Did the Shopper Rethink Organic Food during Covid? A Case Study in North Karnataka

This preliminary study tries to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on the opinions and behaviour of people towards organic food. For this purpose, a quantitative study was conducted to examine the constructs of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB;Ajzen, 1991) on the consumption intention of organic food. The COVID-19 factor was introduced as an extension to the TPB framework, to check if there was any change in the constructs of the theory. 594 respondents were administered through a structured questionnaire in the North Karnataka region. The items were grouped under the constructs and a CFAanalysis was conducted. The validity, reliability, goodness offit index of the constructs and model were calculated and found to be good. Through mediation analysis, the relationships were examined and found that there was a change in the attitude construct. Thus, concluded as the COVID-19 situation has surely made people to positively look at organic food. The shopper is indeed are rethinking organic food during Covid-19.