Factors Influencing Consumers’ Direct Sale Purchase Intention in the Context of Climate Change

Direct purchasing offers consumers the advantage of fresher, higher-quality food, often at lower prices, with greater transparency in terms of origin and production methods, which creates trust and enables more environmentally conscious choices. On the other hand, direct selling empowers farmers by cutting out middlemen and improving their income. As a climate-friendly option, direct selling reduces transport emissions, supports environmentally friendly agricultural practises and strengthens the resilience of the food system. This paper examines the factors that influence consumer purchase intentions for direct sales in the context of climate change. The study was conducted with a sample of 313 direct sales consumers at on- and off-farm locations in Croatia (Istria and Primorsko-goranska County). The sample consists mainly of women with higher education and over 45 years of age. The exploratory factor analysis revealed three factors: (1) attitude towards climate change, (2) influence of direct sales on climate change, and (3) intention to buy in direct sales. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed a positive and significant influence of the factors' attitude towards climate change and the influence of direct selling on climate change on the purchase intention in direct selling. The results suggest that direct selling consumers are aware of climate change and are inclined to choose sustainable behaviours, such as direct selling, to mitigate climate change.