Keywords
Citation
Wheale, P. (2007), "Ethical consumers in search of markets", Strategic Direction, Vol. 23 No. 10. https://doi.org/10.1108/sd.2007.05623jad.005
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Ethical consumers in search of markets
Ethical consumers in search of markets
Wheale P., Hinton D. Business Strategy and the Environment, May 2007, Vol. 16 No. 4 Start page: 302 No of pages: 14
Purpose – To ascertain what factors drive ethical consumerism and which product groups are considered most important by ethical consumers. Design/methodology/approach – highlights growth in ethical consumerism, maintains that many companies do not understand causes of this growth, looks at previously presented classifications/ descriptions of ethical consumers, covers related topics such as corporate reputation and consumer trust, and identifies three main ethical areas of environment, human rights and animal rights/welfare. Presents three hypotheses suggesting there is no difference in the strength of feeling among ethical consumers across or between these three areas, and, similarly, for the strength of feeling about the three areas within different product groups, testing the hypotheses by analysing questionnaire responses of 250 readers of the Ethical Consumer Magazine. Findings – confirms existence of significant difference in the strength of feelings both between and across the three ethical areas, finds differences in feelings about the three areas in seven product groups, i.e. food, toiletries, clothing, white goods, brown goods, automobiles and pharmaceuticals, and reports that consumers rated environment higher than human and animal rights, and that ethical consumers attached more ethical significance to some products than to others. Uses findings to construct of model of consumer evaluation consisting of personal pre-dispositions, ethical evaluation criteria and purchase intention outcomes. Originality/value – advice for marketers and marketing strategy.
Keywords: Buying behaviour, Consumer behaviour, Ethics, Green marketing, Retailing