Extending the stimulus organism response model with exercise habits to explain consumer purchase intentions for alternative foods

Abstract

The growth of the population and the increasing severity of environmental problems have made it impossible for traditional foods to satisfy the ever-growing demand for food. Alternative foods are becoming an increasingly important research direction in order to address the challenges of food safety and sustainable development in the future. The current academic research has not yet reached a large scale. Many studies focus on alternative food purchasing intentions is relatively limited, with most studies focusing on motivation and sustainability, green e-word-of-mouth, and online digital factors. Based on the stimulus-organization-response (SOR) model, this paper adds the factor of exercise habits as a supplement to the model. Stratified sampling was used to conduct an online questionnaire survey among university students, and structural equation modeling was used to analyze 353 valid samples. According to the findings, exercise habit has a negative impact on food neophobia, and food neophobia has a negative impact on satisfaction. However, green word-of-mouth has a significant impact on satisfaction, and satisfaction has a significant impact on purchase intention. It is specifically intended to promote the dissemination of sustainable consumption concepts and to influence consumers to make healthy and environmentally friendly product choices. Also, the results of the research can help the government formulate relevant policies, and provide a basis for decision-making by enterprises to expand into new markets and producers to alter their production processes. A business can increase consumers’ purchase intention through sports cooperation, reducing food neophobia, and strengthening green word-of-mouth. Policymakers should promote alternative foods through community demonstrations and provide strengthened sports nutrition education.

Introduction

Background

The United Nations has proposed achieving sustainable development goals by 2030, with food security being a top priority¹. In spite of the fact that approximately 10 billion people are currently being fed by the food produced around the world. It should be noted, however, that the food system does not provide an equitable distribution of resources². The world’s population is projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, imposing pressing demands on sustainable food production and security³. Global population increase and socioeconomic development have strained food supplies and protein sources⁴. In this context, the public continues to place increasing importance on healthy eating, and academics and industry are increasingly interested in alternative foods⁵. To address the growing challenges associated with food security and environmental protection, alternative foods offer diverse solutions to global food security and environmental issues.

In the world of alternative foods, green food is one of the most striking representatives. Green food is the food produced by professional producers which is sustainable, pollution-free, and nutrient-dense⁶. Green food, primarily made from plants, has nutrition levels comparable to meat⁷. It has a minimal impact on human health and the environment and is widely regarded as sustainable and eco-friendly products⁸. In this study, we focus on alternative foods derived from insect products in order to provide a variety of options for future food sustainability. Previous research has found that alternative food sustainability is the most explored topic. Alternative foods are seen as playing an important role in the transition to a sustainable food system⁹. By employing new forms of food production and distribution methods, thereby creating sustainable, more localized, and quality—focused alternatives¹⁰. Moreover, alternative foods provide diversified options for sustainable development in the global food industry, which breaks through the logic of traditional foods’ production. Food derived from insects is gaining widespread attention as an alternative source of protein and micronutrients¹¹. Their characteristics can vary due to socioeconomic, cultural, and geographical factors¹². The world currently has a sufficient supply of food, which provides us with a good opportunity to reconstruct the pattern of food production and consumption, and therefore to transform the entire food system¹³. As technology advances, alternative foods are expected to contribute significantly to environmental protection and global food security.

As the world moves toward a more sustainable diet, new alternative foods may offer a potential solution¹⁴. COVID-19 has exposed the fragility of the current food system, and its resilience should be strengthened to withstand future crises and ensure food security¹⁵. The goal of innovation in the food system is to provide healthy diets for all mankind while ensuring the health of the earth. The process contributes to achieving sustainable development objectives¹⁶. The significance of this study cannot be overstated as, given the current vulnerability of the food system, alternative foods have become an effective means of reducing food insecurity. As outlined in previous research, examining the purchase intention of alternative foods can help increase the acceptance of alternative foods on the market and thus accelerate the promotion of such foods.

Over the past three decades, alternative foods have gradually become an important research topic in academia, but they remain primarily experimental and cannot serve as a solution for large-scale dissemination¹⁷. Currently, more research is focusing on the motivation of alternative food participants and their sustainability¹². Scholars have also studied the systemic mechanisms of alternative food networks¹⁸. Proteins derived from plants are considered to be a very important source of alternative nutrition^19,20. In previous studies, digital platforms^21–23 for alternative food and green word-of-mouth. Alternative have been explored well. Today’s consumers are becoming more aware of environmental protection and health, which has made them more inclined to choose products that are good for their bodies, environmentally friendly, and sustainable. It is noteworthy that there has been relatively little research on the purchase intention of alternative foods. Previous studies have primarily examined consumers’ purchase intention alternatives from three perspectives: individual, social, and environmental⁵. In addition, research has been conducted on the intention of consumers to purchase meat protein substitutes^24,25. In this study, the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) mod. Alternativeated, exercise habits are added, and multiple key variables are introduced, including exercise habits, green word-of-mouth, food neophobia, satisfaction, and purchase intention, to explore the factors that influence college students’ purchase intention of alternative foods. Alternative foods are gradually changing people’s consumption cognitions and dietary structures. Individuals exhibit different attitudes toward alternative foods, and research on the purchase intention of alternative foods is still relatively limited. An in-depth exploration of the reasons and regulatory mechanisms behind this phenomenon is important for future research. With this study, we hope to explore the factors and barriers that influence consumers’ purchase intention of alternative foods, and to contribute to the development of a healthier, greener, and more sustainable food system for the future. The use of alternative foods has become a sustainable method of ensuring food security in the future²⁶. A growing number of edible insects and microalgae are being used as alternative food sources, which underscores the importance of building sustainable food systems to combat food insecurity²⁷. Through the SOR model, individuals are able to alter their behavior by influencing external stimuli, providing a clear causal path for alternative food research. It explains the factors that enhance purchase intention, as well as helping to examine what factors between stimuli and the organism can be used to enhance consumer satisfaction and purchase intention.

Study purposes

An equation model was developed and recommendations were made regarding the purchase intention of alternative foods based on the results of this study. As environmental problems, food safety risks, and food shortages become increasingly severe throughout the world, alternative foods both meet people’s food safety needs and contribute to sustainable diets in the future²⁸. It contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms of consumer acceptance of alternative foods by expanding the application of SOR in the field of food consumption. We examined the relationship between five factors, including exercise habits, green word-of-mouth, food neophobia, satisfaction, and purchase intention. By promoting the advantages of alternative foods, the purchase intention was increased, and consumers were encouraged to maintain healthier and more sustainable eating habits, thus achieving the dual goal of protecting the environment and preserving it.

