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Since a significant source of food waste on the consumer end is the reluctance to purchase or consume imperfect products, it is vital for businesses to learn how to affiliate their products with social and ecological causes. This study explores whether firms' communication of suboptimal food information to reduce food waste affects consumer perceptions and behaviors based on social exchange theory.

A factorial between-subjects experiment designed with 4 (environmental claims) × 3 (suboptimal food) is used to design 12 scenarios. The measurement scales of variables are adapted from the literature. ANCOVA and structural equation modelling (SEM) analyses were performed to test study hypotheses using a total of 745 valid samples collected via a web-based questionnaire after testing manipulation checks, reliability and validity.

Among the four types of environmental claims, product orientation and environmental fact claims improve consumers' attitudes, ethical judgments and purchase intentions toward suboptimal food. The effect of ethical judgments on purchase intention is higher than that of attitudes. Additionally, purchase intention is a vital predictor of sustainable consumption and plays a significant mediating role between the variables.

The findings of this study address gaps in the literature, which lacks investigations into the effects of communication information about suboptimal food on consumer attitudes and behaviors. Unlike traditional questionnaires using scale items to measure independent variables, the quasi-experimental design with stimulus materials used in this study can reveal the varied effects of different environmental claims.

Sharing food through online communities is an effective channel for quickly exchanging edible food, avoiding food waste and promoting environmental sustainability. This study explores how the different characteristics of food sharing platforms influence consumers' perceptions of food safety, attitudes and intentions to engage in sharing activities.

In-depth interviews are first used to identify the key platform mechanisms that consumers pay attention to. A 2 (protection rules) × 2 (food supply sources) × 2 (transaction volume) factorial between-subjects experiment is used to design 8 scenarios in the literal description. This study finally collects a total of 604 valid samples through a web-based questionnaire to test the hypotheses after conducting manipulation checks, reliability and validity.

The results of this study show that the three variables of protection rules, food supply sources and transaction volume are the most important among all factors and have different levels of effects in reducing consumers' perceived lack of safety of food shared on online platforms and in improving positive attitudes and behavioral intentions. A moderating role in improving consumers' perceptions, food knowledge and cooking techniques, is also demonstrated.

The findings of this study make a significant contribution to the literature, which lacks research on the influence of food (un) safety on consumer perceptions through platform mechanisms in non-Western countries, as digital technology platforms can effectively connect food providers and recipients. Some practical implications for consumers regarding wasting and sharing food are also provided.

Since East Asian Confucian societies are relational societies that view harmonious relationships with others as important, the issue of consumer ethics has received considerable attention in the quest to improve the effectiveness of business transactions. This is especially true of China, a large developing country with many business investment opportunities. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between consumer ethical beliefs and the personality traits of consumer relationship proneness, religiousness, attitude toward business and love of money, which are seldom explored in the literature.

The sample is collected by systematic sampling in China and a sample of 434 individuals is surveyed. This study performs confirmatory factor analysis to examine the reliability and validity and then uses the evaluation of the structural equation model exhibited a good fit between the model and the observed data to test the hypotheses via LISREL 8.7.

Findings show that individuals with stronger relationship proneness and high religiousness tend to more strongly consider many questionable consumer practices as unacceptable. Attitude toward business and love of money partially impact consumer unethical beliefs.

While there cultural differences between East Asian and western societies, consumer relationship proneness and the three other constructs featuring Chinese characteristics should be considered a vital personality in Chinese society. The results of this study offer findings which are not fully consistent with the findings of studies conducted in other countries and can improve friendly relationship marketing practices with Chinese consumers. More research is necessary to understand consumer ethical behavior in the varied cultures of Asia.

This study aims to examine the impact of cultural orientation on consumer perceptions regarding the ethics of online retailers (CPEOR), and to understand the influence of CPEOR on e‐loyalty intention.

The paper operationalizes Román's CPEOR scale and Triandis’ individuality and collectivism typology. A valid sample of 949 respondents is collected via an online survey.

Consumers with horizontal individualism, and with horizontal and vertical collectivism tend to hold higher perceptions of e‐retailers’ ethics. The higher consumers perceive positive CPEOR, the more they tend to purchase from the same online sellers.

Multinational enterprises must understand the possible effects of cultural context on consumer attitudes of e‐retailers’ ethics before they can create successful marketing strategies. Additionally, if e‐retailers maintain shopping situations where transactions are secure, private, and certain, e‐shoppers are more likely to be inspired to repurchase from the same vendors.

The CPEOR scale, which includes security, privacy, non‐deception and fulfillment dimension, is greater completeness to evaluate consumer perceptions of e‐retailers’ ethics than scales using a unidimensional approach. This study further examines both individualism and collectivism at the individual level, which is rare in the existing literature.