Do Health, Environmental and Ethical Concerns Affect Purchasing Behavior? A Meta-Analysis and Narrative Review

Much attention has been given to how we can make consumption more responsible—better for the planet and society. However, research on the associations between consumer purchasing behavior and their psychological concern for health, the environment and ethics lacks consensus on the significance and directionality of these concerns. This study aims to examine how (relatively) important these concerns are in determining consumer purchasing behavior. Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, EconLit, Web of Science and Scopus databases from 2000 to 2020. Results were summarized through narrative synthesis of the evidence and meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between health, environmental and ethical concerns and purchasing behavior, indicating that changes in health, environmental and ethical concerns will result in a consistent shift in purchase behavior towards choices consistent with the concern. This association is susceptible to moderating factors including types of products (food, non-food and non-specific products) and country’s level of economic development. In addition, the health, environmental and ethical concerns appear to have a weaker impact on the actual purchase behavior than on purchase intention, suggesting that interventions should focus on translating these “purchasing intentions” into actual purchasing behaviors. Narrative review of the studies that were not subject to meta-analysis showed good agreement, with almost all relationships reported having the same direction as those indicated by the meta-analysis. Overall, this study suggests that there is substantial potential for marketing strategies aimed at encouraging pro-health, pro-environment and ethical purchasing behaviors.

Apulia agro-biodiversity between rediscovery and conservation: the case of the «Salento km0» network

Green Revolution and the birth of the current global economic system had two opposite, subsequent effects. If, initially, they led to processes of crop homogenization, seasonal adjustment, homogenization of the landscape and markets standardization, they have subsequently pushed local communities towards a recovery of endemic biodiversity at risk of extinction because of such planetary processes, as well as a fundamental element in terms of local development, food security and sovereignty and reduction of environmental impacts. Starting from these instances of recovery and protection, which are increasingly taking place in Apulia, this work will examine both projects created "from above" and initiatives "from below", being the latter the result of a new consciousness that renews social cohesion and gives new value to the territorial milieu. In this regard, the case of the Salento km0 network will be examined: born in 2011 and now made up of 61 local subjects including producers, restaurateurs, associations, ethical purchasing groups and traditional stores, which represent a key symbol of a territory that resists and a population that has chosen to stay and innovate according to economic, social, cultural and environmental sustainability.

Religiosity, idealism, and ethical consumption: the mediating effect of perceived customer effectiveness and moral obligation

Purpose The cognitive processes through which religiosity and idealism affect ethical consumption have received little attention in prior research. This study aims to explore the influence of religiosity and idealism on ethical purchasing intention through moral obligation and perceived customer effectiveness (PCE). Design/methodology/approach The study analyses data from 149 Muslim participants in Saudi Arabia, using structural equation modelling. Findings The results reveal that religiosity leads to PCE but not to moral obligation and that idealism leads to both PCE and moral obligation. Mediation analysis indicated that PCE mediates the effect of both religiosity and idealism, although moral obligation only mediates the effect of idealism. Research limitations/implications This research enriches the understanding of ethical consumption and contributes to the debate on how religiosity and idealism affect ethical consumption. It also has significant implications for theory and the development of sustainable marketing initiatives. Marketing campaigns and other promotional activities may focus on the interconnection between ethical purchase and the religious and ideology dimensions of consumers. Also, while formulating a communication strategy, it is necessary to emphasize the religious dimension of the sustainable use of the product. Originality/value Moral obligation and PCE have been shown as cognitive and psychological mechanisms explaining the links between religiosity or idealism and ethical purchasing behaviour.