The Country-of-Origin Effect and Consumer Attitudes to “Buy Local” Campaign

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to investigate the relationship between ethnocentrism of Ghanaian consumers and their attitudes toward a “buy local” campaign. Two hundred and thirty three consumers were interviewed in Cape Coast, the capital city and administrative centre of the Central region of Ghana. Data for the study were collected through interviewing using the mall intercept approach and factor analysed. Our findings show a relationship between ethnocentrism and attitudes of Ghanaian consumers toward the “buy local” campaign. Furthermore, the factor analysis results indicate that the attitudes of the Ghanaian consumers to the buy locally-made products can be characterized as protectionist, nationalistic, and self-interest. Implicitly, the consumers will buy Ghanaian-made products where they are of comparable quality and price as foreign-made products. This requires companies to ensure that their products are of high quality and prices are commensurate with quality. This study contributes to the ethnocentrism and country of origin literature pertaining to the African region, which is sorely under-researched.     

Feeling lucky: How framing the target product as a free gift enhances purchase intention

The present research investigates how consumers respond to alternate premium promotion framings that have equal value (e.g., “buy a flash drive and get a free earphone” vs. “buy an earphone and get a free flash drive”). We show that the counterintuitive framing of the target (vs. non-target) product as a free gift makes consumers feel lucky, which in turn increases their purchase intention for the product bundle. We further show the effects of two moderators—salience of targeting and promotion magnitude, such that the main effect is mitigated when the marketer’s targeting efforts are salient for consumers and when the target product is price discounted but not free. Four studies (i.e., a lab study, two online experiments, and a field experiment involving actual purchases of the promoted products) for a range of products and services across two countries provide converging evidence supporting the hypotheses. The findings contribute to the literatures on bundle framing effects, pricing, and luck research in marketing, and have practical implications on designing more effective promotions for both online and brick-and-mortar retailers.     

Organic purchasing motivations and attitudes: are they ethical?

Despite the increased documentation of consumers’ purchases of organic food products, the motivations for such purchases are relatively under‐researched. An individual’s choice of food products can be linked clearly to ethical stances, but ethical choices can also vary from individual to individual, from industry to industry and among countries. Consequently, this paper investigates the degree to which ethical beliefs influence Scottish consumer perceptions, beliefs, attitudes and purchasing decisions, with regard to organic dairy products. Consumer purchasing motivations are revealed as being self‐interest‐centred (i.e. better tasting, safer), rather than altruistic. Therefore, to achieve future market development, organic dairy producers cannot rely upon the minority of hardcore green consumers to sustain growth, but must aim to modify perceptions and attitudes of larger consumer segments by implementing educational marketing campaigns that reinforce the ethical, environmental and societal benefits of organic production.     

Consumers' willingness to buy products with environmental and ethical claims: the roles of social representations and social identity

This study investigates how social representations and consumers' identification with organic food consumers affects intentions to buy products that make environmental and ethical claims. For the purposes of the study, an online panel study was conducted on a representative sample of consumers (n = 1006) in the United Kingdom. The results demonstrate that consumers who are adherent to natural foods or technology and do not perceive food as a necessity are more willing to buy environmentally friendly and ethical products. There seems to be no relationship between perceptions of food as a source of enjoyment and intentions to buy sustainable products. Finally, social identification with the organic consumer is positively related with the intentions to buy products that make environmental and ethical claims. The current research demonstrates that both individual perceptions of food and consumers' perceptions of the social environment play an important role in promoting environmentally friendly and ethical behaviour.     

Consumers’ Intent: In the Organic Food Market

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the determinants that influence consumers' intention to purchase organic products. Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour (TPB) provides the conceptual framework of the research and the appropriateness of the theory is tested. A survey of 144 consumers was used to determine the beliefs which determine consumers’ intent to purchase organic food. Furthermore, attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were examined to determine whether they affect consumers’ intention to make organic products purchases. The findings offer considerable support for the robustness of the TPB in explaining intention in the sample. In addition, empirical evidence suggest that price, availability of organic products, product information and the subjective opinions of others are important determinants of consumers intent to buy organic products. The results are consistent with previous research.     

