Vol. 14 No. 4 (2025)
Full Research Articles

Consumer intentions to purchase organic pasta with blockchain-based traceability

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  • Giulia Maesano,
  • Seyyedehsara Sadrmousavigargari,
  • Alessandra Castellini
Giulia Maesano
Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Seyyedehsara Sadrmousavigargari
Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Alessandra Castellini
Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/bae-17195

Published 2025-03-20

Keywords

  • consumer purchase intention,
  • theory of planned behaviour (TPB),
  • organic pasta,
  • blockchain-based traceability,
  • food fraud,
  • technology
    • ...More
    Less

How to Cite

Maesano, G., Sadrmousavigargari, S., & Castellini, A. (2025). Consumer intentions to purchase organic pasta with blockchain-based traceability. Bio-Based and Applied Economics, 14(4), 85–99. https://doi.org/10.36253/bae-17195

Copyright (c) 2025 Giulia Maesano, Seyyedehsara Sadrmousavigargari, Alessandra Castellini

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

The increasing complexity of global food supply chains has heightened consumer concerns about food safety, quality and authenticity, and triggered a growing demand for transparency-enhancing technologies such as blockchain. This study examines the factors influencing consumers’ intention to purchase organic pasta with blockchain-based traceability using an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) framework. In addition to the traditional TPB constructs, the study incorporates trust in quality certifications and attitudes towards blockchain technology to provide a comprehensive analysis of decision-making processes. The data was collected via an online survey of 190 Italian respondents and analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results show that subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and attitudes towards technology significantly influence purchase intentions, while trust in quality certifications and attitudes towards the traceability of blockchain do not significantly influence purchase intention.. These findings suggest that while blockchain technology is recognised for its potential to improve transparency, its practical benefits are not yet fully understood or appreciated by consumers. This study contributes to the literature on consumer behaviour in the agri-food sector and provides practical insights for policy makers and marketers to promote blockchain-based traceability systems.

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