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Motives of ethical consumption: a study of ethical products’ consumption in Tunisia

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Abstract

Consuming ethical products has become a fundamental behavior for the protection of people’s lives and the environment, discussions on ethical consumption have become more common, and ethical issues are the subject of several academic studies that seek to enhance our understanding of consumers’ ethical behavior and their motives for making buying choices. This paper is developed in this context. It aims to study some of the motives for ethical consumption. The focus is mainly on environmental concerns, social value and, lasting involvement in ethical products. For the empirical study, this paper utilized a survey of 320 Tunisian consumers of ethical products. Data were analyzed using the Structural Equation Modeling method to test the reliability and validities of constructs, as well as model fit and the structural model. The findings indicate that Tunisian consumers purchased ethical products, first because they were concerned about protecting their health, second because they wanted to participate in the preservation of their environment, and finally because they sought higher social status. This study seems relevant because it is among the earliest of its kind to be developed in a developing market (Tunisia), where the market for ethical products is still in its nascent stage. It is also one of the rare studies that contribute to knowledge of the relationship between the consumers’ social status and ethical consumption. Additionally, its findings may provide significant insights for marketers in developing countries to formulate effective communication strategies aiming to enhance ethical consumption while focusing on its benefits for the health, environment, and social status of consumers.

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  1. Department of Business Administration, College of Administrative and Financial Sciences, Saudi Electronic University (SEU), PB. 11147, Abha, 61321, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Zohra Zinoubi Ghali

  2. Higher Institute of Management, University of Tunis, Le Bardo, Tunisia

    Zohra Zinoubi Ghali

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  1. Zohra Zinoubi Ghali
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Table 8 Measurement scales of the constructs
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Ghali, Z.Z. Motives of ethical consumption: a study of ethical products’ consumption in Tunisia. Environ Dev Sustain 23, 12883–12903 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-01191-1

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