Information and Knowledge as Antecedents of Consumer Attitudes and Intentions to Buy and Recommend Fair-Trade Products

The authors propose and empirically test a causal model to understand how the availability of fair-trade information and consumer knowledge about this issue affect consumers’ attitudes and intentions toward fair-trade products. The model is built upon the attitude-behavior paradigm and the premises of agency theory. It is tested through structural equation modeling with a sample of 292 Spanish consumers. The findings are that consumers do not have good knowledge about fair trade and that this is significantly determined by the lack of information about this in the market. It is also observed that consumers’ perceptions about the availability of fair-trade information have negative effects on their concern about this issue and that such information as is available is not effective in reducing consumer skepticism. The research represents an extension of previous fair-trade literature because the role of information and communication in improving consumer attitudes and buying intentions has rarely been explored in the case of ethical products.     

“Showrooming” in Consumer Electronics Retailing: An Empirical Study

The present study focuses on multichannel retailing strategies and describes the state of consumer behavior regarding “showrooming” (the practice of examining merchandise or products in a retail store and then buying it online). Founded on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the authors examine the antecedents of showrooming using data collected from a sample of 176 retail consumers. Based on their results, they define perceived control, website compatibility, and subjective norms as the main antecedents of consumer attitudes toward online purchases. Additionally, they state that previous experience and reasons against purchasing online are directly associated with consumers’ intention to purchase on the retailer’s website. Finally, some theoretical conclusions and practical implications for retailers are discussed.     

Why Do Some Consumers Make Unhealthy Food Choices?

This research examines the impact of gender, age, and education on food choices and addresses issues of causality in these observed relationships; a logit model was used to test the mediation effects and hypotheses. The results from a self-administered online survey indicate that gender and education are two key predictors of consumers’ food choices for their children. These findings are further explained by attitudes toward obesity. Specifically, female consumers and parents with lower levels of formal education tend to select food products that are nutritionally inferior because they are not necessarily concerned about their child’s weight and do not usually restrict their child’s food and diet. This research advances a causal mechanism that explains unexpected consumers’ food choices; it essentially proposes and tests two mediators—restrictions of a child’s weight and concerns about a child’s weight—of the relationship between key demographic variables and consumers’ food choices.     

Perception of Risks and Preferences for Locally Grown Produce: A Marketing System Approach

In recent years, the “buy local” movement has escalated in popularity. This trend is redefining how value along the food chain is shared between producers, retailers, and consumers. A theoretical model was developed and used to evaluate how consumers formulate preferences for locally grown attributes, with an emphasis on consumers’ perceptions of food safety risk. Linkages between locally grown produce attributes, perceived macro outcomes, and value allocation to consumers are then examined using random utility discrete choice models. While results were mixed depending on frequency of purchasing locally grown produce, they do indicate that consumer preferences are driven by perceived food safety risk and other macro outcomes. For example, consumers who frequently purchase locally grown produce perceive these products to be environmentally friendly and to improve their quality of life.     

Color me moral: White and black product colors influence prosocial behaviors

There are “moral meanings” that people ascribe to objects in white and black colors. Namely, it seems that people have been conditioned to see objects in white color as potentially “morally good” and those in black color as potentially “bad.” In the current inquiry, we would therefore hypothesize that consumers see buying a product in white color as an act that is morally good and buying a product in black color as an act that is morally bad. If so, then, in accordance with the moral regulation theory, those who buy white‐colored products should feel licensed to behave less prosocially afterward, while those who buy black‐colored products should be more prosocial as they feel a need to compensate for their initial misconduct. We investigate such a hypothesis in six studies, examining prosociality after buying white‐ or black‐colored products. The results are consistent with our hypothesizing and highlight a moral credentials framework in particular in explaining why the effect occurs. Consequently, product colors do not only satisfy the diversity of consumer tastes but they also impact consumers’ prosocial behavior well‐beyond product choice and outside of retail domains.     

