Description
Chefs’ Perspective on Ethical Food Sourcing: A study based on the Theory of planned Behaviour at Food & Beverage Outlets in New Delhi, India
Purpose
The concept of ethical food sourcing encompasses a multidisciplinary exploration of human behaviour within the context of a sustainable food supply chain. This field has undergone significant transformation in recent years, driven by innovative advancements in various aspects of food production, handling, and consumption at the local level. These advancements have reshaped societal patterns of food utilization (Sánchez-Flores et al., 2020) With a projected global population of ten billion by 2050, there is a growing awareness among the world economies of the environmental imperative, as neglecting environmental stewardship could hinder their growth (World Population Prospects The 2017 Revision, n.d.)
This study explores how contemporary food enterprises are propelled by the integration of ethics within their business environment. It also highlights the authority of modern businesses to adopt ethical practices to ensure their viability in society. Ethics, being devoid of a standardized format or framework, lacks universal consensus. Ethical choices are contingent upon individual perspectives, rendering them variable across different individuals and situations (Paswan, 2003).
Research approach
Ajzen created the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) (Ajzen, 1980) as a mid-range hypothetical framework to describe and forecast humanoid behaviour constructed on attitudes and beliefs. Ajzen reviewed his theory in 1991 to incorporate the idea of perceived behavioural control (Armitage & Christian , 2003). It is acknowledged as a reliable theory of decision-making that can forecast a wide range of behaviours. The TPB is predicated on the idea that a person is more likely to engage in a behaviour if they have a stronger intention to do so. The TPB therefore, contends that intentions drive behaviour. According to (Piramanayagam et al.,2023) Numerous research studies have employed the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to investigate aspects like attitudes, purchase intentions, and actual purchases in the context of sustainable food consumption. (Kaiser & Scheuthle, 2003) reveal that attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control jointly account for 81% and 80% of people's intentions.
Methods
The focus of this research is to explore ethical practices in food sourcing within the food and beverage establishments of New Delhi, the capital city of India. This study employs a descriptive research design, primarily targeting chefs and managers from restaurants and food joints in New Delhi. A descriptive design seeks to depict the current state of a variable or phenomenon, primarily relying on observational data collection. Primary data was collected directly from food and beverage establishments in New Delhi.
The study population encompasses 571 restaurants spanning the expanse of New Delhi. The list of food and beverage outlets was sourced from the Delhi-NCR police licensing authority. The sampling technique employed is convenience sampling, and the participation of respondents is purely voluntary (self-administered). To measure the constructs of the questionnaire, a combination of the Likert Scale and Nominal Scale was utilized, with Cronbach's alpha used for reliability assessment.
Findings
Analysis and Inference The total count of Food and Beverage outlets in New Delhi is 574, of which 376 restaurants were visited, and 242 completed the questionnaire. The respondent profile skewed towards more male participants (180) than female (62).
The years of experience held by chefs significantly influence their perception of ethical food sourcing. It also determines their anticipated and perceived comprehension levels across various aspects of ethical sourcing. The years of experience play a pivotal role in shaping perceptions and guiding ethical sourcing practices among chefs. In the current study, the experience level was categorized as less than 5 years, 5 to 15 years, and above 15 years.
Evidence from previous surveys established that ethical obligation plays a valuable role in predicting intention and attitude towards ethical sourcing and ethical obligation is a significant predictor of ethical food sourcing intention (Shaw & Shiu, 2002; Kumar, et al., 2023). The current study predicts a similar relation between ethical obligation and purchase intention of ethical food among chefs. The current study reveals that the majority of chefs exhibited positive attitudes toward ethical food sourcing, recognizing its significance in responsible procurement, sustainability, and its favourable impact on the environment, local communities, and consumer perception. This is synchronization with previous studies, which established that the attitude of the individual is a predominant predictor of purchase intention (Phuah et al., 2018; Nam & Nga,2016; Liwjaroen & Chokpitakkul, 2016). This indicates that food and beverage operators have to develop effective policies directed towards chefs to emphasise the significance of ethical sourcing for the environment and future generations. Strengthening and encouraging chefs' and food handlers' positive attitudes towards ethical food sourcing is vital for sustainability. The present study counters the findings of earlier studies that emphasised perceived behaviour as a strong determinant of ethical purchase intention (Kamboj & Kishor, 2022; Mahrinasari, 2020). Moreover, several studies contradict the results that, perceived behaviour is a significant predictor of ethical sourcing intention (Yazdanpanah & Forouzani, 2015). The study disclosed that chefs encountered perceived obstacles in implementing ethical food sourcing, including limited access to ethically sourced ingredients, cost-related considerations, and inadequate awareness of ethical sourcing alternatives. Ethical perception positively affects chefs’ purchase intention but ethical judgment alone does not explain ethically questionable behaviour in consumption. Social norms, and perceived behavioural control, have a significant impact on the intention to engage in ethical behaviour. Overall, chefs demonstrated a favourable intention to engage in ethical food-sourcing practices. Their intentions were shaped by the alignment of positive attitudes, supportive subjective norms, and perceived control over the sourcing process.
