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Towards a Framework for Understanding Fairtrade Purchase Intention in the Mainstream Environment of Supermarkets

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Abstract

Despite growing interest in ethical consumer behaviour research, ambiguity remains regarding what motivates consumers to purchase ethical products. While researchers largely attribute the growth of ethical consumerism to an increase in ethical consumer concerns and motivations, widened distribution (mainstreaming) of ethical products, such as fairtrade, questions these assumptions. A model that integrates both individual and societal values into the theory of planned behaviour is presented and empirically tested to challenge the assumption that ethical consumption is driven by ethical considerations alone. Using data sourced from fairtrade shoppers across the UK, structural equation modelling suggests that fairtrade purchase intention is driven by both societal and self-interest values. This dual value pathway helps address conceptual limitations inherent in the underlying assumptions of existing ethical purchasing behaviour models and helps advance understanding of consumers’ motivation to purchase ethical products.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kent Business School, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7PE, UK

    Fred Amofa Yamoah, Rachel Duffy, Dan Petrovici & Andrew Fearne

Authors
  1. Fred Amofa Yamoah
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  2. Rachel Duffy
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  4. Andrew Fearne
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Correspondence to Fred Amofa Yamoah.

Appendices

Appendix 1

See Table 5

Table 5 Descriptive statistics of sample characteristics
Full size table

Appendix 2: Questionnaire

Part 1 (Fairtrade food behavioural intention): How likely are you to buy the following fairtrade products in the next four weeks?

 

Very unlikely

Unlikely

Neither likely or unlikely

Likely

Very likely

Banana

     

Tea

     

Coffee

     

Chocolate

     

Drinking chocolate

     

Sugar

     

Part 2 (Attitudes towards fairtrade products): please indicate the extent to which you agree/disagree with the following statements

 

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Neither agree nor disagree

Agree

Strongly agree

(i) Fairtrade products help fairtrade producers to be fairly paid

     

(ii) My purchase of fairtrade products helps alleviate global poverty

     

(iii) Buying fairtrade products gives me peace of mind

     

(iv) I am concern that manufacturers and retailers receive greater share of fairtrade profit than fairtrade producers

     

Part 3 (Subjective norm): please indicate the extent to which you agree/disagree with the following statements

 

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Neither agree nor disagree

Agree

Strongly agree

(i) Most of my friends and family members share my views about fairtrade

     

(ii) Some of my friends believe it is a waste of money to buy fairtrade products

     

(iii) My decision to buy fairtrade products is influenced by my friends and family

     

(iv) The views of other people that I respect influence my decision to buy fairtrade products

     

Part 4 (Perceived behavioural control): Please indicate the extent to which the following problems prevent you from purchasing (more) fairtrade products

 

Not a problem at all for me

Not a problem

Not sure it is a problem or not

A minor obstacle to purchasing fairtrade purchasing

A major obstacle to purchasing fairtrade products

(i) It is difficult to know which fairtrade products are available

     

(ii) There is limited range (variety)

     

(iv) Fairtrade information is difficult to understand

     

(v) Fairtrade products are of poor quality compared to conventional products

     

Part 5 (Universalism): how important to you are the following values?

 

Not at all important

Not important

Neither important nor unimportant

Quite important

Extremely important

(i) Equal opportunities for all

     

(ii) Social justice for everyone

     

(iii) Protection for the environment

     

(iv) A good relationship between yourself and others people

     

Part 6 (Self-direction): how important to you are the following values?

 

Not at all important

Not important

Neutral

Important

Extremely important

(i) that you have freedom of thought

     

(ii) that you do what you want

     

(iii) that you are well respected

     

(iv) that you make independent decisions

     

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Yamoah, F.A., Duffy, R., Petrovici, D. et al. Towards a Framework for Understanding Fairtrade Purchase Intention in the Mainstream Environment of Supermarkets. J Bus Ethics 136, 181–197 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2509-9

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