Consumer participation is crucial for effective food safety governance. However, the collective action problem, particularly free-riding, often hinders such participation. This research addresses this challenge by exploring the role of social capital in fostering consumer engagement in food safety issues within the context of online food consumers in China. The study's significance lies in its potential to provide practical strategies for enhancing consumer participation and improving food safety outcomes, particularly in developing countries where collective action dilemmas are prevalent. The purpose is to empirically test the effect of social capital on consumer participation and to explore the underlying mechanisms through which this influence operates. The research question centers on how social capital mitigates free-riding and promotes various forms of consumer engagement in food safety governance within the specific context of China's online food market.

The study builds upon existing literature on social capital theory and its application to collective action problems. It acknowledges previous research highlighting the challenges of free-riding in food safety governance and aims to contribute new insights on how social capital can address this issue. The literature review likely discusses the different dimensions of social capital (trust, networks, norms) and their relevance to consumer behavior and collective action. It may also review studies on consumer participation in food safety and the specific context of the Chinese food market.

The study employed a quantitative approach using data collected through an online survey of 1229 Chinese online food consumers. The survey instrument included questions measuring consumer participation in food safety governance (e.g., filing complaints, seeking compensation, online exposure of unsafe food), social capital (trust, networks, norms, sense of belonging), and various control variables (demographics, income, lifestyle). The data were analyzed using ordered regression and multinomial logit models to assess the relationship between social capital and consumer participation. The researchers implemented rigorous sampling methods to ensure representativeness, and implemented careful screening to remove unqualified samples. The sample included a diverse group in terms of age, gender, marital status, education, income, and location, aiming for national coverage. The inclusion of control variables helped account for other potential factors that might influence consumer participation. The use of ordered regression allowed for the analysis of the degree of consumer participation as an ordinal variable, while the multinomial logit model examined the various modes of participation. The study also addresses potential biases associated with online surveys.

The empirical analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between social capital and consumer participation in food safety governance. The results indicated that social capital significantly reduces the negative impact of free-riding, thus encouraging consumers to actively engage. Specific dimensions of social capital, such as trust, norms, networks, and a sense of belonging, were all found to positively influence participation. The study identified two key mechanisms through which social capital promotes participation: 1) increased sharing of food safety information online; and 2) a greater tendency to directly engage in the supply of safe food (e.g., through purchasing from trusted sources or participating in the production process). The analysis using multinomial logit models categorized different participation schemes, ranging from traditional reporting to information sharing and direct supply. Results from ordered probit regression models show that multiple dimensions of social capital are necessary to completely counteract the negative effects of free-riding. The analysis of the various models demonstrate that social capital promotes consumer participation through concrete actions, rather than simply influencing intentions. The specific models used and corresponding statistical results (e.g., coefficients, p-values) would be thoroughly presented in tables within the paper.

The findings support the hypothesis that social capital plays a crucial role in promoting consumer participation in food safety governance. The reduction of free-riding behavior through social capital addresses a key barrier to collective action in this domain. The identification of information sharing and direct supply as key pathways through which social capital exerts its influence highlights the evolving nature of consumer engagement. This study's implications extend beyond the Chinese context, given the universality of the collective action dilemma in food safety governance across various nations. The results suggest the importance of strategies to cultivate social capital within consumer groups to enhance engagement and improve food safety outcomes.

This study demonstrates that social capital significantly promotes consumer participation in food safety governance by mitigating free-riding and facilitating information sharing and direct supply of safe food. These findings highlight the importance of fostering social capital as a key strategy for enhancing food safety systems. Future research could explore the specific policies and interventions that effectively cultivate social capital among consumers, investigate the long-term impact of social capital on food safety outcomes, and examine cross-cultural variations in the role of social capital in food safety governance.

The study's limitations include its reliance on cross-sectional data, which limits causal inferences. The study's focus on online consumers may not fully represent the broader population of food consumers in China. Future longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the causal mechanisms and the generalizability of these findings. The study also acknowledges potential limitations related to the self-reported nature of the survey data and the potential for social desirability bias.