Consumer attitudes and intentions toward safe pork in a frontier market: A theory of planned behaviour analysis

Abstract

Growing food safety awareness in Vietnam’s urbanising regions has heightened interest in safe pork consumption, yet the behavioural drivers remain underexamined. This study employs the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to explore the factors shaping safe pork adoption among consumers in Gia Lam commune, a frontier market. Survey findings indicate that attitude most strongly influences purchase intention, followed by subjective norms and perceived behavioural control, with intention serving as a key predictor of purchase behaviour. These results underscore the primacy of health-driven motivations moderated by access limitations and provide a fresh application of the theory in an emerging context. The research offers insights for public health initiatives and food labelling strategies, identifying critical leverage points for producers and policymakers to promote safe pork uptake while highlighting the need for broader investigations across Vietnam’s diverse markets.