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The role of social identity and attitudes toward sustainability brands in buying behaviors for organic products

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Abstract

Green consumerism and the role of eco-marketing have become increasingly important for increasing the market share of sustainable (non-) food products. The current study examines the effect of social identification with certain green consumer groups on brand knowledge, brand attitude and buying behavior. An online panel study was conducted among a representative sample of the German population (N=961). For brand knowledge and brand attitude, we presented five well-known organic brands in the German market to the respondents. To test the hypothesized model, we used structural equation analysis in SPSS Amos 16.0. Several competing path models were tested. One of the main conclusions of the current study is that people who are aware of their social identity concerning environmentally friendly consumer groups also seem to feel more attached to consumers who buy organic food products. In addition, brand knowledge and brand attitudes concerning specific organic brands have an effect on buying behaviors for organic food products. Moreover, the influence of brand knowledge on buying behavior seems to be mediated by brand attitude. The results of the current study can be used to develop more effective branding strategies in eco-marketing. Aside from classical strategies, marketers could use social identity theory to create future market strategies with regard to green consumerism.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wageningen University and Research Center, Agricultural Economics Research Institute, 2502 LS, the Hague, The Netherlands

    Jos Bartels & Karen Hoogendam

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  1. Jos Bartels
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  2. Karen Hoogendam
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Correspondence to Jos Bartels.

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1obtained his PhD and is employed as a Senior Researcher in the field of Consumer Behaviour at the Agricultural Economics Research Institute, Wageningen University and Research Centre, the Hague, the Netherlands. His current projects focus on the role of social identification and consumer innovative behavior in an international food context. He has published in several academic journals including Journal of Organizational Behavior, British Journal of Management, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Food Quality and Preference and Journal of Business Research.

2obtained her BSc and is researcher in the field of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour at the Agricultural Economics Research Institute, Wageningen University and Research Centre, the Hague, the Netherlands. Her current projects are concerned with social aspects of retail marketing, sustainability and healthy food choices. She has a special interest in topics on specific consumer segments (for example, lower social economic status and young parents).

Appendix

Appendix

Cognitive visual scale of social identification

We sometimes strongly identify with a social group. This occurs when we perceive a large amount of overlap between our ideas about who we are as a person and what we stand for (that is, our self-image) and our ideas about who this group is and what it stands for (that is, the consumer group image). Imagine that the circle at the left in each row represents your own personal identity and that the other circle, at the right, represents the organic food consumer identity. Please indicate which case (A, B, C, D or E) best describes the level of overlap between your identity and this consumer group identity (circle the appropriate letter).

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Bartels, J., Hoogendam, K. The role of social identity and attitudes toward sustainability brands in buying behaviors for organic products. J Brand Manag 18, 697–708 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1057/bm.2011.3

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