Literature review

Theoretical framework

To examine consumers’ intention to purchase alternative foods, the study extracts variables from mature theories and combines them with the SOR model. The SOR theory is a behavioral psychology model that emphasizes the interactions between stimulus, organism, and response²⁹. In addition, SOR has the advantage of focusing on consumer behavior and the influence of various factors on purchasing intentions³⁰. It is used in psychological and behavioral research to explore consumer perceptions and behavioral intentions³¹. In light of this, this paper explores consumers’ purchasing intentions.

the relationship between satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intention, and revealed that satisfaction can increase the likelihood of consumers making a purchase intention. Yang, et al.⁵ and others conducted a study on alternative foods regarding habits, satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intentions, and they confirmed that habits have a significant impact on satisfaction, attitude, and purchase intentions. Due to the emergence of the disease, consumer behavior has shifted toward green purchases. In response to the outbreak, consumers have become more conscious of sustainable consumption and green products³². consumers’ intention to purchase green food. They found that attitude positively influences purchase intention, and that green word-of-mouth positively influences purchase intention³³.

In conjunction with previous studies, this study examines the path influence of exercise habits, green word-of-mouth, food neophobia, green word-of-mouth, satisfaction on purchase intentions. Habit is one of the unconscious factors that influence behavior and plays a significant role in the development of behavior change. Many studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between habits and physical activity³⁴. As previous research has shown, habit formation interventions are effective at promoting physical activity behaviors through habit formation, participants preferred interventions that promoted physical activity behaviors through habit formation³⁵. According to previous research, the relationship between habits and green purchasing intentions was examined within the context of environmental pollution³⁶. It has also been demonstrated that habitual behavior can predict changes in food consumption, which is related to habits and food³⁷. Consumers may maintain healthier dietary preferences with sustained physical activity³⁸. Physical activity is closely associated with an individual’s health behavior and can provide support for individuals in improving their health behavior³⁹. With the goal of replacing food, coupled with the consumer’s habits, green behaviors are made automatic through repeated engagement of some stimulating behaviors. Habit change is generally considered to be vital to successful behavior modification⁴⁰. A person’s habits reflect their various behavior patterns and long-term results in a variety of fields⁴¹. Therefore, this study uses exercise habit as a variable to investigate consumers’ behavior intentions. A stimulus is the behavior of an organism in response to the external environment. The organism is the psychological mechanism through which the user receives the stimulus and converts it into information. The response is the consumer’s response behavior to the stimulus⁴². There is no doubt that word-of-mouth is one of the most important factors influencing the purchasing decision of consumers. Green trends are becoming increasingly incorporated into word-of-mouth research⁴³. According to the study, consumers are motivated by word-of-mouth recommendations to purchase products⁴⁴. Having a positive word-of-mouth reputation plays a significant role in consumers’ buying decisions⁴⁵. When it comes to making purchasing decisions, word-of-mouth can provide potential consumers with an objective, independent source of information⁴⁶. Electronic word-of-mouth can be used in marketing activities to stimulate potential customers’ purchase intentions⁴⁷. Word-of-mouth is becoming increasingly important in this context as social media has transformed the external environment for consumers⁴⁸. When different types of consumers receive word-of-mouth from a variety of sources, their cognition will be stimulated and their purchase intention will increase⁴⁹. It is reasonable and theoretically sound to include green word-of-mouth as a stimulus variable in the SOR model. Several studies have provided theoretical support for this paper. It is clear that the SOR model effectively explains the effect of online word-of-mouth on purchasing intention⁵⁰. Green word-of-mouth is used in the SOR model to trigger consumers’ environmental awareness and thus generate their purchase intention of organic foods⁵¹. Therefore, this paper selects green word-of-mouth as the stimulus for the SOR model, which aligns with the logical framework of the SOR model. Word-of-mouth has been recognized as an extremely important means of conveying information since its discovery⁵². The food neophobia, corresponds to the organism in the model, thus food neophobia is an issue that needs to be addressed when selecting alternative foods, which impacts consumers’ acceptance of these alternatives⁵³. Therefore, food neophobia is selected as the organism, while satisfaction and purchase intention are internal responses, corresponding to the response in the SOR model⁵⁴. Due to this, the response chosen for this study is purchase intention.

The alternative food system provides alternatives to traditional food systems around the world by seeking to provide more ethical, sustainable, and fair food⁵⁵. Insects are relatively new sources of food⁵⁶. According to the study, edible insects may become an important source of food and nutrition for livestock and humans in the Western world in the not too distant future⁵⁷. Insects are a new source of protein that is nutritious and is not harmful at all when compared with other animal products⁵⁸. There is a major focus on the cultivation, processing, and consumption of edible insects by researchers in order to address the current global food security crisis⁵⁹. More than 2 billion people in the world consume insects as food, which is an effective means of ensuring global food security and promoting sustainable development⁶⁰. The circular economy places a great deal of emphasis on insects as a source of sustainable protein⁶¹. It is true that there are still questions about the safety of edible substitute products, but their widespread consumption around the world supports the possibility of their food safety⁶². The use of insects as food and animal feed represents a new source of protein for the world’s population⁶³. In contrast, insect protein is less acceptable as an alternative to cultured meat⁶⁴.

Research model

Exercise habit (EH)

Under certain circumstances, physical exercise habits can be automatically activated⁶⁵. A person’s non-cognitive abilities can be improved by exercise habit⁶⁶. In general, exercise is leisure activities that involve physical activity, whether they are performed alone, as part of a team, or in a sports club⁶⁷. The concept of habits refers to behaviors that are performed frequently and are associated with unconscious behavior⁶⁸. The power of habits is immense, and they are very long lasting⁶⁹. An individual with good habits is more likely to engage in beneficial behaviors that become default choices, thereby eliminating the need for conscious decision-making or willpower to resist temptation⁷⁰. The meaning of habits is not limited to recurrence of behavior, but also automaticity and ease of execution⁷¹. Studies have shown that exercise habits can be reliably measured, remain stable over time, and are not equivalent to exercise frequency alone⁷². Leisure activity participation has a significant impact on purchase intentions⁷³. As a predictor of purchase intention, habit has a positive predictive effect⁷⁴ maintenance of good exercise habits will encourage individuals to exercise regularly and to maintain a healthy lifestyle⁷⁵. Psychology and neuroscience believe that habits are the result of consumer decision-making. The same behavior will be displayed in similar circumstances⁷⁶. Sports activity behavior is often explained by social cognitive theory³⁴. Healthy habits play a vital role in our lives. Social psychology believes habits are repeated responses to circumstances⁷⁷.

