Consumer Motivation in Ethical Product Consumerism: Research Report

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This research paper investigates the factors that motivate consumers to purchase ethical products, focusing on the context of CFOODSTORE, a seafood retailer transitioning to ethically sourced products. The study employs a systematic literature review, analyzing fifteen relevant studies based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. The findings reveal that demographic and economic factors, such as education, income, and awareness of health and ethical sourcing, significantly influence consumer behavior. Consumers with higher incomes and a greater focus on healthy lifestyles tend to prioritize ethical food choices. Additionally, promotional marketing strategies and product labeling play crucial roles in influencing consumer decisions. The research highlights the importance of affordability, awareness, and clear communication in driving ethical product consumption, supporting CFOODSTORE's strategic shift towards ethically sourced seafood. The paper concludes that CFOODSTORE's decision aligns with the growing consumer interest in ethical products, positioning the company for future sustainability. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of consumer behavior, ethical sourcing, and marketing strategies, offering valuable insights for businesses aiming to cater to the ethical consumer market.

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Consumer Motivation in Ethical Product Consumerism
Name of the Student
Name of the University
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Introduction
In this era of technological advancement, consumers are getting more and more concerned
about the origin of the products and services they are offered. When t comes to the food
industry, the importance of ethical products has got highly enhanced due to the increased
number of heath related issues in majority of developed and developing countries. Along with
concerns about health, consumers are also getting highly concerned about the ethical
beliefves and sustainability of the business procedures that are involved while manufacturing
a certain food item. According to researchers, the preferences of the consumers are getting
increasingly inclined towards ethically sourced food items. CFOODSTORE is a single
market stall that offers the consumers with seafood. Keeping in mind the changing consumer
preference, the management of the mentioned organization has decided to move to “ethically
sourced” seafood items. Considering the fact that viability of this decision is being question
by some investor, the organization has decided to research on the relation between consumer
behavior and ethical purchasing. The purpose of this research paper is to find out the the
factors that motivate consumer to purchase ethical product.
Literature search and selection Method
In this paper the systematic literature review has been considering the exclusion and inclusion
criteria. The inclusion criteria of this study are:
 Study on consumer behavior on ethical product
 Peer reviewed article
 Primary and Secondary research
The exclusion criteria of this study are:
 Study is not in foreign languages

 Study time before 2015
 Study on business process
Initially 30 studies were selected. After complying inclusive and exclusive criteria 15 studies
have been finally reviewed for data extraction. The searching syntaxes used for the study
selection are:
 consumer behavior and ethical product
 consumer behavior and organic food
 buyers decision and ethical food product
 consumer motivation and ethical food product

Consumer Motivation in Ethical Product Consumerism
Innital Daabase searches: 4
Total number of initial study n=30
Records after duplicate removed
n= 28
Title and Abstract screened
n= 25
Full text article reviewed
n= 18
Removed as
per the
Inclusion
criteria (n=3)
Excluded as per
exclusion criteria
(n=7)
Considered for final review and
data extraction
Aim
Method
Result
Data extraction and synthesis
Author and Year Article Title Method/Design Result/Conclusion
Ha, Thanh Mai;
Shakur, Shamim;
Pham Do, Kim
Hang (2019)
Rural-urban
differences in
willingness to pay
for organic
vegetables:
Evidence from
Vietnam
This research used a
contingent valuation survey
for information collection
regarding consumer
preferences as well as
willingness to pay (WTP)
of organic vegetables. For
analysis interval regression
model was used.
In both urban and rural
regions for organic
vegetables WTP increases
with the perception of the
consumer about trust in
labels and organic
vegetables. It also increases
with family income. Rural
region has higher WTP.
Steinhauser, Consumers’ Total 156 consumers The duration of gaze claims