Twenty-Five Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall: An Empirical Revisit of West German Consumers' Attitudes Toward Products and Brands from Former East Germany

More than 25 years after the German reunification, data show that products/brands from the eastern regions of Germany (“Neue Länder”) still do not have significant shares in the country's western part (“Alte Länder”). To analyze potential reasons for this phenomenon, our current study replicates a previous study that investigated selected attitudes of Alte Länder consumers toward products/brands from the Neue Länder. It is shown that factors such as consumer ethnocentrism, product judgment, willingness to buy, and economic animosity continue to influence consumer behavior and as such our study offers potential explanation for the failure of Neue Länder products/brands in the western regions of Germany.     

Factors Influencing Consumer Purchasing Decision Toward Malang Meatballs At East Java,Indonesia

The study examined factors influencing consumers' purchasing behaviour in relation to Malang meatballs as a representative ethnic food in East Java, Indonesia. Multistage area sampling was used to randomly select 400 households from the Malang area (200 urban and 200 rural) as consumer respondents. Respondents were interviewed using a structured questionnaire by the researcher and enumerators. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyse consumers' purchasing behaviour toward Malang meatballs. This study can contribute to a better understanding of consumers' preferences toward Malang meatballs, an animal protein-based food, that has a unique taste. Consumers preferred Malang meatballs compared to street foods (i.e., “soto,” “tahu campur,” and fried noodles). Younger consumers concerned about freshness and a “halal food” may select Malang meatballs. The availability of Malang meatballs can increase consumers' purchasing action toward this product. Also, surrounding cold air temperature influenced consumers in selecting this food.     

“Natural” and “Fresh”: An Analysis of Food Label Claims in Internationally Packaged Foods in Singapore

Food claims invite controversies on account of their potential to mislead consumers while at times masquerading as health information devices. In the United States, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand, scholars have extensively studied the prevalence of food claims, the regulatory repercussions, and effects of such claims on consumers’ food perceptions and dietary choices. Our study is an attempt to address a gap in related research focused on Asia by situating the inquiry in Singapore where consumers are exposed to a wide variety of such claims due to the universality of food imports. This study examines the state of food claims by the food product’s region of origin, and focus specifically on the use of terms “natural” and “fresh” on food labels. We present recommendations for food marketing policymakers and practitioners.     

The Consumer Costs of Food Certification: A Pilot Study and Research Opportunities

Certification labels have become a ubiquitous feature on food products across grocery store shelves. Although it is widely acknowledged that certified products often garner higher prices than their noncertified competition, less is known regarding what those price differences are based on, and what the personal, political, or ethical implications are for consumers. This research note argues for greater attention to the implications of certified food prices—which we conceptualize as the “consumer costs” of food certification. The paper discusses the theoretical linkages between food certifications and prices, and outlines the resulting consumer costs of which we are concerned. Through a pilot study in Salt Lake City, Utah, we investigate prices found on certified grocery store rice, and consider the causes and implications of the consumer costs of food certification.     

Sustainable fashion consumption and the fast fashion conundrum: fashionable consumers and attitudes to sustainability in clothing choice

The fashion industry has recently heeded the call for sustainability and ethically sound production. There has been, however, a reluctant uptake of these products with many consumers and a seeming conflict with existing ‘fast fashion’ desires in this area. This study explores the attitudes of fashion consumers toward sustainable products, ethical fashion purchasing and their subsequent behaviour. The research applies the developmental theory model to a fashion context, finding fashion consumers can be categorized into one of three groups: ‘Self’ consumers, concerned with hedonistic needs, ‘Social’ consumers, concerned with social image and ‘Sacrifice’ consumers who strive to reduce their impact on the world. These different groups view fast fashion in conflicting ways and subsequent implications for marketing sustainably produced fashion products to each group are, thus, significantly different.     

Can consumers buy alternative foods at a big box supermarket?

