Cultural values and organic food in India

Cultural values (CV) play a noteworthy role in the choice making of consumers. The role of CV in organic food (OF) consumption has been neglected in the literature. This paper reports the key findings of moderating effects of six cultural dimensions of Hofstede on the relationship between OF purchase intention (OFPI) and OF purchase behaviour (OFPB): Power distance (PD), Individualism/Collectivism (COL), Masculinity/Femininity (MAS), Uncertainty avoidance (UA), Long/Short-term orientation (LTO), and Indulgence/Restraint (IND). The study was conducted in India, known for its large number of cultural differences. Data from 401 respondents were gathered via online survey and role of culture was analysed through moderation analysis. Results revealed that UA, LTO, and IND had a significant moderating effect of OFPI on OFPB, while PD, COL and MAS did not. This result has implications for OF producers and marketers, as they need to be aware of cultural characteristics when targeting different consumer markets.