In conjunction with the increasing interest in alternative foods, consumers with good exercise habits tend to be more health aware and are more likely to select foods that are in line with their health goals and values. Therefore, when alternative foods appear to be healthier, more nutritious, and more environmentally friendly, consumers’ purchase intentions may increase. Moreover, this suggests that good exercise habits may activate the combination of health and sustainability in consumers’ minds, thereby affecting their cognitive and behavioral responses to alternative foods. Thus, this study considers exercise habits to be an important variable and integrates them into the model for discussion.

Green word-of-mouth (GWoM)

Green word-of-mouth refers to consumers spreading positive environmental information about a product to their family, friends, and coworkers⁷⁸. The concept of green word-of-mouth refers to the extent to which consumers recommend a product based upon its positive environmental attributes to their friends and family⁷⁹. Generally speaking, a green word-of-mouth refers to the overall level of credibility that is assigned to a person’s current or past behavior⁸⁰ addition to having environmentally friendly characteristics, green products are more popular with consumers than traditional products⁸¹. As global ecological and environmental problems become more acute, green products are gaining greater market acceptance than traditional products⁸². There are studies have shown that green word-of-mouth does not significantly influence purchase intentions⁴⁴. Accordingly, green word-of-mouth effectiveness may vary based on the situation and population. In order to cultivate green word-of-mouth, it is important for consumers to be satisfied with their experience. Satisfactory customer service will promote positive word-of-mouth behavior among consumers⁸³. The influence of green word-of-mouth on the purchase intention of green foods is significant^33,84. Alternative foods are relatively new, so consumers are often concerned about their safety, nutritional value, and health benefits. It is possible that the green word-of-mouth of acquaintances can help alleviate some of the information asymmetry, reduce perceived risks, and improve acceptance in certain instances. Businesses that encourage the use of alternative foods should stimulate consumers’ positive green word-of-mouth, develop a green community atmosphere, and increase the influence and acceptance of alternative foods among consumers. Thus, this study considers green word-of-mouth to be an important variable and integrates them into the model for discussion.

Food neophobia (FN)

Food neophobia is characterized by reluctance to eat or avoidance of unfamiliar foods⁸⁵ term food neophobia refers to consumers’ dislike of novel foods that differ significantly based on their age⁸⁶. Moreover, food neophobia is a relatively stable dimension that is mainly used to measure individuals’ acceptance of unfamiliar foods⁸⁷. With the recent expansion of food diversity, the demand for food innovation is rising. Consumers’ food neophobia has reduced significantly after tasting new foods, receiving education, and tasting them⁸⁸. It is clear that, from a global perspective, as education levels improve and urbanization accelerates, food neophobia is on the decline in many countries⁸⁹. An assessment of a person’s food neophobia dimensions can provide a good indicator of their acceptance of new foods⁹⁰. As a whole, food neophobia is not only an important variable reflecting consumer psychology, but also has an important impact on the way in which food technology is developed and the formulation of market strategies for alternative foods. Addressing consumers’ food neophobia will help improve the social acceptance and consumption conversion rate of alternative foods. Thus, this study considers food neophobia to be an important variable and integrates them into the model for discussion.

Satisfaction (SA)

The term satisfaction refers to the consumer’s evaluation of a product or service after using the product or service⁹¹. With the popularization of sustainable development, consumers are increasingly paying attention to green products, and satisfaction is an important factor in their green word-of-mouth⁹². A consumer’s fear of new foods has a moderating effect on their satisfaction with food⁹³. It is possible that consumers will be less satisfied even if the product itself performs well when their level of food neophobia is high. Behavioral intention is positively influenced by satisfaction, and food neophobia towards new foods moderates the relationship between the two⁹⁴. According to a number of studies, satisfaction influences consumers’ purchase intentions^95–97.Positive experiences with alternative foods are associated with a greater likelihood of a subsequent higher purchase intention. Therefore, when exploring the mechanism through which alternative foods are accepted by consumers, satisfaction should be considered a core variable. Its role is not only reflected in the direct effect on purchase intention, but also plays an indirect role in regulating food neophobia. Thus, this study considers satisfaction to be an important variable and integrates them into the model for discussion.

Purchase intention (PI)

The concept of purchase intention refers to the psychological tendency of a consumer to purchase a particular product or service in the future⁹⁸. An individual’s purchase intention of organic food can be viewed as an expression of their desire for healthy and safe food⁹⁹. As ecological civilization has gained popularity in recent years, consumers are increasingly concerned about environmental protection. Increasing consumers’ purchase intention of alternative food is conducive to environmental protection¹⁰⁰. With the onset of increasingly severe issues such as global warming and environmental degradation, consumers’ alternative foods purchase intention becomes increasingly important¹⁰¹. Increasing consumer purchasing intentions of alternative foods contributes to the sustainable development of the ecological environment¹⁰². As the economy continues to grow rapidly, society is also facing increasingly severe environmental concerns. As a result, people are becoming more interested in eating green foods, which will encourage companies to invest in alternative foods¹⁰³. Consumers’ purchasing intentions represent not only a market response, but also an expression of their environmental consciousness and sense of social responsibility. It is important to understand the reasons for consumers’ purchase intention of organic foods and their desire to use natural products, regardless of their individual circumstances¹⁰⁴. People pay close attention to a few characteristics of food may show a high purchase intention¹⁰⁵. Innovative and open-minded consumers are more likely to accept novel foods, especially when alternative foods are beneficial to health and the environment, and their attitude is more likely to be positive¹⁰⁶. Therefore, purchase intention is an important variable not only for measuring market potential, but for understanding consumer behavior and guiding the transition to green consumption as well. Enhancing consumer purchase intention is crucial to achieving sustainable consumption and the construction of an ecological civilization, particularly in the promotion of alternative foods. Thus, this study considers purchase intention to be an important variable and integrates them into the model for discussion.

Research hypotheses

To bridge the gap between previous studies’ theoretical development of each construct and the objectives of this study, we perform a further review and analysis and propose research hypotheses.

