Consumer Purchase Intentions for Antioxidant-Enriched Tomatoes: A Cognitive–Motivational–Behavioral Approach

Antioxidant-enriched fresh vegetables are an emerging segment of the functional food market, yet consumer acceptance of fresh produce that combines health enhancement with technological modification remains poorly understood. Building on cognitive–motivational models of food choice, this study examines how consumer knowledge - both objective and subjective - shapes the intention to buy antioxidant-enriched tomatoes, considering health interest and naturalness interest as mediating mechanisms. Data were collected in May 2025 through an online (CAWI) survey of 1,159 adult consumers, recruited via quota sampling to reflect the Italian population, and were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that objective knowledge strengthens health interest, which in turn supports purchase intention, and increases naturalness interest, which instead exerts a negative effect on purchase intention. Subjective knowledge follows a different pattern, reducing naturalness interest and exerting a strong positive direct effect on purchase intention. Indeed, both forms of knowledge retain significant direct effects on purchase intention, with these direct effects generally stronger than the indirect paths. These findings indicate that consumer acceptance of enriched fresh vegetables reflects a cognitive trade-off between perceived health benefits and concerns about naturalness. Accordingly, industry stakeholders should pair clear health-benefit communication with transparent, reassuring messaging about the natural origin of the enrichment, tailoring strategies for fresh produce where naturalness is a salient quality cue.