expected result86. An investigation of the factors that influence Kurdish consumers’ attitudes toward organic food revealed that user satisfaction plays an important role87. In other words, a positive attitude may indirectly or directly increase the satisfaction of users with a product. By studying food purchase intention, we discovered that users’ perception of new nutritional ingredients in new products would increase their satisfaction, which would improve their attitude towards the product, ultimately increasing their purchase intention88. An attitude of positivity is essential to measuring individual satisfaction89. An individual’s attitude also significantly impacts satisfaction90. A key factor in determining user attitudes and purchase intentions is satisfaction. Consumer satisfaction with alternative foods may determine the degree of acceptance of alternative foods. Therefore, the relationship verification of satisfaction in alternative product selection is vital.
Attitude
Individuals’ attitudes towards objects reflect their evaluation of them on a positive or negative scale91. In other words, attitude is a person’s perception and reaction to the people and things he or she encounters each day. As a result of interaction with the group, an individual’s attitude may change92. According to the study, buyers’ attitudes significantly influence their purchase decisions93. In research examining the purchase intention of health foods, it has been found that user attitudes play a significant role in the decision to purchase94. There is evidence that an individual’s purchase intention is often affected by attitude, and a positive attitude is likely to encourage positive purchasing behavior95. In other words, the more favorable the consumer’s attitude towards a certain product, the greater their desire to purchase it. Consumer attitudes can be positive or negative and influence their purchasing decisions. In this regard, attitudes are a good indicator of purchase intent, particularly for food products. In light of this, we aim to analyze whether this relationship is still valid for alternative food products in this study.
Purchase intentions
A consumer’s purchase intention is defined as the degree to which he or she is willing to purchase a product96. The concept of purchasing intention has been evolving over time and is now defined as the buyer’s consumption intention based on both personal purchasing experiences and information provided by others97. This means that purchase intention is an important indicator to study consumer behavior as it indicates consumers’ expectations of purchase decisions. The attitudes of consumers toward food purchases are an important factor in their purchasing decisions98. In the study of green consumption, it was also found that attitude plays a significant role in influencing the intention to purchase green food99. Food purchase intentions are influenced by the satisfaction and attitudes of buyers100. Often, people choose new foods because they are concerned about their own health or the environment101. In purchase intention, the consumer’s tendency or intention to purchase a particular product is determined by the degree of tendency. The greater the degree of tendency, the stronger the purchase intention102.
Research hypothesis
Those in marketing and advertising should pay more attention to social influence, which they can utilize to encourage unplanned purchases by consumers103. Consumers’ purchasing behavior has been significantly influenced by social influences as a result of the epidemic104. In terms of consumer purchase intention, social influence has a positive effect105. The primary concern of residents is food safety, and residents’ concern about the safety of organic food is an important factor in promoting consumer confidence106. Food safety was ranked as the most important dietary goal relative to other factors, and it played a significant role in increasing satisfaction in the diet107. Today, food safety is one of the most important factors that people consider. If food is safe, environmentally friendly, and nutritious, then people will be more inclined to buy it. Developing policies and regulations and strengthening food safety measures can effectively prevent the outflow of unsafe food and protect public health to a certain extent. Healthy nutritional knowledge plays a critical role in promoting healthy food purchase intentions of consumers108.
H1:
In the purchase of alternative foods, social influence has a positive impact on college students’ (H1a) satisfaction, (H1b) attitudes.
H2:
In the purchase of alternative foods, food safety has a positive impact on college students’ (H2a) satisfaction, (H2b) attitudes.
H3:
In the purchase of alternative foods, nutritional confidence has a positive impact on college students’ (H3a) satisfaction, (H3b) attitudes.
Commitment has been shown to have a positive effect on satisfaction109. It has been shown that satisfaction has a moderating effect on commitment, as well as affects the effect of attitude on commitment110. A healthy dietary habit is associated with a high level of satisfaction among participants111. An individual’s satisfaction with their dietary habits can be greatly enhanced by better dietary habits112. Researchers found that dietary habits greatly influenced participants’ attitudes toward food113. People with a health concept in their dietary habits will pay more attention to the value and safety of food, so when faced with food options, they will select healthy options.
H4:
In the purchase of alternative foods, exercise commitment has a positive impact on college students’ (H4a) satisfaction, (H4b) attitudes.
