FATORES RELEVANTES PARA A COMPRA DE ALIMENTOS CERTIFICADOS: O CASO DA CARNE CARBONO NEUTRO

Abstract

The present study focuses on investigating the purchase intention of certified beef, with an emphasis on the sustainability attributes perceived by Brazilian consumers, particularly in relation to the Carbon Neutral Brazilian Beef certified product. This product was developed by Embrapa as a concept brand accompanied by a technical protocol, whose certification attests to the neutralization of greenhouse gas emissions associated with livestock production through the adoption of integrated systems such as silvopastoral and agrosilvopastoral systems. In a context characterized by the growing appreciation of environmentally responsible agricultural practices and the expansion of quality certifications aimed at domestic and international markets. The central objective is to analyze how variables such as traceability, animal welfare, legality, environmental responsibility, and knowledge influence this intention. The research adopted a quantitative approach, using a structured questionnaire applied to Brazilian consumers. As a result, 862 responses were collected and later analyzed through structural equation modeling using the SmartPLS software. The evaluation of measurement instruments considered reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity criteria, ensuring the robustness of the inferences made. The research results highlighted that traceability and animal welfare have a positive and statistically significant influence on the purchase intention of certified beef, validating the formulated hypotheses. The other analyzed variables, although conceptually relevant, did not demonstrate a practically significant impact in the tested models. The knowledge variable, included as a moderator in the relationship between traceability and certified beef purchase intention, also did not show a direct effect, which may indicate a dissociation between information mastery and its effective application in consumption decisions. This aspect reinforces the need for more accessible and targeted communication strategies, ensuring that acquired knowledge is converted into concrete actions. In summary, certified food purchasing behavior is strongly shaped by the valuation of ethical and transparency attributes throughout the production chain. This investigation contributes to the advancement of sustainable consumption studies by emphasizing the role of perceived value in shaping the importance of traceability and animal welfare. It is also acknowledged that the study is limited by the non-probabilistic profile of the sample and its specific geographical scope, which restricts the generalizability of the results. Future research is recommended to adopt complementary methodological approaches and broaden sample dissemination to enhance the generalization of findings in different contexts and regions.