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Johann; Janssen,
Meike; Hamm,
Ulrich (2019)
purchase decisions
for products with
nutrition and health
claims: What role
do product
category and gaze
duration on claims
play?
participated. The
participants’ eye movements
were measured using head-
mounted eye tracking
glasses. With three-
dimensional food packages
with nutrition A close-to-
realistic purchase situation,
health, and taste claims was
simulated.
increases the purchase
likelihood. A great
differences have been found
between categories of
product regarding the
consumers preferences and
types of claims
Liu, Yang; Dong,
Shaozeng (2017)
Sustainable Product
Strategy in Apparel
Industry with
Consumer
Behavior
Consideration
It is a secondary qualitative
study. An analytical
Mathematical model has
been presented in this
research with conditions
through which a firm could
have gain benefit from
adapting sustainable product.
It has been found that
converting regular
consumers to be
environmentally conscious
consumer is not costly. A
business can convert all
consumers to be the
consumer of ethical product
with great efforts. A
business can also convert a
potential part of consumers.
Nguyen, Thuy D;
Dadzie, Charlene
A; Chaudhuri,
Himadri Roy;
Tanner, Thomas.
(2019)
Self-control and
sustainability
consumption:
Findings from a
cross cultural study
Cross sectional survey was
conducted in physical paper
and pen considering the
consumer demographics and
perception on purchasing
sustainable product
Individual trait of self-
control has significant
influence on the purchasing
behaviour while choosing
environmental friendly
products, organic food
consuming, spending
control.
Brown, Meagan C;
Shrestha, Umit;
Huber, Corrine;
Best, Lyle G;
Marcia O’Leary; et
al. (2019)
Characterizing the
local food
environment and
grocery-store
decision making
among a large
American Indian
community in the
This study uses qualitative
study considering focus
groups that are primary
household shoppers. Other
interviewees are food
retailers, local government
food assistance programme
In rural community
accessibility and cost are the
major barriers to healthy
eating. Connecting the
whole community within the
healthy eating activities is
very essential to motivate
consumers to purchase

north-central USA:
qualitative results
from the Healthy
Foods Healthy
Families Feasibility
Study
directors and a dietitian. ethical products.
Hammad, Hadeer;
Muster, Viola; El-
Bassiouny, Noha
M; Schaefer,
Martina. (2019)
Status and
sustainability
Qualitative study including
the literature review,
conceptual map and
interpretivist analysis.
The paper suggests that the
synergistic interplay
between conspicuous and
sustainable consumption, as
well as barriers and
motivations underpinning
both constructs, as cultural
nuances can influence the
dynamics of interaction
between conspicuous and
sustainable behaviours.
Kushwah, Shiksha;
Dhir, Amandeep;
Sagar, Mahim
(2019)
Understanding
consumer
resistance to the
consumption of
organic food. A
study of ethical
consumption,
purchasing, and
choice behaviour
The data was collected from
452 consumers and analysed
through using structural
equation modelling approach.
It has been found that
purchase intentions and the
intentions of ethical
consumption can be
negatively influenced by the
value barrier. It also has a
direct influence on
Consumer’s choice and
purchasing behaviour.
Setiyaningrum, Ari;
Batu, Kardison
Lumban;
Andriyansah.
(2019)
What Triggers the
Purchase of Green
Products in
Indonesia?
Qualitative study including
the literature review,
conceptual map and
interpretivist analysis.
Social influence has a
significant negative effect
on organic food purchase
decision. Healthy life
intention was indicated as a
mediating variable in the
effect of health
consciousness on organic
food purchase decision.
Clark, Lisa
Frances; Ana-
Plant-based foods
in Canada:
A geographically
representative sample of
Canadians get information
about PBFs from labels, the

