Abstract:
The increasing demand for organic food has drawn attention to understanding consumer
behavior and the factors shaping their purchasing decisions. This study investigates key
determinants influencing consumer insight into organic food, focusing on awareness,
availability and certification, perception, knowledge, and selected demographic
variables such as age, gender, education, marital status, and family structure. This study
examines consumer insights into organic food in the Aththanagalla Divisional
Secretariat Division in the Gampaha District. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was
conducted using a pre tested questionnaire among 150 consumers selected through
random sampling. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 22), applying descriptive
statistics, hypothesis testing, and multiple regression analysis to identifu the influence
of awareness, knowledge, availability, perception, certification, and demographic
characteristics on purchase behavior. In contrast, awareness shows a significant but
negative relationship with purchase behavior (p : 0.010), suggesting that being aware
of organic food does not necessarily translate into actual purchase, likely due to price
concerns, product availability, or lack of trust in certification. The findings reveal that
consumer knowledge has a strong positive influence on purchase behavior (p: 0.000),
indicating that well-informed consumers are more likely to choose organic food.
Availability, certification, perception, and dernographic variables were not statistically
significant. And availability, certification and perception have found to be statically not
signilrcant (p : 0.747). The study concludes that improving consumer knowledge
rather than only increasing awareness is crucial for enhancing organic food purchasing
behavior. Strengthening certification visibility, improving product accessibility, and
implementing educational and marketing strategies can increase consumer trust and
stimulate demand. The findings offer valuable implications for marketers,
policymakers, and organic food producers in promoting sustainable food consumption
in Sri Lanka.
