The effect of anchor attraction on the buying behavior of carbon labeled agricultural products: incorporating anchor attraction into TPB

Global climate change and escalating greenhouse gas emissions have placed unprecedented pressure on natural ecosystems, directing international focus toward the transformation of traditional economic models into sustainable low-carbon frameworks. Agricultural production remains a primary driver of global environmental degradation, accounting for roughly 26% to 34% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions primarily through food production and land use. To combat this ecological crisis, regulatory bodies and market strategists increasingly rely on carbon labeling systems—quantitative indicators that inform consumers of the greenhouse gases emitted during a product’s lifecycle. Despite the introduction of China’s national "carbon footprint labeling" program in early 2018, consumer awareness regarding carbon-labeled agricultural products remains low, necessitating innovative marketing channels to bridge the gap between sustainable production and everyday public consumption.

Live streaming e-commerce has emerged as a dominant retail paradigm across digital platforms, particularly in China, where over 515 million individuals regularly engage in live-stream shopping. In this digital ecosystem, live-streaming hosts, or "anchors," act as central market drivers by utilizing personal charisma, interactive communication, and immersive product demonstrations to shape consumer psychology and purchasing decisions. A recent empirical study published in Frontiers in Psychology, authored by researchers Fan Wang, Na Wang, and Dehua Zhang, investigates the intersection of digital marketing and sustainable consumer behavior. By integrating "anchor attraction" into the classical Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the research evaluates how live-streaming influencers directly and indirectly influence consumer intent to purchase carbon-labeled agricultural goods.

Methodology and Empirical Findings

To examine the cognitive and behavioral mechanisms governing low-carbon purchases, the research team conducted a structured survey targeting residents in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province—a prominent economic hub and an early pioneer of China’s agricultural carbon labeling initiatives, notably originating the nation’s first agricultural carbon label in Lin’an District. Data collection took place between March 10 and April 25, 2024, utilizing both online screening procedures and face-to-face field interviews in local supermarkets and commercial centers. Out of 500 distributed questionnaires, 402 valid responses were retained after eliminating incomplete or anomalous submissions. The demographic profile of the respondents reflected a balanced gender distribution (52.74% male, 47.26% female) and high educational attainment, with over 79% having completed high school or higher education.

The researchers deployed a two-stage structural equation modeling (SEM) approach using SPSS 26 and AMOS 24.0 to assess model fit, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and path coefficients. The traditional TPB framework evaluates behavior through three core psychological variables: attitude (ATT), subjective norms (SN), and perceived behavior control (PBC). The expanded model integrated anchor attraction as a critical exogenous variable.

The empirical results confirmed that attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control all exert direct, statistically significant positive impacts on consumer purchase intentions ($p < 0.001$). Furthermore, purchase intention and perceived behavior control directly influence actual purchasing behavior. Crucially, the analysis revealed that anchor attraction not only directly affects consumer psychological states but also exerts a powerful indirect influence on purchase intention through attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control. When compared to the original TPB model—which explained 38% of behavioral intention variance and 46% of behavioral variance—the enhanced anchor-attraction framework significantly improved explanatory power, accounting for 54% of intention variance and 55% of actual purchasing behavior variance.

The Role of Product Knowledge as a Moderating Factor

An unexpected finding within the study centers on the moderating role of product knowledge in translating purchase intention into actual purchasing behavior. Utilizing PROCESS macro analysis, the researchers identified a negative moderating effect ($beta = -0.171, p < 0.05$). Specifically, consumers with lower product knowledge demonstrated a stronger statistical conversion from purchase intention to actual buying behavior than those possessing high product knowledge.

The authors attribute this inverse relationship to the nascent stage of China’s carbon labeling system and the cautious selectivity of highly informed consumers. Individuals with extensive knowledge regarding carbon footprints often maintain stricter evaluation criteria, higher skepticism toward third-party certifications, and greater hesitation when navigating complex carbon metrics. Conversely, consumers with lower baseline knowledge are more readily guided by the intuitive recommendations and trust fostered by attractive live-streaming anchors.

Broader Implications for Carbon Neutrality and Market Strategy

The implications of this study extend far beyond digital marketing metrics, offering actionable pathways for achieving national carbon neutrality and mitigating agricultural emissions. By demonstrating that anchor attraction can effectively mobilize public support for sustainable commodities, the findings suggest that e-commerce platforms can serve as vital public education tools.

To capitalize on these insights, industry analysts and policymakers recommend several structural adjustments:

1. Low-Carbon Anchor Certification: Digital platforms should establish specialized training and certification programs for prominent influencers, designating "low-carbon anchors" equipped to accurately communicate ecological metrics and promote green agricultural goods.
2. Simplified Environmental Communication: E-commerce interfaces should replace complex numerical carbon footprint data with intuitive graphical symbols or clear real-time metrics—such as the exact mass of carbon dioxide neutralized per purchase—to alleviate cognitive friction for consumers.
3. Enhanced Third-Party Endorsement: To reassure highly knowledgeable and cautious consumers, regulatory bodies must strengthen transparent certification standards, ensuring verifiable accountability across the supply chain.

By translating abstract environmental values into tangible consumer benefits, market strategists can successfully leverage live-streaming commerce to foster widespread low-carbon lifestyles. Ultimately, consumer choices made in digital marketplaces transmit powerful market signals upstream to agricultural producers, accelerating the transition toward sustainable, low-emission farming models across the region.