H5:
In the purchase of alternative foods, dietary habits has a positive impact on college students’ (H5a) satisfaction, (H5b) attitudes.
In accordance with previous research findings, satisfaction influences individual purchase intentions114. To a certain extent, satisfaction predicts consumers’ purchase intentions115. According to research, attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control have a significant impact on purchase intentions116. To a certain extent, attitudes influence consumers’ desires and influence their behavior117. According to research, attitudes play a significant role in influencing consumers’ purchase intention118. As evidence of this moderating effect, people’s attitudes and satisfaction play a key role in their decision to buy food, and promotional activities and good services can influence their purchase intentions.
H6:
In the purchase of alternative foods, satisfaction has a positive impact on college students’ (H6a) attituds, and (H6b) purchase intention.
H7:
In the purchase of alternative foods, attitudes has a positive impact on college students’ purchase intention.
In summary, the hypothetical model proposed in this study is illustrated in Fig. 1. The model includes five independent variables which are social influence, food safety, nutritional confidence, commitment to sports, and dietary habits. It also incorporates two mediating variables which are attitude and satisfaction, with purchase intention serving as the dependent variable.
Hypothetical model.
Research method
The survey objects
An objective of this study is to investigate college students’ purchase intentions of alternative food. The structural equation model was used to analyze and explore the factors affecting college students’ purchase intentions for alternative products. In general, college students enjoy trying new foods. They are one of the main groups to consume alternative foods. As the global health problems become more serious, people’s eating habits are becoming more diverse. College students tend to be more adventurous and have a greater ability to accept new ideas and new products. They are also one of the most likely groups to use alternative food products. Taking college students as the subject of alternative products can better reflect the trend of new diets. Furthermore, based on their long-term nutritional, health, and protein supplement requirements, a new product that can reduce dietary costs, provide sufficient nutrients, and contribute to sustainable development is of particular importance to them. Therefore, the research subjects selected a group of college students who had eaten alternative food in the past.
Questionnaire design
Based on the original questionnaire of relevant dimensions, the relevant structure has been supplemented, the relevant questionnaire has been modified, and the design is based on the theme of the article and related literature. As shown in Table 1, the latent variable reference source, coding, project, and source information is as follows.
Collection of data
In this study, college students from all over the country are recruited to answer questionnaires and the method of answering is voluntary. Between October and November 2023, online questionnaires were used to collect data for this study. To allow respondents to fully comprehend the survey’s content, the questionnaire included pictures of insect foods and videos introducing related products. We asked the respondents to complete the questionnaire after reading all of the instructions. They were free to exit the questionnaire at any time.
This study utilized scales and items derived from rigorous studies that have been validated in the past. We used a Likert scale of 5 points. The questionnaire items were tailored to food substitutes and the completed questionnaires were sent to four experts familiar with the research topic for their predictions, and the questions were modified based on the experts’ suggestions on content and expression.
In this study, 1168 questionnaires were collected. After designing an attention monitoring mechanism, multiple sets of reverse questions, and logical associations between questions, 369 invalid questionnaires were removed, leaving 799 valid questionnaires, with a recovery effective rate of 68.4%. On the basis of the final valid samples, the data was processed using SPSS and AMOS. Table 2 presents the results.
Research results
Hypothesis testing for data distributions
Since this article assumes normality and linearity for the distribution shape of the returned questionnaires, hypothesis testing needs to be conducted on the returned questionnaires. Testing the normality of the distribution is done by examining the skewness and kurtosis of each construct. Table 3 shows the results. The skewness value of each facet is between 0.037 (HT) and 0.436 (PE) and the kurtosis value is between 0.165 (HT) and 0.654 (PE). It is concluded that the distribution of the data collected in the informal test conforms to univariate normality because all the skewness values are less than 3.0 and all the kurtosis values are less than 8.0125.
Analyses of reliability
The questionnaire is validated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and the corrected item total correlation coefficient (CITC). In Table 4, it is apparent that the CITCs of all constructs are greater than 0.5, and the reliability coefficients did not significantly increase after deleting the questions. The Cronbach’s reliability coefficient exceeds 0.7. Thus, the scales and questionnaires used in this study are highly consistent.
