Impact of the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification on consumer buying behaviour of fruits and vegetables: A study in Gannoruwa, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Good agricultural practices (GAP) certification has become a benchmark for ensuring food quality and promoting sustainable agriculture. This study aims to examine how consumer perceptions of GAP-certified produce, as along with related marketing elements, influence consumer buying behaviour. Primary data were collected from the 100 consumers of the Gannoruwa GAP-certified produce sales center using a pretested structured questionnaire and simple random sampling. Data were analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling to assess the relationship between consumer perceptions, market elements and purchase intention. The results revealed that overall awareness, knowledge and attitude levels towards GAP-certified produce were close to a high, with mean values of 3.66, 3.34 and 3.64 respectively on a five-point Likert scale. Regarding marketing elements, the results of the Wilcoxon sign-rank test indicated that consumers prioritized environmentally friendly features and benefits over price (Mean = 3.71, p = 0.000) and agreed that the premium price is worth the benefits (Mean = 3.58, p = 0.000). Availability in preferred locations and recommendations significantly influenced purchasing decisions. Consumer perception (path coefficient= 0.020, p =0958) was not statistically significant for purchase intention. Only product market elements (path coefficient = 0.55, p= 0.001) and effective market communication (path coefficient = 0.213, p=0.015) were significant factors influencing purchase intention. Purchase intention was positively correlated with gender (0.407, p = 0.047) and annual income (0.204, p = 0.047). However, willingness to pay extra and purchase frequency showed no significant relationship with consumer perception or marketing elements. The findings suggested that enhancing the product quality of GAP-certified produce and ensuring effective market communication can improve purchase intention, with higher sales achievable by targeting higher-income consumers.