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Abstract: With the rise of green consumption concepts, green food has gradually become an important area of consumer concern. However, existing research still lacks systematic exploration of the mechanisms by which consumers rely on external cues to form green food purchase intentions. Based on cue utilization theory and the S-O-R model, this paper constructs a theoretical framework for how external cues influence green food purchase intentions, introduces perceived value as a mediating variable and consumer attitudes as a moderating variable to reveal the cue-driven green consumption decision-making mechanism. Through questionnaire surveys conducted among online consumers in China, 305 valid samples were obtained, and structural equation modeling was employed for empirical analysis. The results show that different types of external cues significantly positively influence green food purchase intentions; perceived value partially mediates the relationship between external cues and purchase intentions; meanwhile, consumer attitudes positively moderate the impact of external cues on perceived value. This study deepens the understanding of green consumption behavior formation pathways from the perspective of cue mechanisms and provides theoretical foundations and practical insights for green food enterprises to formulate marketing strategies.

 

Keywords: Cue Theory; Green Consumption; Perceived Value; Consumer Attitude; Purchase Intention