Systematic Literature Review: Ethical Consumerism in the Food Industry

This report presents a systematic literature review examining the multifaceted issues of ethical consumerism within the food industry, with a focus on the case of CFoodStore. The research begins by defining the research purpose, questions, and objectives, followed by an in-depth literature review exploring consumer attitudes, behaviors, and the contradictions inherent in ethical consumerism. The review delves into Hunt and Vitell’s theory, the role and limitations of labeling, and the importance of ethical food practices. The report analyzes the ethical purchasing gap, demographic factors, and situational influences on consumer behavior. It further examines the impact of ethical consumerism on the food industry, the influence of global capitalism, and the limitations of ethico-political consumption. The study concludes with a gap analysis, identifying areas for future research and recommendations for positive influences on ethical consumerism. The report uses a systematic approach, referencing key scholars and studies to provide a comprehensive overview of the topic.

BBS301
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Table of Contents
Research purpose.............................................................................................................................3
Research questions...........................................................................................................................3
Research objectives.........................................................................................................................3
Literature review..............................................................................................................................3
Hunt and Vitell’s theory..................................................................................................................4
Contradictions in ethical consumerism............................................................................................6
The role and limitation of labels in determining ethical consumerism...........................................7
Importance of ethical food labeling and other practices..................................................................8
Gap analysis.....................................................................................................................................9

Research purpose
The purpose of this group is to define issues associated with CFoodStore’s dilemma
regarding management. The issues are based on ethical consumerism, the aspects that have been
impacting the business growth of the organization. a systemic literature review has been
developed in order to under the various aspects of ethical consumerism that have been impacting
the specific industry under focus.
Research questions
Question 1: What are the attitudes and behaviors associated with ethical consumerism?
Question 2: What are the major contradictions of ethical consumerism?
Question 3: How ethical consumerism affects the food industry?
Research objectives
 To identify the issues of ethical consumerism
 To analyze the issues ethical consumerism
 To recommend strategies for positive influence of ethical consumerism
Literature review
Attitudes and behaviors associated with ethical consumerism can be understood as a kind of
shared responsibility involving both the consumer as well as manufacturers. As identified by
Newholm the buyer also has a major role to play in order to ensure that the world is more
environment friendly and equal right are enjoyed by all the associated stakeholder groups.

As per the findings of Newholm, an exploratory study regarding the factors of ethical
consumerism shows that there are specific factors that hinders consumption ethics. The
researcher argues that although the aspect of ethical consumption is becoming gradually popular
among the consumers as well as the large consumer firms, there is still the existence of an acute
attitudinal difference. Large sample sized studies of Bennett, shows that only one third of the
consumers in Australia as well as in other developed parts of the world like UK has created their image as
ethically responsible buyers. Another important information that substantiates the fact is that only 3% of
the business spaces, whether in back store or frontline retail have been dealing in ethically accredited
products. as per the primary data surveys conducted by Bennett, about 30% of the sampling responses
show that they care for the ethical standards of the organization who products they are using. However,
Bennett, argues that there are only 3% of purchasing that reflects standards of ethical consumerism. This
gap has been defined as ethical purchasing gap or attitude behavior gap.
Research scholars have studied the factors affecting ethical consumerism in depth and this reveals
that the factors affecting as well as influencing the ethical behavior of the consumers are decision making
approaches, consumption experiences as well as purchasing experiences.
Hunt and Vitell’s theory
This general theory of marketing has been discussed by Khan, in context to the aspect of decision making
regardless of the little studies concerning the role that ethics play in the domain of individual purchasing
behavior1. It has been identified from the study that consumers in general are not related to all kinds of
ethical issues existing in context to consumer decision making. However, theoretical analyses conducted
by Newholm, shows that the consumer behavior can be perceived as direct outcome of intention as well
as attitudes with are mismatching with the gaps in ethical consumerism2.
1 Khan, Zeenath Reza, Gwendolyn Rodrigues, and Sreejith Balasubramanian. "Ethical consumerism and apparel
industry-towards a new factor model." (2016): 1.
2 Newholm, Terry. "Relocating the ‘ethical consumer’." In Ethics and the Market, pp. 162-184. Routledge, 2017.