The key aspect of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is regular exercise¹⁰⁷. In addition, there are many plant-based ingredients in greens that can positively impact athletic performance¹⁰⁸. During the consumption process, green word-of-mouth has proven to be one of the most important channels for consumers to obtain information about products¹⁰⁹. Several studies indicate that word-of-mouth has a direct impact on consumer purchase intention¹¹⁰. Food neophobia, however, is strongly correlated with the willingness to accept certain foods. The degree is closely related to the degree of willingness to accept foods¹¹¹. Food neophobia is also associated with a decreased interest in trying a particular food by consumers¹¹². Providing information about alternative foods is one of the most commonly used strategies to increase consumption of alternative foods. Positive word-of-mouth combined with good exercise habits can have a reinforcing effect, thereby increasing consumption of alternative foods¹¹³. During this process, green word-of-mouth can provide information about alternative foods and promote consumer awareness of alternative foods. Under the positive direction of green products, consumers can form a good reputation by actively maintaining exercise habits. Thus, green word- of- mouth will not only alleviate food fear, but will also create a demonstration effect among exercise enthusiasts, thereby promoting healthy eating and exercise. The development of a positive reputation for alternative foods may help alleviate food neophobia associated with them. On the basis of previous research, the following hypotheses are proposed:

H1

Exercise habit (EH) has a negative impact on alternative food’s food neophobia (FN).

H2

Green word-of-mouth (GWoM) has a negative impact on alternative food’s food neophobia (FN).

Exercise not only improves one’s body image, but also enhances his or her satisfaction¹¹⁴. Studies have shown that satisfaction plays a key role in the development of green word-of-mouth⁴³. In particular, consumer satisfaction plays an important role in influencing positive word-of-mouth regarding food consumption¹¹⁵. When consumers gain satisfaction from a healthy lifestyle, they are more likely to maintain a positive attitude towards emerging foods. Food phobia has been shown to negatively correlate with consumers’ willingness to eat insect-based foods, and consumers who have never eaten insect-based foods have a lower willingness to eat them¹¹⁶. Fear of new foods inhibits the willingness of consumers to eat insect foods, but first exposure to insect foods positively affects consumer expectations¹¹⁷. Additionally, food neophobia may also hinder the acceptance of alternative foods [. A positive word- of-mouth can weaken an individual’s resistance to unfamiliar food and play an important role in the promotion of new foods. It is particularly effective in areas where there are strong psychological barriers to alternative diets. According to related research, a strategy that alters the novelty of food can reduce the negative impacts of food phobias, and a strategy that enhances the awareness of consumers about the environment can boost their acceptance of new foods¹¹⁸. In the study, it was determined that green word-of-mouth and personal eating habits played a certain role in consumers’ purchase intention of new products. Combining exercise habits with green word-of-mouth can help alleviate food neophobia and improve consumer satisfaction. As a result, the following hypothesis is formulated based on a combination of previous theories:

H3

Exercise habit (EH) has a positive impact on alternative food’s satisfaction (SA).

H4

Green word-of-mouth (GWoM) has a positive impact on alternative food’s satisfaction (SA).

H5

Food neophobia (FN) has a negative impact on alternative food’s satisfaction (SA).

The quality of a product affects the satisfaction of consumers, which in turn affects their purchase intention¹¹⁹. Taking a step further, satisfaction entails more than just short-term experience, but reflects the psychology of long-term evaluation and recognition of value. According to studies, the satisfaction level of consumers with food has a significant impact on their behavioral intentions¹²⁰. Customers’ purchase intentions have been shown to increase when they are satisfied with alternative foods⁹⁷. In the case of alternative foods, consumer satisfaction after the first taste can not only alleviate psychological resistance, but can also lead to positive word-of-mouth dissemination, leading to the acceptance of alternative foods. According to research on green foods, consumers’ perception of satisfaction influences their purchase intention¹²¹. Accordingly, satisfaction is a universal and stable mechanism in the decision-making process of consumers. According to the findings of this study, consumers’ purchase intention of alternative foods will also be significantly increased when they express satisfaction with alternative foods. In other words, improving consumer satisfaction is not only a short-term goal, but also the key to establishing long-term trust and loyalty among consumers. Thus, the following hypotheses are posed:

H6

Satisfaction (SA) has a positive impact on alternative food’s purchase intention (PI).

Based on a review of the theoretical development in previous studies and the hypothesized relationships among the constructs, we propose the conceptual model to be tested in this paper, as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1.

A model of hypotheses.

Research methods

Sampling

In this study, college student were targeted, and the proportion of participants was consistent with previous studies^5,97. Nevertheless, the research subjects may limit the generalizability of the findings. The college student has a greater level of education, a greater ability to accept and a greater degree of acceptance of new foods⁵. A new product can quickly increase consumer interest.They may be aware of how to consume in a sustainable manner¹²². Furthermore, the students came from a diverse range of regions and cultural backgrounds, providing a good basis for analyzing the acceptance of alternative foods from multiple perspectives.

A professional data collection company, Wenjuanxing, was contracted to collect the questionnaires. Data was collected anonymously, and participants volunteered to participate. No personally identifiable information was collected. To ensure the scientific validity and representativeness of the sample, college students were selected based on factors such as their age, grade, and region. According to previous studies on alternative foods, economically developed regions are more able to consume food than less developed regions¹²³. Approximately 70% of consumers exercise at least once a week, making them the largest group of consumers¹²⁴. In general, the proportion of participants in this study is similar to that in previous studies on the same subject⁵. At the beginning of the investigation, alternative foods are introduced, including images, products, etc. Through the explanation, the students gain a preliminary understanding of alternative foods. July 2024 is the survey period. A total of 652 questionnaires were distributed. We implemented a reverse question exclusion mechanism, FN2 and FN4 were reverse questions. We added two new questions that correspond to FN2 and FN4. Almost all of the content of the two sets of questions is the same, with the only difference being the logical order in which they are presented. Our screening process uses the scoring of reverse questions as a reference. For example, if the answer to a reverse question is “strongly agree” or “agree”, and the original question also shows “strongly agree” or “agree”, then the sample will be deleted. In contrast, if the answer to a reverse question is “strongly disagree” or “disagree”, then the original question should not include these words. A total of 299 invalid questionnaires were eliminated, and 353 valid samples were retained, resulting in an efficiency rate of 55.2%. Those students who participated in the survey can receive compensation via a digital payment after submitting the questionnaire. The basic information about students who participated in the survey is provided in Table 1.

Table 1.

Demographic characteristics of the respondents.

