Understanding consumers' purchase intentions for functional foods from the perspective of the theory of consumption values: a multi-analytical approach

Purpose – As consumers become more health-conscious, the demand for functional foods continues to rise. Hence, this study aims to understand the factors influencing consumers' purchase intentions for functional foods through the lens of the theory of consumption values (TCV). Design/methodology/approach – Using a purposive sampling method, data were collected from 211 consumers who had purchased functional foods. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and necessary condition analysis (NCA) were employed to determine sufficiency and necessity causality. Findings – The findings reveal that conditional value, social value and epistemic value are sufficient conditions for purchase intentions, whereas quality value, price value and emotional value are not. Additionally, conditional value, emotional value and epistemic value are identified as necessary conditions for purchase intentions, while quality value, price value and social value are not prerequisites. Originality/value – This work is one of the very studies to utilise both sufficiency and necessity logic to identify factors influencing consumers' purchase intentions for functional foods. It also tests an expanded version of the TCV framework. The findings are expected to offer a deeper understanding of how consumption values affect consumers' decisions to purchase functional foods.