Sustainable meat consumption intentions: conceptualisation, scale development and validation

Abstract Purpose This study aims to propose and validate a new, comprehensive scale of sustainable meat consumption intentions (SMCI) from the Pakistani consumers' perspective. Design/methodology/approach The SMCI scale was developed in four phases, following a mixed-methods approach. Phase 1 generated a pool of items through an extensive literature review and seven focus groups. Phase 2 established the face and content validity of the items. Phase 3 resulted in scale purification in Study 1 (n = 222), followed by Study 2, using exploratory factor analysis (n = 412) to derive an initial factor structure, along with reliability assessment and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 310) to test the theoretical structure. Phase 4 validated the results (n = 355). Findings The results from the three studies yielded a ten-item, three-dimensional SMCI scale: “meat detachment”, “meat curtailment” and “organic meat purchase”. Originality/value No study at present fully measures the aspects of sustainable meat consumption in Muslim market segments and emerging economies. The formation of the SMCI scale is an important academic contribution that identifies three facets of consumers' SMCI.