Sample	Category	Number	Percentage (%)
Gender	Male	179	50.708
	Female	174	49.292
Grade	Freshman	78	22.096
	Sophomore	91	25.779
	Junior	134	37.960
	Senior	50	14.164
Area	Eastern China	238	67.422
	Central China	60	16.997
	Western China	49	13.881
	Northeast China	5	1.416
	Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan	1	0.283
Monthly income	Below 4000	299	84.703
	4001–6000	15	4.249
	6001–12,000	26	7.365
	12,001–18,000	5	1.416
	18,001 or more	8	2.266
Experience	Yes	117	33.144
	No	236	66.856
Fitness frequency	Once a week	205	58.074
	Twice a week	61	17.280
	Three times a week	36	10.198
	More than three times a week	51	14.448

Questionnaire design

According to previous studies, a questionnaire was used in this study that was based on a well-established scale. A five-point Likert scale was used to score all items, with 1 representing strong disagreement and 5 representing strong agreement. A score of 1 indicates strongly disagree, and a score of 5 indicates strongly agree. The final version of the questionnaire was deemed to have preliminary expert content validity after three students completed it and three experts with more experience in education revised it. Table 2 presents the latent variable reference sources, coding, items and source information for the questionnaire designed in accordance with the topic of this article and related literature.

Table 2.

Measurement Scale.

Construct	Coding	Item	Source
EH	EH1	As soon as I begin exercising, I continue to do so	125
	EH2	It is difficult for me to stop exercising once I begin
	EH3	Exercise has become an integral part of my daily routine
GWoM	GWoM1	Due to its environmentally friendly, I would highly recommend alternative food to others	126
	GWoM2	Due to their environmentally friendly features features of alternative food, I will actively recommend them to others
	GWoM3	The use of alternative food is environmentally friendly, and I would encourage others to do the same
	GWoM4	Due to the environmental benefits of alternative food, I will tell others about them
FN	FN1	Alternative foods are strange to me	127
	FN2	I enjoy trying new foods at dinner parties
	FN3	It is difficult for me to try foods that I am unfamiliar with
	FN4	It is a pleasure for me to try restaurants that serve food from different countries
SA	SA1	It was the right decision to choose an alternative food	128
	SA2	It makes me happy to choose an alternative food
	SA3	The alternative food has met my expectations
	SA4	I was satisfied with the replacement product
PI	PI1	If possible, I would like to purchase an alternative food	129
	PI2	If possible, I will purchase an alternative food
	PI3	If possible, I am going to purchase an alternative food
	PI4	If replacement products are available, I would choose to purchase them first

Results

As a means of identifying multivariate outliers, the Mahalanobis distance is employed to identify observations that deviate from the overall distribution in multiple dimensional dimensions. Results showed that after including all five constructs in the analysis, 7 subjects had calculated results above the critical value of Chi-Square distribution of 20.515, so they were discarded as invalid samples.

In this study, the reliability and validity of the recovered samples are examined. We removed some items due to their low factor loadings or cross-loadings in the analysis, as well as poor convergent validity. According to this study, after deleting questions such as GWoM4, FN1, SA1, and PI4, the model indicators met the adaptation standards recommended in previous studies. Therefore, we deleted these items and analyzed the remaining data using descriptive statistics shown in Table 3. According to Kline, we calculated the skewness and kurtosis of questions and facets. It is evident from the results that all values of skewness are within the range of -3 to 3 and that all values of kurtosis are within the range of -7 to 7. This indicates that the results of the data are in accordance with univariate normality.

Table 3.

Results of descriptive statistics.

Construct	Item	Skewness (item)	Kurtosis (item)	Skewness (construct)	Kurtosis (construct)	Mean	SD	Variance
EH	EH1	− .365	− .352	− .264	− .222	3.594	.936	.877
	EH2	− .178	− .538
	EH3	− .249	− .483
GWoM	GWoM1	− .122	.541	− .235	.761	3.297	.794	.631
	GWoM2	− .137	.451
	GWoM3	− .109	.672
FN	FN2	− .172	− .090	− .197	.070	2.577	.693	.481
	FN3	− .229	.331
	FN4	− .193	− .147
SA	SA2	.370	2.399	.509	2.181	3.178	.610	.372
	SA3	.691	1.677
	SA4	.374	0.882
PI	PI1	.449	1.044	.420	1.197	3.304	.662	.438
	PI2	.309	.720
	PI3	.293	0.962

The reliability of the questionnaire is tested using Cronbach’s alpha and corrected item-total correlation coefficient (CITC)¹³⁰. According to the results, the Cronbach’s reliability coefficient was greater than 0.8, which met previous recommendations. In addition, the reliability coefficient did not increase significantly after the questions were deleted, indicating that the current items are consistent¹³¹. In this study, all of the constructs have a CITC greater than 0.6, so the questionnaires and scales were highly consistent. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and a common latent factor analysis (CLF) are used in this study in order to evaluate the model¹³². According to the results, the CFA model met the previous research standards and the CLF model did not show a significant improvement, indicating a lack of obvious common method bias. The results indicated that each item had a factor loading greater than 0.7 and that the square multiple correlation (SMC) was greater than 0.6¹³³. The t-value for each item was greater than 2.58 and met the significance standard. The composite reliability (CR) of each dimension was greater than 0.8, and the average variability extraction (AVE) was greater than 0.7, suggesting that the findings were valid and reliable. Table 4 shows the results of the analysis.

Table 4.

Results of Cronbach’s alpha test.

Construct	Items	Factor loading	AVE	CR	Cronbach’s alpha
EH	EH1	.850	.730	.890	.889
	EH2	.871
	EH3	.841
GWoM	GWoM1	.863	.746	.898	.896
	GWoM2	.898
	GWoM3	.828
FN	FN2	.864	.747	.899	.898
	FN3	.879
	FN4	.850
SA	SA2	.785	.707	.878	.875
	SA3	.866
	SA4	.869
PI	PI1	.874	.772	.910	.910
	PI2	.885
	PI3	.877

* The level of significance is 0.05.

Note: CFA model fits are as follows: χ2/df = 1.894, RMSEA = 0.050, GFI = 0.944, AGFI = 0.916, NFI = 0.961, CFI = 0.981, SRMR = 0.032; CLF model fits are as follows: χ2/df = 1.918, RMSEA = 0.051, GFI = 0.944, AGFI = 0.915, NFI = 0.961, CFI = 0.981, SRMR = 0.032.

In order to calculate discriminant validity, we used two methods. Table 5 shows the results of the Fornell-Larcker criterion method. As the square root of each facet’s AVE is greater than the correlation coefficient between structures, the data in this study are discriminant valid¹³⁰ contrast, Table 6 shows the results of the test for the heterotrait-monotrait ratio (HTMT). This ratio is less than 0.85 for all constructs¹³¹ study meets the recommendations of previous studies.

Table 5.

Results of Fornell− Larcker criterion.

