Abstract
The chilled ready meal market in New Zealand has witnessed substantial growth, fuelled by the increasing demand for convenient food options. This study integrates the theory of consumption value (TCV) with the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to explore how lifestyle, consumer knowledge, sensory properties, subjective norms, consumer choice behaviour, consumption habits, and perceived behavioural control influence the purchase intention of meat-based chilled ready meals. Partial least squares path modelling (PLSPM) was used to verify the conceptual model using data from an online survey of 464 meat-based ready meal consumers from New Zealand. The results revealed that consumer attitudes towards meat-based chilled ready meals were positively influenced by lifestyle, consumer knowledge, and sensory properties, but these attitudes negatively impacted purchase intention, emphasising the complexity of consumer decision-making. Subjective norms, particularly social influences, significantly shaped consumers' intentions. Furthermore, consumer choice behaviour, including conditional value, epistemic value, and emotional value, significantly influenced purchase intentions, with consumption habits emerging as the strongest predictor. Price had the highest influence on perceived behavioural control, while packaging information had little direct effect on perceived behavioural control. The findings of this study provide actionable insights for businesses to tailor marketing strategies and enhance consumer acceptance by improving product quality and sensory appeal of meat-based chilled ready meals in New Zealand.