Purchasing veg private labels? A comparison between occasional and regular buyers

Retailers are increasingly extending their private label assortments with meat-substitute, vegetarian and vegan foods (here called veg foods) to respond to emerging consumer trends. However, no studies on consumer buying behavior with regard to veg private labels exist. Accordingly, this work analyses the impact of ethical motives (i. e., environmental, animal welfare, health, and spiritual concerns) and perceptual factors (i.e., trust, perceived quality, and perceived value) as drivers of consumers’ buying intentions of regular and occasional buyers of veg private labels, identified by their purchase frequency. The multigroup structural model findings show that occasional buyers are motivated by perceived quality, environmental, and animal concerns, while regular buyers opt for veg private labels on the grounds of their trust in the retailer’s own-brand and environmentally-friendly claims. The perceived value is key for both segments.