	EH	GWoM	FN	SA	PI
EH	.854
GWoM	.302*	.864
FN	− .182*	− .111*	.864
SA	.235*	.536*	− .352*	.841
PI	.201*	.519*	− .312*	.797*	.879

* The level of significance is 0.05.

Table 6.

Results of the heterotrait− monotrait ratio.

	EH	GWoM	FN	SA	PI
EH
GWoM	.338
FN	.205	.125
SA	.268	.604	.397
PI	.224	.575	.346	.893

AMOS was used to analyze structural equation models. The maximum likelihood method was used for estimation, 2000 bootstrappings were performed, and confidence intervals of 95% were set. All indicators of the model suggested that they meet the recommended standards of previous studies, as χ2/df = 1.854, RMSEA = 0.049, GFI = 0.943, AGFI = 0.918, NFI = 0.960, CFI = 0.981, SRMR = 0.033. We calculated the R-squared values for the three dependent variables: food neophobia (0.045), satisfaction (0.473), purchase intention (0.790). Figure 2 illustrates the results of the structural equation model construction. According to previous studies, there are three types of path coefficient values: 0.1 to 0.3 represents a weak influence level, 0.3 to 0.5 represents a neutral influence level, and 0.5 to 1.0 represents a strong influence level¹³². Based on our findings, the two paths to achieving a high impact level are H4 and H6, which suggests that green word-of-mouth plays an important role in promoting purchase intention.

Fig. 2.

The structural model.

Table 7 presents the direct effects found in the study. It is found that the correlations between exercise habit and food neophobia, between green word-of-mouth and satisfaction, between food neophobia and satisfaction, and between satisfaction and purchase intention were statistically significant, so H1, H4, H5, and H6 are valid. However, the path coefficients from green word-of-mouth to food neophobia and from exercise habit to satisfaction did not reach statistical significance, and thus, H2 and H3 are invalid. In other words, consumers who engage in regular exercise are more likely to be aware of their health and less likely to be afraid of emerging foods. Further, when consumers are concerned about alternative foods, their satisfaction with the actual experience will also be lower, which indicates the importance of maintaining a sense of security during promotional campaigns. Positive green word-of-mouth can increase consumer satisfaction, proving the importance of green word-of-mouth marketing.

Table 7.

Structural path estimates.

Path	Direct effect				Indirect effect				Total effect
	β	Sig	Lower	Upper	β	Sig	Lower	Upper	β	Sig	Lower	Upper
EH → FN	− .181	.015*	− .324	− .037	/	/	/	/	− .181	.015*	− .324	− .037
GWoM → FN	− .063	.432	− .218	.099	/	/	/	/	− .063	.432	− .218	.099
EH → SA	.006	.834	− .081	.101	.056	.014	.012	.112	.063	.177	− .028	.154
GWoM → SA	.573	.001*	.476	.660	.019	.409	− .030	.070	.593	.001	.494	.679
FN → SA	− .311	.001*	− .405	− .208	/	/	/	/	− .311	.001	− .405	− .208
SA → PI	.889	.001*	.835	.932	/	/	/	/	.889	.001	.835	.932
GWoM → PI	/	/	/	/	.527	.001	.432	.617	.527	.001	.432	.617
EH → PI	/	/	/	/	.056	.170	− .024	.136	.056	.170	− .024	.136
FN → PI	/	/	/	/	− .276	.001	− .370	− .186	− .276	.001	− .370	− .186

* The level of significance is 0.05.

In Table 8, the results of the detailed mediation analysis are presented. A mediation analysis is presented in Table 8, revealing that exercise habit mediates satisfaction, exercise habit mediates purchase intention, green word-of-mouth and food neophobia mediate purchase intention.

Table 8.

Indirect effects.

Path	β	Sig	Lower	Upper
EH → FN → SA	.056	.014*	.012	.112
EH → FN → SA → PI	.004	.834	− .050	.067
EH → SA → PI	.037	.012*	.008	.079
GWoM → FN → SA	.019	.409	− .030	.070
GWoM → FN → SA → PI	.014	.413	− .012	.052
GWoM → SA → PI	.404	.001*	.316	.502
FN → SA → PI	− .276	.001*	− .370	− .186

*The level of significance is 0.05.

Overall, our exercise habit explains 4.5% of the variance in food phobia; food neophobia and green word-of-mouth explain 47.3% of the variance in satisfaction, primarily driven by green word-of-mouth; satisfaction explains 79% of the variance in purchase intention and is strongly driven by green word-of-mouth.

Specifically, exercise habits can contribute to an individual’s fear of unhealthy food. Healthy diets and avoiding potential dangers are what help consumers choose a healthy lifestyle, and improve their satisfaction. Secondly, exercising regularly will improve consumer satisfaction and indirectly improve purchase intention. An analysis of data has revealed that consumers who exercise regularly are more satisfied with the product, and the positive experience will further lead to the purchase intention. Additionally, a good green word-of-mouth can influence consumers’ purchasing intentions. When consumers receive positive environmental evaluations, their perception of the brand will improve and their satisfaction will increase, thereby influencing their purchase intention. Finally, the study revealed that food neophobia significantly affects consumers’ purchase intention, and this influence is primarily achieved through satisfaction as a key mediation factor. It is likely that consumers will pay more attention to the quality and safety of certain foods when they have safety concerns. Responding to food neophobia may increase their purchase intention.

Discussion

Exercise habit is found to negatively affect food neophobia. Healthy lifestyles include regular physical activity, a nutritious diet, and sufficient sleep¹³³. People who exercise regularly will pay more attention to their physical health and reduce unhealthy eating behaviors. Exercise not only reduces anxiety, but also improves negative emotions. Those who exercise regularly may pay more attention to their physical condition and actively reduce unhealthy eating habits. People tend to pay more attention to balanced nutrition when faced with alternative foods, thereby reducing food neophobia. Through the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, consumers will become more active in physical activity, increase physical activity frequency, and gradually establish good exercise habits, thereby enhancing the impact of health awareness on green diet attitudes¹³⁴. Those who exercise regularly are more likely to choose healthy products. They are more open to trying new green and healthy alternatives and are less likely to be afraid of them¹³⁵. People who have good exercise habits are more likely to be concerned about their health and choose alternative foods¹³⁶. Through tasting and information transparency, we can reduce unfamiliarity and resistance when marketing alternative foods and increase the psychological acceptance of consumers. In this way, exercise habits can improve consumers’ psychological endurance, acceptance of alternative foods, and reduce their food neophobia.

