Awareness, Perceived Benefits, and Acceptability of the Farm-to-Table Concept: A PLS-SEM Analysis of Consumer Perspectives in Cebu, Philippines
Keywords:
Farm-to-Table, Awareness, Acceptability, Perceived Benefits, PLS-SEMAbstract
This study examines the structural relationships among awareness, perceived benefits, and acceptability of the farm-to-table (F2T) concept among consumers in Cebu, Philippines. Theoretically, the study extends the Theory of Planned Behavior by positioning perceived benefits as a key mediating construct linking awareness to behavioral intention. Practically, it underscores the need for integrating awareness-building initiatives with value-driven communication strategies to strengthen sustainable food consumption in emerging economies. Grounded in a quantitative research design, it applies Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) using data from 240 respondents to assess both direct and indirect effects. Descriptive results show high levels of awareness (M = 3.49, SD = 0.990), perceived benefits (M = 3.69, SD = 0.923), and acceptability (M = 3.74, SD = 0.920), all interpreted as "Agree." Despite constraints such as cost and accessibility, respondents maintain a positive disposition toward F2T when benefits are clearly recognized. The model demonstrates satisfactory explanatory power, with acceptability yielding an R² value of 0.578, indicating that 57.8% of the variance is explained by awareness and perceived benefits. Findings reveal that awareness significantly influences perceived benefits (β = 0.578, t = 11.923, p < 0.001) and acceptability (β = 0.327, t = 5.971, p < 0.001), suggesting that greater familiarity with F2T strengthens value recognition and willingness to adopt. Perceived benefits also exert a strong positive effect on acceptability (β = 0.523, t = 9.867, p < 0.001), highlighting the central role of value-based evaluation in shaping consumer decisions. Mediation analysis confirms that perceived benefits partially mediate the relationship between awareness and acceptability (β = 0.303, t = 7.772, p < 0.001), indicating a dual-pathway mechanism. This suggests that awareness influences acceptability both directly and indirectly by enhancing perceived benefits, emphasizing the importance of translating knowledge into meaningful value interpretation.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Nelson Collamar, PhD, Glenn R. Andrin, EdD, PhD (Author)
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