DETERMINANTS AFFECTING CONSUMER ATTITUDE TOWARD PURCHASE INTENTION OF READY TO COOK FOODS IN HO CHI MINH CITY

With the growing urbanization and evolving consumer lifestyles in Vietnam, the demand for convenient yet health-conscious food options, such as ready-to-cook (RTC) products, has significantly increased. However, limited empirical research has explored the underlying factors that influence consumer attitudes and purchase intentions toward RTC foods in the Vietnamese urban context. This study aims to examine the impact of five key factors: price, packaging, food safety, convenience, and health consciousness on consumer attitudes, and further investigate how these attitudes affect their intention to purchase RTC products in Ho Chi Minh City. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991), the research employs this theoretical framework to analyze consumer behavior and identify the most influential determinants. A quantitative approach was adopted, using structured questionnaires distributed through both online and offline channels. The collected data, consisting of 335 valid responses, were analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS software, enabling robust statistical analysis and structural equation modeling to validate the proposed research model.