Consumers’ fear of green food may lead to negative word-of-mouth when presenting green products. This outcome is consistent with the research in¹³⁷ which found that green word-of-mouth has no positive effect on alleviating food phobia. The reason for this is that green word-of-mouth may be less effective in alleviating food phobias as it is affected by various factors, such as culture and traditional diet. A food’s green word-of-mouth is a very useful tool in evaluating the quality of the product. However, consumers’ fear of alternative foods may have more to do with unfamiliarity. Consumers are concerned about their own personal health. Thus, the green word-of-mouth of the product cannot dispel doubts regarding the product’s ingredients. Green word-of-mouth is a form of social evaluation, and food neophobia is an emotional response by consumers. Despite the fact that green products convey messages of health and environmental protection, people are still resistant to new products if they lack a sufficient understanding of alternative foods. In the absence of sufficient information about alternative foods, consumers often reject new items. The failure of positive word-of-mouth regarding green products to reduce consumers’ new food neophobia is also the result of cultural resistance¹³⁸. The diet is deeply influenced by cultural identity. If green food does not conform to traditional eating habits, consumers will likely feel rejected. Therefore, green word-of-mouth does not have a significant impact on food neophobia despite the product’s green status. Other’s positive comments about the food have a limited effect on alleviating concerns. A manufacturer of food can improve food quality through consumer word-of-mouth, improve packaging design, taste, and package design. As a marketing strategy, marketers can conduct offline experiences and organize free tasting events to promote positive word-of-mouth. The publicity department emphasizes the importance of social media platforms and uses positive green word-of-mouth to build consumer trust.

Satisfaction is indirectly influenced by exercise habit. Food fears indirectly affect satisfaction as a result of exercise habits. In accordance with’s findings, consumers who regularly exercise have a good exercise habit and are more satisfied. The reason is that individuals who regularly exercise experience positive physiological and psychological feedback while exercising, which helps them better understand the functions and advantages of a product, increasing their satisfaction with it. In this study, we found that satisfaction with food is also included in this measure of satisfaction. Behavioral habits can explain consumers’ decision-making intentions based on their exercise habits. The findings of this study show that exercise habit does not directly contribute to consumers’ satisfaction, but rather promote satisfaction through other factors, which can be of great value when marketing alternative foods. The benefits of regular exercise extend not only to improving consumers’ physical function, but also to relaxing the mind and releasing psychological pressure. By achieving their goals, consumers will also gain a sense of accomplishment, increasing their satisfaction with alternative foods.

Results indicate that exercise habit and purchase intention are indirectly related. Through food neophobia and satisfaction, exercise habits indirectly influence purchase intentions. People with good exercise habits tend to pay more attention to their diet, select their food carefully, and eat nutritious foods¹³⁹. They might take a while to understand alternative foods’ safety and nutritional content. Thus, people who exercise regularly, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and eat well may pay attention to their diet and be more cautious when it comes to trying new foods.

Regular exercise does not determine whether consumers choose a certain product, but rather plays a moderating role as a mediator through the mediation of other factors. Therefore, in order to promote alternative foods, operators could collaborate with fitness venues and sports communities, and manufacturers should target fitness enthusiasts in order to effectively promote alternative foods. Promoting consumer awareness of alternative foods in order to increase market penetration.

A positive impact of green word-of-mouth can be seen in satisfaction. Consumers will gradually accept alternative foods as more people try them and give them positive reviews over time¹⁴⁰. Word-of-mouth communication is often more informative than traditional marketing methods, and people are generally more willing to listen to the opinions of others¹⁴¹. It has been shown that consumers’ satisfaction with brands is significantly affected by green word-of-mouth¹⁴². There is a positive impact on satisfaction when the green word-of-mouth of a product is high¹⁴³. When consumers see others make positive remarks about alternative food products, and individuals may show higher satisfaction towards the product. It is reasonable to expect that as alternative foods gain in reputation, consumers will be influenced to share them with others, enhancing the influence of the green word-of-mouth, which will in turn influence other consumers to achieve a high level of satisfaction.

Food neophobia negatively impacts satisfaction. The concept of food neophobia is useful for revealing consumers’ barriers from a psychological perspective, providing a new empirical basis for alternative food choices, especially for individuals whose cognition of alternative foods is still immature, and is tested and developed in the real world. It has been found that alternative foods have health benefits and may reduce consumers’ food neophobia and increase their satisfaction¹⁴⁴. It may be possible to reduce consumers’ fear of alternative foods and increase their satisfaction by providing positive information about alternative foods’ sources and health benefits¹⁴⁵. In contrast, some researchers believe that food neophobia may negatively impact satisfaction with food¹⁴⁶. A healthy diet and physical activity can reduce food neophobia in consumers who maintain a healthy lifestyle¹⁴⁷. It is therefore necessary to adopt a progressive approach in order to promote products, increase consumer awareness, and diminish food neophobia.

According to our research, satisfaction has a positive influence on purchase intentions [. To promote consumer purchasing intentions, satisfaction is an important predictor of purchase intent. Satisfaction has a significant impact on consumers’ purchase intention¹⁴⁸. Due to the excessive use of natural resources and degradation of the environment, green products are more competitive in promoting consumer satisfaction and purchase intention¹⁴⁹. According to Sultan et al. (2012), consumers’ satisfaction with organic food significantly influences their purchasing decisions¹⁵⁰. It is possible for businesses to optimize the product experience, enhance the positive perception of the product among consumers, strengthen service and trust, and build long-term relationships based on trust. Therefore, when consumers are satisfied with a product or service, they may gradually choose the same product or service and become loyal consumers.

According to our findings, green word-of-mouth has an indirect effect on purchase intention. By influencing food neophobia and satisfaction, green word-of-mouth indirectly influences purchase intentions. The results of this study are consistent with previous research, as discussed in¹⁵¹. The influence of green word-of-mouth on purchase intention is significant.

Alternative foods should be promoted by consumers on social media platforms in order to improve their dissemination effectiveness, establish a green word-of-mouth through scientific popularization, and reduce consumers’ misperceptions and distrust of alternative foods.

In recent years, green and sustainable ideas have become the mainstream of global consumerism. Under the impact of sustainable development, green consumption has become an important component of global marketing. This consumer behavior is of great significance to the sale of products. Green word-of-mouth is also significant to product purchases⁴⁶. People are becoming increasingly concerned about the environment, and studies have shown that positive word-of-mouth plays an important role in increasing buyers’ purchase intention¹⁵². Accordingly, consumers do not solely rely on green word-of-mouth to make direct decisions, but rather depend on mediating variables. It is common for consumers to desire products with many positive testimonials. When information they receive relates to alternative food, green word-of-mouth seems to help to reduce risk concerns, thereby increasing consumer satisfaction with alternative foods and purchase intention of them. Therefore, green word-of-mouth appears to have a positive impact on consumer purchase intention for alternative foods.

