FACTORS AFFECTING CONSUMERS’ WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR ORGANIC PRODUCTS IN GREEN MARKETS AND SPECIALTY HEALTH FOOD CHAIN STORES IN THE BANGKOK METROPOLIS AND VICINITY

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study 1) the demographic factors of people who buy organic products; 2) the factors affecting willingness to pay for organic products of consumers; and 3) the relationships between demographic factors and factors that affect willingness to pay for the organic products. The sample population consisted of 400 customers form green markets and specialty health food chain stores in the greater Bangkok metropolitan area. Data were collected using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis and stepwise regression analysis.

The results showed that 1) the majority of people who were buying organic products were female, in the 30-39 age range, single, and educated to bachelor’s degree level. Most were employed in the government sector and have household income of 20,001-40,000 baht per month. The greatest number of respondents had 3-4 household members and did not have any family members who were chronically ill. 2) As for factors that affected the samples’ decision to spend money on organic products, most said they were very satisfied with the nutritional quality ( = 4.05 on a Ranking, scale). Next, they said they chose products that were certified by internationally recognized standards, and they were influenced by the  product displays or exhibits of green markets or health food stores ( = 3.82 and = 3.64, respectively).3) The factors of consumer age, type of organic products they bought on a regular basis and household income were correlated to the amount of money spent on organic products to a statistically significant degree (p<0.10). Together, these 3 variables could predict 4.6% of the amount spent, with the following equation: y = 353.685 + 3.733 (age) – 127.705 (type of organic products purchased regularly) + 0.001 (household income per month).