Purpose -The aim of the paper is to investigate the consumers' decision-making process for organically produced foods in Italy. Design/methodology/approach -A structural equation modelling approach has been used with information provided by a survey conducted in Italy (Naples). Findings -Results indicate that consumer' attitudes towards organic food, in particular towards the health attribute and towards the environment are the most important factors that explain consumers' decision-making process for organic food products. Moreover, it has been found that larger information on the organic food market, which drives to a higher consumers' organic food knowledge, is important because it positively influences consumers' attitudes towards organic food products. Finally, consumers who try to follow a healthy diet and balanced life are likely to have more positive attitudes towards organic food products and towards the environment, inducing a more likely intention to purchase organic foods. Originality/value -Findings provide more evidence on consumers' underlying motivations to buy organic food to the already existing evidence in Europe to evaluate the future implementation of the recently approved Regulation (EC) no. 834/2007 of 28 June 2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products. In addition, empirical results would help local policy makers to establish appropriate market strategies to develop the future demand for these products.

The aim of this paper is to explain factors that influence organic food purchases of urban consumers in the South of Italy. To achieve this goal, a multivariate limited dependent variable model has been specified to simultaneously analyse consumers’ organic food purchases, the intention to purchase organic food products and the level of organic knowledge. This study uses survey data gathered from 200 consumers in Naples in 2003. Results indicate that consumers who are more willing to buy organic food products are more likely to buy a larger amount of those products. The intention to purchase depends on attitudes and organic product knowledge. Moreover, consumers’ attitudes towards health and environmental benefits provided by organic foods are the most important factors explaining, both, the intention to purchase and the final decision. Finally, income and organic knowledge positively influences the final decision to buy organic food products

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