The impact of digital traceability technology on green agricultural product purchase intention

Introduction Information asymmetry and trust deficits constrain green agricultural product markets, while digital traceability technologies offer solutions through transparency enhancement. However, existing research predominantly focuses on single psychological variables such as trust, with insufficient exploration of perceived value as a comprehensive cognitive evaluation mechanism linking technology perception to consumer behavior. This study addresses this gap by examining how digital traceability technology perception influences green agricultural product purchase intention through perceived value mediation. Methods Grounded in signaling theory, technology acceptance theory, and the value-attitude-behavior framework, this research constructs and tests a theoretical model capturing the dual pathways through which technology perception converts into behavioral intention. Survey data from Chinese consumers with green agricultural product purchase experience were collected and analyzed using structural equation modeling with bootstrap mediation testing. Results Results confirmed that perceived digital traceability technology significantly enhances perceived value and purchase intention, with perceived value serving as a partial mediator. The findings reveal a dual-mechanism framework whereby technology perception operates through both cognitive evaluation pathways via value enhancement and heuristic pathways through direct decision triggering. Discussion Theoretically, this study extends the integration of technology acceptance and sustainable consumption research while providing empirical evidence for signaling theory in digital contexts. Practically, the results demonstrate the commercial value of traceability technology investments and suggest that enterprises should emphasize value benefits rather than technical sophistication in marketing communications. This research offers actionable insights for agri-food supply chain digitalization and green consumption transitions, though cross-cultural validation beyond Chinese consumer samples represents an important direction for future research.