Analyses of confirmatory factors
Tests of convergence validity
The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (AMOS V22.0). Table 5 shows that the standardized factor loadings in this study are greater than 0.6, and the SMC is greater than 0.4, and t is greater than 2.58, sig is significant, and the reliability of the research structure components is greater than 0.7. As a result, this structure has good convergent validity126.
Table 6 indicates that the model fitting indicators are in accordance with the recommended indicators, indicating that there is an excellent fit between the model and the data9. Based on this analysis, it can be concluded that the first-order CFA model fits the data. In addition, this study calculated the common latent factors method (CLF) to examine the data for common method bias. Model fitting results of CLF are not significantly better than those of CFA. Compared with CFA, the RMSEA and SRMR values of the CLF model decrease by less than 0.05, while those of GFI, AGFI, NFI, and CFI models decrease by less than 0.1. Accordingly, this study’s data does not have common method bias.
Test of discriminant validity
As shown in Tables 7 and 8, the HTMT value for each facet is less than 0.85, while the square root of AVE for each facet is greater than the correlation coefficient between structures, indicating that the model is effective126.
The results of structural equation modeling
According to127, there are three levels of impact effects—weak, neutral, and strong, with path coefficients ranging from 0.1 to 0.3, 0.3 to 0.5, and above 0.5. The model path relationship is shown in Fig. 2. The model fitting indicators are all higher than the recommended standard values, as shown in Table 9. There are also good fitting indicators in the model, CFI = 0.967, RMSEA = 0.046, indicating that the model is reasonably constructed and achieves the standard level of fitting126.
Structural equation model.
The direct and indirect effects of each construct path are estimated using the maximum probability similarity method. Table 10 indicates that social influence significantly predicts satisfaction (ß = 0.167, P = 0.009), attitude (ß = 0.145, P = 0.009), and purchase intention (ß = 0.140, P = 0.005) when purchasing insect alternative food products. It indicates that social influence plays a positive role in influencing subjects’ satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intention when purchasing insect alternative food products.
There is a significant correlation between food safety and satisfaction (ß = 0.197, P = 0.012), attitude (ß = 0.142, P = 0.047), and purchase intention (ß = 0.151, P = 0.019), indicating that food safety is important to college students. Satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intention are positively impacted by purchasing insect alternative food products.
A significant relationship was found between dietary habit and satisfaction (ß = 0.442, P = 0.002), attitude (ß = 0.587, P = 0.005), and purchase intention (ß = 0.470, P = 0.0016), suggesting that dietary habits have a significant positive impact on consumers acceptance of insect food substitutes.
The result indicates that satisfaction has a positive causal effect on college students’ attitudes and purchase intentions towards alternative insect food products (ß = 0.436, P = 0.023) and purchase intentions (ß = 0.630, P = 0.008).
In terms of purchasing intentions, attitude (ß = 0.486, P = 0.032) and nutritional confidence (ß = 0.057, P = 0.042) not significantly predicted purchasing intentions, suggesting that purchasing intentions are not significantly influenced by attitude and nutritional confidence.
Despite this, satisfaction (ß = 0.073, P = 0.125) and attitude (ß = 0.054, P = 0.104) did not confirm a significant relationship between nutritional confidence and alternative insect food products.
There is no significant correlation between sports commitment and satisfaction (ß = 0.032, P = 0.387), attitude (ß = 0.055, P = 0.102), or purchase intention (ß = 0.040, P = 0.101). A positive causal relationship does not exist between the subjects’ commitment to sport and their satisfaction, attitude, or intention to purchase alternative insect food products.
Discussions
The purpose of this article is to study the factors that influence the purchase intention of insect food as alternative food sources. An analysis of correlation was conducted with the following 8 explanatory variables: SI, FS, NC, CS, DH, SAT, AT, and PI. Furthermore, this study presents new findings based on existing literature.
