Int. J. Economics and Business Research, Vol. 2, No. 6, 2010 511
Copyright © 2010 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.
Consumers’ purchasing and store switching
intentions in respect of eco-marked products
Philippos Karipidis*
Department of Agricultural Development and Farm Management,
Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki,
P.O. Box 141,
Thessaloniki 57400, Greece
E-mail: philika@farm.teithe.gr
E-mail: siphn@yahoo.gr
*Corresponding author
Efthimia Tsakiridou
Department of Agricultural Economics,
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,
Thessaloniki 54124, Greece
E-mail: efitsaki@agro.auth.gr
Stamatis Aggelopoulos
Department of Agricultural Development and Farm Management,
Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki,
P.O. Box 141,
Thessaloniki 57400, Greece
E-mail: stamagg@farm.teithe.gr
Athanasios Belidis
Department of Marketing,
Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki,
P.O. Box 141,
Thessaloniki 57400, Greece
E-mail: abelidis@mkt.teithe.gr
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to study consumers’ buying behaviours
towards certified eco-friendly food and to estimate their willingness to buy this
food. It also examines the role of the retailer to replace the certification and to
add value by analysing the consumer’s ‘willingness to switch store’ in order
to purchase a certified product. Results indicate that consumers’ intentions to
purchase eco-certified food depend on the level of awareness about production
conditions, the eco-mark experience and credence attribute associations,
occupation and household income. Therefore, the eco-mark and the most
preferred retailer could add value for customers. A methodological insight is