Maria, Bogdan
(2019)
information, trust
and closing the
commercialization
gap
Canadians (n=410)
participated in a 20-minute,
online survey.
internet and family and
friends, but only half trust
these sources to provide
accurate Information.
Several information sources
(e.g. family and friends) are
associated with consumers’
willingness to try new PBFs
Sadílek, Tomáš
(2019)
Consumer
preferences
regarding food
quality labels: the
case of Czechia
The survey was conducted
among 444 respondents of
Czechia over 18 years of age,
addressed in front of grocery
stores. Using cluster analysis.
Food quality labels are a
favourably perceived
decision-making factor.
Isadora do Carmo
Stangherlin; Duarte
Ribeiro, Jose Luis;
Barcellos, Marcia.
(2019)
Consumer
behaviour towards
suboptimal food
products: a strategy
for food waste
reduction
The study involved a
qualitative analysis of
participants’ open-ended
responses (282 answers),
where participants were
asked to write down the
impressions they had about
three suboptimal food
images.
Suboptimal food is
divergent, with some
participants rejecting them
because they are impelled to
search for perfection when
buying food products.
However, some individuals
are disposed to accept
suboptimal products, mainly
because they have concern
with the environment and
cook abilities.
Lawley, Meredith;
Craig, Jane F;
Dean, David;
Birch, Dawn.
(2019)
The role of seafood
sustainability
knowledge in
seafood purchase
decisions
Using an online survey
(n=1,319), the authors
investigated Australian
consumer knowledge of
seafood sustainability and the
drivers of purchase choice
The knowledge was
positively related to
importance of sustainability
when making purchase
decisions.
Su, Jin; Kittichai
(Tu)
Watchravesringkan
; Zhou, Jianheng;
Gil, Maria. (2019)
Sustainable
clothing:
perspectives from
US and Chinese
young Millennials
Quantitative research was
conducted, and empirical
data were collected from 590
US college students and 379
Chinese college students.
This study provides
consistent empirical results
of the positive and
significant effects of young
Millennials’ apparel
sustainability knowledge

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and personal values on
consumer attitude towards
sustainable clothing, which
in turn positively and
strongly impacts purchase
intention.
Petrescu, Dacinia-
Crina (2013)
Consumer
behaviour on
organic food:
detailed
questionnaire as
research instrument
A very detailed questionnaire
based qualitative study on
consumer behaviour while
purchasing organic food
This research demonstrates
the significant inclusiveness
of demographic and social
background of the people
while purchasing organic
food.
Iqbal, Mehree.
(2015)
Consumer
Behaviour of
Organic Food: A
Developing
Country
Perspective
A survey was conducted on
900 respondents who are the
consumers of six major
organic food seller
supermarkets in Dhaka,
Bangladesh.
Consumers perceive the
organic foods as
environment friendly while
equally tastier and healthier
consumables. Most of the
organic food buyers are
older with child. Most of the
organic food buyers have
higher education level. Their
family income is also than
the non-buyers.
Discussion and conclusion
From the above discussion it can be clearly understood that a good number of demographic
and economic factors are responsible for the motivating of the consumers for purchasing
ethical products. It has been found that while consumer of rural areas prioritizes green
vegetables and organic food items compared to fast food items, urban consumers who
belongs to the lower middle class population of the society are more inclined towards fast
food consumption. Both the mentioned population however were found too be leat concerned
about the ethical sourcing of the food products. However, when it comes to upper middle

class population, it has been found that majority of them are highly concerned and are
inclined more on ethical food consumption. The chief reason behind this is education and
awareness. Consumers who are more inclined towards healthy lifestyle and more concerned
about ethical sourcing of food items and organic food consumption. When it comes to
economic factors, consumers with higher disposable income are more concerned with ethical
food items. This is because, the price range of ethical food items are much higher compared
to that of the fast food items. Thus the affordability and price range can be considered as the
two major aspects that is directly associated with ethical food consumption.
From the above literature review it has been found that the two motivational factors that are
responsible for inspiring the consumers for buying the ethical products includes the
promotional marketing strategies of the consumers as well as the leveling used for marketing
the products. It can be clearly understood that consumers are getting influenced by the
massages provided to them by the organization.
Finally it can be concluded that CFOODSTORE have taken an effective and efficient
decision that will help the organization to maintain its sustainability in near future.

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