Customer Sustainability Scale in the Marketing of Food Products
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63556/tisej.2026.1967Keywords:
Branded food products, customer sustainability, product marketing, Naturalness in product, product perceptionAbstract
This study aims to identify the factors that shape customers’ perceptions of sustainability in the marketing of food products. A quantitative method was used in the measurement tool developed for this purpose. Exploratory factor analysis was first conducted on the items prepared, followed by confirmatory factor analysis. The data for the analysis were obtained from a sample of 300 consumers. The latent structure between the scale’s dimensions was identified in the data obtained: in the second stage, a separate sample was used to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis of the initial application, testing the model fit of the components and determining the internal consistency coefficient. The results of the first and second analyses revealed that the scale consists of 15 items and 4 dimensions. The sub-dimensions of the scale were identified as ‘Product marketing’, ‘Product naturalness’, ‘Product perception’ and ‘Product sustainability’. The findings obtained from the scale’s DFA analysis are consistent with the good fit indices accepted in the literature. The scale’s alpha reliability coefficient is α = 0.810. The results of the study indicate that businesses should structure their sustainability strategies not only around the product itself, but also around strategies for product marketing, product naturalness, product perception and product sustainability. Product marketing management and marketing demonstrate the importance of gaining the trust of environmentally conscious consumers. For food brands, reinforcing sustainability messages at customers’ experiential touchpoints contributes to sustainable consumption. The scale possesses the potential for application in both academic and industry contexts, focusing on the emerging food products market, identifying sustainability impacts, and ensuring customer sustainability in the marketing of food products. It can be said that the scale is sufficiently original to make significant contributions to the marketing of food products and the determination of customer sustainability.
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