Extending the theory of planned behavior to understand consumer purchase behavior for organic vegetables in Brazil: The role of perceived health benefits, perceived sustainability benefits and perceived price

•Intention and perceived behavioral control influence purchase behavior for organic food.•Attitude outweigh perceived behavioral control and subjective norms in explaining intention.•Attitude mediates the relation between perceived health benefits and intention.•Attitude mediates the relation between perceived sustainability benefits and intention.•Perceived price moderates the relation between intention and behavior. This study explores the factors that influence consumer purchase intention and behavior for organic vegetables in Brazil. A conceptual model based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) was developed. In addition to all standard relationships in the TPB, the candidate variables of perceived health benefits, perceived sustainability benefits, and perceived price were added to the TPB-based model. Attitude was expected to mediate the relation between perceived health benefits and intention and the relation between perceived sustainability benefits and intention. Perceived price was expected to moderate the relation between intention and behavior. An online survey was conducted, resulting in a sample size of 504 participants. Data were analyzed by partial-least squares structural equation modeling. The results indicate that intention and perceived behavioral control influence the purchase behavior for organic vegetables, with intention presenting the strongest impact on behavior. Attitude has the strongest impact on consumer intention to purchase organic vegetables, followed by perceived behavioral control and subjective norms. The results also indicate that attitude mediates the relations between perceived health benefits and intention and perceived sustainability benefits and intention. Perceived price moderates the relationship between intention and behavior. Based on the results, managerial implications are presented.