H1, H1a, H1b are established, indicating that social influence positively influences satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intention. In other words, social influence is a major factor affecting college students’ satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intention when purchasing alternative insect food products. Students often have greater awareness of environmental protection and have great social influence in society. Their attitudes and behaviors often reflect society’s attitudes and behaviors. This study confirms the findings of previous studies128,129. According to130 positive effect of social influence on attitudes and purchase intentions has been confirmed in 31 studies. Social influence promoted the improvement of satisfaction, improved attitudes toward products, and stimulated users’ purchase intention131. The influence of social influence on purchase intentions is positive132. College students’ classmates, friends, and family members may also develop a sense of identity when they attempt to eat insect food, which could alter their attitude toward eating insects in the future. Positive information on insect food may stimulate college students’ expectations and curiosity, increase their satisfaction after actual experience, and increase their purchase intention.
H2, H2a, H2b are established, indicating that food safety positively influences satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intention. The results of research indicate that food safety is positively associated with satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intention. Higher education has provided students with knowledge of food safety, which has increased their awareness of the topic. The government is expected to regulate alternative products in a similar manner so that alternative foods can meet the same standards as traditional foods. When presented with alternative products, college student consumers express high levels of satisfaction with them and are more likely to purchase them. According to a survey on the purchase intentions of organic food, food safety plays a significant role in the purchasing decisions of consumers36. It has been found that consumers’ food safety and attitudes are significant predictors of purchase intentions133. Increasing customer satisfaction as a result of tourists’ perceptions of food safety134. Moreover, food safety is a very critical concern that consumers consider when purchasing food, and it plays a key role in whether they purchase alternative food. Alternative food safety is an important prerequisite for increasing consumer purchases from the perspective of farmers and processors.
H5, H5a, H5b are established, indicating that dietary habits positively influences satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intention. Dietary habits have a positive impact on satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intent. According to research, dietary habits have a profound effect on consumers’ satisfaction, attitude, and intent to purchase insect-based alternative products. The results of this study are consistent with those of previous studies135,136. Dietary habits, satisfaction, and attitudes significantly predict their intention to purchase137. Insects have many advantages from an economic, sustainable, and nutritional standpoint, including low breeding costs, a high yield, a high protein content, and a low selling price. Cooked edible insects are tasty and nourishing, and have high edible and promotional value138,139. When college students perceive that eating products meets their expectations, they will seek out alternatives. When they perceive that eating insects is a healthy, environmentally friendly, and sustainable food choice, they will show a more positive attitude, resulting in higher purchase intentions.
H6, H6a, and H6b are established, indicating that satisfaction and attitude are positively correlated with purchase intentions. As a result, subjects’ satisfaction with insect-based alternative products will affect their attitudes and purchase intentions towards insect-based alternatives. In addition, this finding confirms the findings of previous research140,141. Generally speaking, satisfaction is the most basic indicator of whether an individual is satisfied with a product or service in particular. A sports enthusiast’s daily exercise requires a high level of protein intake, which is critical to their ability to do sports. Alternative products with a high protein content will increase their satisfaction, reflect a positive attitude, and affect their purchase intentions9. A positive attitude is likely to be formed by college students when they are satisfied with the taste and quality of alternative food products and can meet their expectations. This may lead to an increase in their purchase intention.
H7 are established, indicating that nutrition confidence and attitude are positively correlated with purchase intentions. Therefore, nutritional confidence and attitude will have an impact on the purchase intention of subjects for alternative food. A college student who believes alternative food products can meet his or her own sports supplement needs, develops a positive attitude toward such products, and believes the product is very attractive will be willing to purchase alternative food products. According to Sharma, et al.142 that nutritional confidence may contribute to the formation of a positive attitude toward a particular food and that it is a significant predictor of purchase intention. Studies have also indicated that a positive attitude is important for promoting future purchase intentions, particularly with regard to special food choices for special groups143,144. Students are at an age when they are active and interested in sports, which is why they may decide to purchase alternative products that contain high amounts of protein. By choosing alternative products, students show a positive attitude, which also facilitates continued physical activity.
In our study, some associations are not proven, H3a and H3b are invalid, indicating that nutritional confidence, satisfaction, and attitude are not significantly impacted. H4, H4a, H4b are invalid, indicating that commitment to sport does not significantly affect satisfaction, attitude, or purchase intentions. In accordance with previous findings9, concluded that exercise commitment was not linked to users’ satisfaction and attitude towards alternative protein supplements. According to145, nutrition confidence and attitude are not significantly related. The reason for this may be due to cultural barriers. Even if an individual is committed to exercise and nutritional confidence, alternative foods are not embraced by the mainstream culture in this region. There are fewer alternative products available, and there is insufficient awareness of their relevance. This also creates problems for manufacturers and promoters have brought more challenges, and the value promotion of products needs to be strengthened.
