Routine activities theory and food fraud victimization

Food fraud is a widespread problem that involves the act of defrauding consumers for economic gain. Food fraud incidents pose a considerable threat to the economic stability of agri-food industry as well as the health and welfare of consumers. With the increasing use of online grocery shopping, the Internet has facilitated deceptive and fraudulent practices by criminals. Using a sample of U.S. consumers, the current study explores the applicability of routine activities theory in the context of food fraud. The findings show that online routine activities, online target suitability, exposure to food ads, and perceived risk are significantly linked to food fraud victimization. Our study demonstrates that the routine activities theory is a useful framework to understand the vulnerabilities associated with food fraud. Implications for research and policy are discussed.