Relevance of Ethical Consumption Products and Consumer Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to show the relevance of the purchase of ethical consumption products (aiming for earthquake disaster reconstruction assistance, poverty support or environmental protection) and the consumer psychology. Our concrete approach is to reveal the relationship between the purchase situation of ethical consumption products and the sense of value or social norm through the analysis of our questionnaire data in light of the difference in gender, generation and region. For analysis, the authors used the questionnaire data of 5,000 men and women in their 20s to 60s conducted by Research Institute for Culture, Energy and Life, Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. in Febraury, 2012. As a result, the social norm and consumers' individual value have a large impact on the purchase of ethical consumption products and, above all, older generations have a strong consciousness of the purchase of ethical consumption products. This study contributes to the finding of the importance of the “norm” overlooked in the conventional marketing strategy and the fact that older generation females, who could be major demographic target in the future, are much involved in the purchase of ethical consumption products.