A selection of influential bloggers or experts can be chosen to showcase and promote alternative foods. Through scientific research and media publicity, the public’s awareness of alternative foods can be enhanced. The experience of using alternative foods, the high efficiency of insects as a source of protein, their contribution to environmental protection, and their benefit to physical health can be publicized.
There has been increasing consumer resistance to insects in the form of their appearance and taste. Alternative foods can be modified to improve the taste, quality, packaging, nutrition, safety, etc. By incorporating unique packaging and novel cooking methods into alternative foods and processing them into snack foods, consumers are more likely to accept them. Furthermore, government departments can also introduce relevant policies. Government support is capable of enhancing market trust, encouraging consumer platforms to promote alternative foods, and creating new business opportunities.
Conclusions
In this study, we explored the acceptance of alternative foods among college students, and we provided a reference for other groups that are interested in providing alternative foods. By studying alternative products, we hope to alleviate the pollution problems facing society, to provide suggestions for sustainable foods, to ensure food safety while reducing environmental pollution, and to boost acceptance of alternative products in society. This study is extremely significant in addressing the issues of environmental pollution and food safety caused by pollution.
On the basis of previous research, a new structural equation model was constructed to explore the promotion of college students’ intention to purchase alternative foods. By examining social influence, food safety, nutrition confidence, exercise commitment, and dietary habits, the relationship path hypothesis of college students’ purchase intention for alternative foods was confirmed. This is not only a supplement to the theory of alternative products, but it also provides a reference point for people’s future purchase intention for alternative products.
Alternative foods should focus on optimizing the nutrition of insect foods while ensuring food safety, innovating cultivation techniques, focusing on sustainable development, increasing consumer acceptance, and addressing specific groups (such as the elderly, children, or athletes) by developing alternative food products.
Practical implications
The pollution problem is not just a current issue, nor is it just a problem limited to particular countries. It is a global issue that the entire global population will ultimately have to deal with together. According to the study results in this article, finding alternative foods can reduce people’s dependence on contaminated seafood while alleviating the harmful effects of pollution on their health. In contrast, insect farming consumes very few resources, reproduces quickly, and produces less carbon emissions, making it a more environmentally friendly product than any alternative product. It serves as a reference for exploring more environmentally friendly and readily available types of foods. Finally, as alternative foods have become increasingly popular, protein products are becoming more diverse.
The rise of alternative foods has eased environmental pressures on the one hand and has also greatly reduced future food crises on the other. Consumers’ choice of alternative foods promoted innovation in biotechnology, provided them with a new food culture, and gave them multiple options for choosing food, increasing food diversity, improving animal welfare, and reducing suffering.
Limitations and future research
First of all, the research object is relatively single. Research subjects in this paper represent only the views of college students in regards to alternative foods. However, alternative foods are not only intended for college students, but also for a wider audience in countries with inadequate food supplies. In the future, further research will be conducted on poorer countries with insufficient food supplies.
Second, the purpose of this study is to examine college students’ intention to buy alternative food and to build a model using the following attributes: social influence, dietary habits, food safety, nutritional confidence, commitment to sports, attitude, satisfaction, and purchase intention. Other factors can be considered in future research.
Third, research in the field of pollution is currently in its infancy. However, future research will be required as environmental problems become more serious.
Data availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
We are deeply grateful to Zixuan Wang for providing significant assistance in conceptual design and image visualization for this study. We also extend our sincere thanks to the academic editor and anonymous reviewers for their time and effort in facilitating the publication of this article, offering valuable suggestions that have made this research more rigorous.
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Conceptualization, C.G. and L.R.; methodology, L.R. and F.Y.; software, L.R; validation, J.S.; formal analysis, L.R.; investigation, J.S.; data curation, F.Y.; writing—original draft preparation, F.Y.; writing—review and editing, F.Y. and J.S.; project administration, C.G. and J.S.;
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Yang, F., Ren, L., Sun, J. et al. A study of the purchase intention of alternative foods. Sci Rep 15, 6146 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-90014-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-90014-2
