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Anti‐consumer ethics: What consumers will not do for ethical reasons
Author(s) -
Muncy James A.,
Iyer Rajesh
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
strategic change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.527
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 1099-1697
pISSN - 1086-1718
DOI - 10.1002/jsc.2389
Subject(s) - harm , individualism , business , product (mathematics) , consumption (sociology) , marketing , exploratory research , service (business) , marketing ethics , consumer behaviour , business ethics , advertising , public relations , sociology , psychology , social psychology , law , political science , social science , geometry , mathematics
The exploratory study examines the intersection of anti‐consumption and consumer ethics. It focuses on categories of products and services that consumers refuse to consume for moral or ethical reasons. We asked 292 respondents to indicate a product or service that they choose not to buy for ethical or moral reasons and what those reasons are. Harm was a significant determinant of these consumer's decisions not to buy. Reasons tended to be more of a micro, individualistic nature and usually did not reflect macro, societal level concerns. These results suggest that consumers are interested more in avoiding unethical behavior than in shopping for a better world. Managers should, therefore, make sure that their products are not seen as unethical.