Bennett highlights that demographic factors can be perceived as poor indicators of consumption ethics,
as various studies reveal various viewpoints. One study reveals that ethical sensibility matures with the
growth in age. The sensible factors that are severely associated with the prospect of ethical consumerism
should enhance with the increment in age. The age factor helps in putting in additional evidence
as well as maturity with the consumers. As observed by another group of researchers including
the likes of Bennett, there are other specific moral maturity factors that determine behaviour of
consumers. Although there is a lot of debate among researchers in determining those factors
however the most popular review reveals that the belief and confidence of the purchaser are the
most potential maturity factors which determine consumer behaviour. The consumers who have
strong believe show more confidence in their actions, however the consumers who exhibit low
confidence follow the ethical considerations more likely. This finding reveals complicated nature
regarding decision making of customers. Other group of factors which determine the ethical
influence on consumers are the situation will factors as well as the post-purchase factors.
Burgoon, Considered that this group of factors is most impactful regarding the determination of
the ethical consideration of consumers and for researchers this factors provide the easiest way to
understand the provider purchaser gap of ethics3. Nevertheless the situation all factors that come
under this category in corporate restricted availability of some of the ethical products as well as
Limited consumption choice of such products which actually leads to Limited availability of
such products in the front shelves of most Frontline stores. However, researchers like Bennett
have strongly argued that the 30% group of ethical consumers, a segment that is gradually4
enlarging is exhibiting greater demand for purchasing such products. Another study conducted
by group of researchers, issues that such group of ethical customers are however not willing to
3 Burgoon, Brian, and Luc Fransen. "Support for Ethical Consumerism and Welfare States in the Global Economy:
Complements or Substitutes?." Global Policy 8 (2017): 42-55.
4 Bennett, Elizabeth A. "Extending ethical consumerism theory to semi-legal sectors: insights from recreational
cannabis." Agriculture and human values 35, no. 2 (2018): 295-317.

pay any extra money and are not willing to compromise or negotiate over the product quality
also5. Thereafter, it can be argued that the post purchase factor is associated with the guilt that is
related to the consumers’ perception that is developed after the purchase of the product. All these
factors have been accumulated from contextualized and specific study as well as research papers
from evident sources. In the end it can be argued that although ethical consumption is a
streamlined perception anticipated from the point of perceptions of both the buyer as well as the
seller, it is actually posit with difference in perception and contrasting viewpoints. This is the
reason why, any regulated policy regarding determination or information of ethical
considerations from the end of the manufacturers or dealers have not been yet developed.
Contradictions in ethical consumerism
As highlighted by scholars like Botha competition associated with is debatable however some
strategic perception needs to be streamlined here with discussion. In the first place that has
discussed that product description should be contextual with the social policies. The polities
which determine search contradictory differences in corporate colonialism as well as
neocolonialism which are the factors dominating trade market and the author determined this by
looking at the fact that Starbucks Coffee is not the promise for social change being as ethical
products, however it has been rendering value towards the people as well as places where the
coffee manufacturing, processing as well as selling is done6. The process of coffee
manufacturing is enrooted to cultural as well as racial differences which are vastly identified by
colonial forces.
5 Burgoon, Brian, and Luc Fransen. "Support for Ethical Consumerism and Welfare States in the Global Economy:
Complements or Substitutes?." Global Policy 8 (2017): 42-55.
6 Botha, Sonja. "Towards Ethical Consumerism: Bridging the Gap between the Obstacles and Drivers of Ethical
Consumerism." (2018).

