A precision marketing model for origin-traceable seafood under nuclear wastewater discharge: an empirical study based on consumer risk perception segmentation

IntroductionJapan's discharge of nuclear wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi plant has intensified consumer concerns about seafood safety, presenting significant challenges for the global seafood industry. This study investigates Chinese consumers' purchase intentions toward origin-traceable seafood by integrating the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework with latent class analysis.MethodsAn online survey was conducted with 612 Chinese consumers using a between-subjects experimental design manipulating traceability information levels. Structural equation modeling tested hypothesized relationships, while latent class analysis identified consumer segments based on risk perception patterns. ResultsNuclear wastewater risk perception negatively affected purchase intention (b = -0.284, p < .001), while origin traceability exerted a significant positive effect (b = 0.326, p < .001). Traceability moderated the risk-intention relationship (b = 0.118, p = .002), and trust partially mediated the effect, accounting for 36% of the total effect. Four distinct consumer segments were identified: High-Risk Averse (23.2%), Moderate Concerned (30.4%), Pragmatic (27.5%), and Low-Risk Tolerant (19.0%), with willingness to pay premiums ranging from 28.4% to 8.9%.DiscussionOrigin traceability effectively mitigates the negative impact of nuclear wastewater risk perception on seafood purchase intentions. Consumer heterogeneity necessitates differentiated marketing strategies, with High-Risk Averse consumers representing a high-value target segment despite their elevated concerns.