Food neophobia has an indirect effect on purchase intention. By affecting satisfaction, food phobia indirectly influences purchase intention. In addition to this, it should be noted that Karaağaç and Bellikci-Koyu¹⁵³ found that food neophobia can be reduced and prevented through education, increasing contact memory familiarity, and encouraging individuals to develop positive attitudes. In order to reduce food neophobia, it is necessary to deepen people’s knowledge of nutrition, to provide them with a diversified diet, and to encourage them to have a more personal relationship with food¹⁵⁴. Consequently, food neophobia indirectly influences consumers’ purchase intentions rather than directly affecting their acceptance or rejection of a product. As consumers become more concerned about food safety and health, they may avoid purchasing such products, which will increase food neophobia and reduce purchase intentions.

Manufacturers can decrease consumer rejection by optimizing packaging design, taste, and integration with familiar foods, as well as promoting food education and science popularization programs. The continuous advancement of technology and the rapid dissemination of information are enabling consumers to become more and more aware of the safety of alternative foods, thereby reducing their food neophobia and increasing their purchase intention.

Conclusions

Theory contributions

In this study, a quantitative model is established for improving the college students’ purchase intention of alternative foods by selecting, expanding, and combining theoretical frameworks in a targeted manner. Traditional consumer behaviors can be translated into sustainable food systems through integration with the emerging field of alternative foods. The purpose of this study is to align the SOR model with sustainable development research, enhance its explanatory power, and promote its practical application in the field of sustainable consumption. Food alternatives play a significant role in sustainable development, aiding in reducing energy consumption, promoting the green transformation of food safety, and raising environmental awareness among participants. It was found that exercise habits were significantly correlated with food neophobia, green word-of-mouth with satisfaction, food neophobia with satisfaction, and satisfaction with purchase intention, in the model we examined. The exercise habit is indirectly related to satisfaction and purchase intention, while the green word-of-mouth and food neophobia have an indirect influence on purchase intention. This study examines the mechanisms responsible for the formation of purchase intentions based on the five factors. In addition to contributing to a better understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying the purchase of alternative foods, the results of the study also enrich the interpretation of consumer psychology and health behavior theory. The combination of research on alternative foods with green consumption supports its theoretical value as a guide for environmental and sustainable dietary patterns. Additionally, it strengthens the interdisciplinary research on green consumption and environmental psychology. Studying college students’ attitudes and behaviors toward alternative foods can improve our ability to predict consumers’ purchase intention under different conditions. Students’ health concepts have a significant impact on their purchasing intentions, supporting the health belief model as well as providing empirical support for the role of health awareness in consumer decision making. Moreover, alternative foods have a strong link with sustainable development, so this study contributes to the theory of sustainable consumption as well.

Realistic contributions

Implications for management

A number of practical benefits can be gained from alternative foods, including the ability to address food insecurity around the world. A shortage of food is already a serious problem facing the world, and alternative foods offer a viable solution to this issue. As alternatives to conventional foods are offered to consumers and businesses as a means to reduce their dependence on a single supplier or product. The purchase intention of alternative foods is an important factor in the growth and marketization of this industry, as it can encourage companies to invest more funds and support technological innovation. Consumers are more likely to choose healthy alternative foods as purchase intention improves, alleviating environmental pressure while improving dietary structure. In order to reduce consumers’ food neophobia, businesses should work toward popularizing science and incorporating interactive elements around food alternatives. Consumers’ hesitation may be effectively reduced through interaction with the experience.

Implications for policy

A joint campus event themed “Sports + Alternative Foods” could be organized by universities and local governments. By promoting alternative food sources and diversified food supplies, the government strives to enhance the stability and resilience of the food system. Forming purchasing intentions contributes to the development of a green consumption culture, the promotion of sustainable development awareness, and the upgrading of consumption habits. It is necessary for the government to pay more attention to it when it comes to pursuing a green diet transformation and how to form green word-of-mouth, in order to enhance the public’s confidence in green consumption. The continuous development of alternative foods has encouraged the consumer to choose healthy and environmentally friendly products when making food choices, which is conducive to minimizing environmental pressure and promoting sustainable food consumption.

Limitations and future research

Despite the fact that this study provides some useful insights and perspectives, it does have a few limitations that could be addressed in future studies.

First, the subjects of this study are college students, whose age group is relatively homogeneous, which may limit the general applicability of the results. The most important aspect is that the results can be validated in other populations in the future. Future research could include people with a variety of ages, occupations, and educational backgrounds as research subjects. It is therefore necessary to confirm the effectiveness of this study on other groups. Moreover, cross-cultural research or experimental methods may enhance understanding of causal relationships. If the results of the research of the college students can be applied to all people, it will be very beneficial for the promotion of alternative foods.

Second, alternative food is an emerging field with a number of advantages, and these advantages are indisputable for sustainable food production. However, the development of alternative foods in terms of technology is a difficult undertaking. We cannot ignore the sensory issues, taste, cost and market acceptance of alternative foods. Focus should be placed on providing technology and product development in order to help consumers change their eating habits and promote the development of alternative foods.

Third, consumers are still unfamiliar with alternative foods. Most information comes from media publicity or ordinary market trials and lacks authoritative scientific support. Alternative foods generally lack traceability, transparency, and brand trust. In the future, research can examine ways to enhance consumers’ trust in alternative foods by providing them with authoritative popular science information, while providing policymakers with appropriate marketing strategies.

Fourth, although the current framework has been developed based on the SOR theory, it still needs to be validated against other theories and further research should be conducted. The frameworks will gain more adequate theoretical support as the literature in this field accumulates and becomes more solid in the future.

Finally, all constructs investigated in this study were derived from self-reported perceptions, and future research may supplement them with behavioral and longitudinal measures. A further limitation of the study is that it was a cross-sectional study based on self-reports, which limits its ability to draw causal conclusions.

Author contributions

Conceptualization, C.G.; methodology, F.Y.; software, L.R.; validation, W.Z.; formal analysis, L.R.; investigation, W.Z.; data curation, J.S.; writing—original draft preparation, F.Y.; writing—review and editing, C.G. & J.S.; All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and received academic ethics review and approval from the College of Physical Education and Health, Sanming university. Our experiments informed consent was obtained from all participants and all methods were performed as per relevant guidelines and regulations.