ABSTRACT

While consumers in affluent countries are ever hungry for alternatives to the ‘Big-Food’ mainstream, critical scholars have raised serious questions about the meaning of ‘alternative’ food products. I explore scholarly critiques of alternative food, and argue against a binary approach that sees foods as either alternative or not alternative. Instead, I suggest the utility of taking a multifaceted, ‘family of issues’ approach that is both reflexive and materialist. The case of ethical meat is used to explore the myriad, often contradictory ideals contained within consumers’ search for alternatives to mainstream market options. Three cautionary lessons are put forward. First, the goal of producing myriad consumer alternatives is significantly hampered by the competing, and often contradictory demands of market forces. Second, the discourse of food alternatives uses a ‘win-win’ logic suggesting that consumer sacrifice or change is unnecessary; the challenge of reshaping, and even downgrading consumer expectations is a necessary, but tremendous challenge facing consumer projects for ecological and social change. Third, the search for eco-social alternatives cannot simply make consumers feel good about their purchases, but must address the material realities and limitations of niche markets, and the need for structural reform to the food system.     

College—Age Consumers' Knowledge and Perceptions of Food Irradiation

Abstract

This paper explores consumers of 18—24 years of age and their perceptions of irradiated ground beef products and role of irradiation on their purchase decisions. Data was collected with a survey of college—age consumers. Results showed that the majority of participants would be willing to purchase irradiated food products. Participants were somewhat concerned about impact of irradiation on safety and taste. The term “irradiated” and cost to consumer had a negative impact on participants' willingness to purchase irradiated ground beef products. The identification of the attributes should provide a useful guidance for the beef industry in terms of determining marketing strategies to increase the level of this segment of the consumer groups’ preference for irradiated products.     

Promoting Vegetarianism through Moralization and Knowledge Calibration

This research extends the theories of moralization and knowledge calibration to vegetarianism. In two studies involving interviews with vegetarians, and meat-eaters; we investigated consumer attitudes toward vegetarianism. Our text analysis results revealed that emotionally calibrated consumers are ‘moral vegetarians’ who find meat repulsive, and make ethical food choices. In contrast, cognitively calibrated consumers are ‘health vegetarians’ who scan the nutrition information, avoid meat due to health restrictions, and embrace vegetarianism for healthy life. Finally, we provided insights into how faux meat companies can promote their products and transform consumer behavior toward vegetarianism by advertising ethical and environmentally friendly foods, and healthy and anti-obesity foods to moral and health vegetarians, respectively.     

Consumers’ intention to buy protected designation of origin and protected geographical indication foodstuffs: the case of Greece

There is evidence that consumers tend to highly regard the quality, authenticity, ethical standards, country of origin and sustainable production of foodstuffs; hence, the growing number of studies on products of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). PDO and PGI labelling is associated with the preservation of local plant varieties, the financial reward of local people and the sustainable development of rural areas. This study was set out to investigate the factors associated with Greek consumers’ intention to buy PDO/PGI food products. A total of 615 consumers took part in the study from the municipality of Attica, Greece. The survey was conducted during the period of March 2011 to April 2013. Results indicated that approximately 50% of respondents were willing to buy PDO/PGI products whereas the willingness to buy these products constituted an important factor in purchasing them. More specifically, according to the regression analysis, factors that are significantly associated with respondents’ willingness to buy PDOs/PGIs were as follows: origin, health claims and label of a product, as well as sustainable consumer behaviour. Understanding the main factors relating to consumers’ purchasing intent towards PDO/PGI products is an important step towards promoting special labelled agri‐foodstuffs and hence contributes to the local sustainable development.     

Ethical consumption behaviours in supermarket shoppers: determinants and marketing implications

Understanding how consumers make ethical purchases has numerous benefits for firms and other stakeholders. Although several ethical decision-making frameworks seek to explain such purchasing behaviour, they typically focus on the content of such decisions, rather than considering how such decisions unfold in a given context. Yet, the complexities of consumer choice suggest that greater insight into how consumers make ethical purchases in store can enhance understanding. We report our findings from a survey of a geographically disperse sample of 688 UK shoppers and argue that a naturalistic theory of decision making, image theory, enhances our ability to explain consumer behaviour in this setting. As well as contributing to theoretical understanding of consumer choice, this has implications for the merchandising of ethical products, such as Fair Trade and ‘green’ goods.