This study aims to examine the impact of customer experience of cannabis-infused food and beverage perception (sensory experience, novelty experience, health concerns and restaurant experience) on favouring these products and subsequent customer citizenship behaviour.
Using a purposive sampling approach, an onsite survey was administered to Thai Gen Z customers in consuming cannabis-infused foods and/or beverages. Subsequently, the sample consisted of 330 respondents. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used for the analyses.
The results indicated that sensory experience, health concerns and restaurant experience had significant positive effects on favouring cannabis-infused foods and beverages. This favourability, in turn, positively affected customer citizenship behaviour. In addition, favouring cannabis-infused foods and beverages partially mediated the relationships between customer citizenship behaviour and sensory experience, health concerns and restaurant experience.
This study provides a new contribution to the literature with a first empirical examination showing positive favouring of cannabis-infused foods and beverages among young consumers in Thailand. It provides practical insights for managers in emerging markets to leverage cannabis-infused products as part of the enhancement of the global food and beverage industry. The study also offers an example of how to move forward through an unknown territory regarding perceptions of consumer experiences.