Another study conducted by a group of researchers including Carrigan depicts that ethical
consumerism can be understood as an ideological Foundation related to capitalism. The issues
identified within the framework of ethical consumerism relates to reconstitution of global
capitalism. However, this view supports the fact that Enterprises should be understood as
socially responsible development agents. The large amount of monetary investment that goes
behind ethical products can be understood as another Avenue of enriching global capitalism. The
awareness that has been developed through definition of roles as well as responsibilities of
ethical consumers as well as issues contextualized to it a largely grouped with global capitalism.
The role and limitation of labels in determining ethical consumerism
In more than hundred years, industrial agriculture as well as globalised food system has been
able to develop cheaper, longer lasting as well as more diversified food categories. This is why
people are not able to enjoy tropical fruits in winter; purchase whole chicken at the price of a cup
of coffee as well as every fresh-bread even after longer periods after it is baked. However, these
food products have been dismissed by greetings as the revolutions of big food which can be
determined as culinary version of big tobacco or big oil. In this context researchers including
Carrigan, have strongly argued in favour of an explosion of a few political food labeling policy
in order to address concerns like slavery, sweatshop manufacturing environmental degradation,
lack of nutrition in food products, fair trading practices for animal cruelty and similar aspects7.
Such kind of disparate concerns have unified through the connection to this amorphous culprit
known as big food8.
7 Carrigan, Marylyn. "Revisiting ‘The Myth of the Ethical Consumer’: why are we still not ethical shoppers?."
Journal of Consumer Ethics 1, no. 1 (2017): 11-21.
8 Burgoon, Brian, and Luc Fransen. "Support for Ethical Consumerism and Welfare States in the Global Economy:
Complements or Substitutes?." Global Policy 8 (2017): 42-55.

Researchers like Carrigan argue that the idea behind this is knowing what is present in our food
and how the food has been produced so that we can reject or accept unethical food corporations
by our will, decide if we want to purchase products from ethical producers and thereby promote
justice in the food industry9.
Importance of ethical food labeling and other practices
This force is needed for awakening of the slumber consumer giant that has been into survival
since middle of 1990. In this context it can be argued that in the landmark book, no Logo
published by Naomi Klein in 1999, the hypothesis that is put forward shows that:
“that has more people discover the brand name Secrets of the Global Logon web, their outrage
will feel the next big political movement, a vast wave of opposition squarely targeting
transnational Corporation, particularly those with very high name brand recognition.”
Limitations of ethico political consumption
One of the major dangers of ethico-political consumption is that the citizens are being liberalized
as consumers and political action is being reduced to shopping10. This holds that if an unethical
organization claims that the consumers are purchasing their products even after knowing the
ethics or ethical principles that they have violated, the political forces, the pressure groups or
even the justice has no right to prevent the business from spreading. It would be perceived as a
matter of consumer choice.
Gap analysis
9 Jansen, Sanne. "Ethical Consumerism in the Emerging EU Digital Contract Legislation." In Consumer Identities &
Digital Culture Symposium, Date: 2017/03/28-2017/03/28, Location: St. John's University, Queens, New York.
2017.
10 Burgoon, Brian, and Luc Fransen. "Support for Ethical Consumerism and Welfare States in the Global Economy:
Complements or Substitutes?." Global Policy 8 (2017): 42-55.

Consumer choice was initially promulgated for customer empowerment so that ethical
purchasing can be brought about to the forefront. Nevertheless, research Scholars whose articles
having contextualized for this literature review seldom articulates how ethical consumerism
should in negative aspects of consumer decision making. The adversaries that has poor
knowledge of customers can bring about for the organizations which are actually trying to shift
to ethical manufacturing or ethical selling, have also not been incorporated into the scope of this
report. These are few areas where detailed future studies are possible.

Reference List
Khan, Zeenath Reza, Gwendolyn Rodrigues, and Sreejith Balasubramanian. "Ethical
consumerism and apparel industry-towards a new factor model." (2016): 1.
Newholm, Terry. "Relocating the ‘ethical consumer’." In Ethics and the Market, pp. 162-184.
Routledge, 2017.
Burgoon, Brian, and Luc Fransen. "Support for Ethical Consumerism and Welfare States in the
Global Economy: Complements or Substitutes?." Global Policy 8 (2017): 42-55.
Bennett, Elizabeth A. "Extending ethical consumerism theory to semi-legal sectors: insights from
recreational cannabis." Agriculture and human values 35, no. 2 (2018): 295-317.
Botha, Sonja. "Towards Ethical Consumerism: Bridging the Gap between the Obstacles and
Drivers of Ethical Consumerism." (2018).
Carrigan, Marylyn. "Revisiting ‘The Myth of the Ethical Consumer’: why are we still not ethical
shoppers?." Journal of Consumer Ethics 1, no. 1 (2017): 11-21.
Jansen, Sanne. "Ethical Consumerism in the Emerging EU Digital Contract Legislation." In
Consumer Identities & Digital Culture Symposium, Date: 2017/03/28-2017/03/28, Location: St.
John's University, Queens, New York. 2017.