What drives some consumers to spend more on buying ethical products

A new research has revealed that emotions of contempt, concern, and celebration motivate some consumers to spend more time, energy and money on ethical products.

Author Ahir Gopaldas from Fordham University said that advocates of ethical consumerism suggested that consumers should consider the environmental and human costs of the products they choose, but unfortunately only a small number of people in North America consume ethically on a regular basis, while rest just look for good deals and ignore the social impact of the products they buy.

Contempt happens when ethical consumers feel anger and disgust toward the corporations and governments they consider responsible for environmental pollution and labor exploitation.

Concern stems from a concern for the victims of rampant consumerism, including workers, animals, ecosystems, and future generations and celebration occurs when ethical consumers experience joy from making responsible choices and hope from thinking about the collective impact of their individual choices.

Advocates of ethical consumerism should consider the role of emotions in motivating consumers to make more responsible decisions, like, anger can motivate consumers to reject unethical products and concern can encourage consumers to increase charitable donations, while joy and hope can lead consumers to cultivate ethical habits such as participating in recycling programs.

Gopaldas concluded that this research has critical implications for advocacy groups, ethical brand managers and people trying to encourage mainstream consumers to make more ethical choices.

The study is published in the Journal of Consumer Research.