Factors Impacting Consumers' Intention to Consume Coconut Ice Cream: A Case Study in Kurunegala District in Sri Lanka

Abstract

In an era where consumer preferences are rapidly shifting towards healthier, more sustainable, and inclusive food options, coconut ice cream has emerged as a popular alternative, captivating healthconscious individuals and meeting the growing demand from dairyfree consumers. This study focused on analyzing how various factors such as how product attributes, advertising, subjective norms, health consciousness, trust on product and availability influence consumers' intention to consume coconut ice cream. A questionnaire survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews to collect primary data from a sample of 300 respondents across six Divisional Secretariats in the Kurunegala district. Data analysis was performed using confirmatory factor analysis via AMOS in SPSS 24 version. The results revealed that trust in the product, advertising, subjective norms, health consciousness and availability are the main factors influencing consumers' consumption intention regarding coconut ice cream. These findings offer valuable insights for manufacturers, competitors, marketers and policymakers seeking to address the evolving preferences of health-conscious and dairy-free consumers in the contemporary food industry.