CSR-consumption paradox: examination of UK apparel companies
Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management
ISSN: 1361-2026
Article publication date: 15 August 2018
Issue publication date: 28 February 2019
Abstract
Purpose
Despite extensive study into various aspects of corporate social responsibility (CSR), the effect on consumer behaviour is less explored. A growing amount of research is concerned with the phenomenon that CSR has a minor effect on actual purchases although CSR practices enhance consumers’ purchase intentions. This is documented as the CSR-consumption paradox and is yet to be resolved. The purpose of this paper is to further understand this paradox.
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaires were administered face-to-face to consumers in Birmingham. These questionnaires concern consumer behaviour in relation to CSR practices of 21 popular apparel companies in the UK.
Findings
Results suggest that consumers’ pro-social priority is significantly related to pro-social consumption and that consumers’ awareness of CSR practices is insignificantly associated with their purchase behaviour. The pro-social consumption does not differ significantly among different demographic groups.
Research limitations/implications
To explore the external motivational factors in consumers’ decision making will be a potential research direction in future.
Practical implications
The empirical results provide implications for UK apparel marketers and policy makers to engage and motivate socially responsible consumers so as to reap strategic rewards for their CSR efforts.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the knowledge of socially responsible consumption and how it is affected by CSR.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge Professor Marylyn Carrigan, Philip Talbot and Lisa Siebers for their constructive comments to an early draft of this paper. The authors thank Professor Nigel Berkeley for the support.
Citation
Yu, M., Cao, D. and Tan, J.Y. (2019), "CSR-consumption paradox: examination of UK apparel companies", Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 23 No. 1, pp. 124-137. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFMM-02-2018-0021
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited