Can Protection Motivation Theory Predict Consumer’s Behavioural Intention Toward the Choice of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil in Klang Valley Malaysia?

Abstract

Encouraging consumers to participate in the promotion of sustainably certified palm oil production and consumption, may require their support towards the supply value chain mechanism. Value chain mechanism are often adopted to promote sustainability and assure the consumers and protect the environment from threat associated with palm oil. we applied Protection motivation theory in this research, and analyse through many set of its indicators to serve as a valuable framework to explain pro-environmental choice. There is dearth of empirical research that test the Protection Motivation Theory on the risk of unsustainable oil palm and its consequences. We equally adopted Structural Equation Model approach, and surveyed 332 consumers in Klang Valley Malaysia. And finally we access the perception of the consumers towards exposure to environmental threat caused by uncertified oil palm production, and coping strategy they adopt to minimize the threat. Though, consumers did not perceived high threat from the uncertified oil palm production, because they trust their perceived self-efficacy and response efficacy to cope up with the consequences of uncertified oil palms. However, even though they indicates, absence of institutional arrangement such as RSPO can expose them to threat of uncertified oil palm, but they perceive the coping strategy adopted by Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was not adequately effectively to ensure compliance with RSPO principles, that would not address the problems associated with uncertified oil palms.