How attitude towards food fortification can lead to purchase intention

This research examines how consumers' general attitude towards food fortification can lead to their intention to purchase vitamin D fortified food. Specifically, it is argued that this effect can be mediated by the perceived personal benefit of consuming vitamin D fortified food; and that the indirect effect is moderated by problem awareness and the perceived appropriateness of vitamin D fortification in a given food product category. Perceived personal benefit and problem awareness reflect the individual versus public interest to improve health, respectively. The model is tested among a sample of 1263 adult consumers who evaluated ten mainly animal-based food products, including dairy and processed meat products. Results of moderated mediation analysis indicate that general attitude towards food fortification are associated with perceived personal benefit, especially under conditions of high problem awareness. Purchase intention of vitamin D fortified food does not only depend on consumers' assessment of their personal benefit of enriching foods with vitamin D, but also the perceived appropriateness of a given product to be fortified. Importantly, high appropriateness can offset the attenuated effect associated with low problem awareness.