The influence of reputational concerns on purchase intention of fair-trade foods among young Japanese adults

This study explores whether reputational concerns have an effect on purchase intention for fair-trade food products among Japanese young adults. To manipulate reputation cues, we assessed consumers’ intentions to purchase fair-trade food products under two different experimental situations: the ‘observable’ condition, in which participants’ purchase behaviors were observable by others (N = 84); and the ‘anonymous’ condition, in which participants’ purchase behavior could not be observed by others (N = 106). The effect of six sensory and extrinsic attributes including fair trade, price, country of manufacture, taste characteristics, polyphenol content and caloric content on consumer intentions to purchase chocolate was evaluated using conjoint analysis. Results demonstrated that participants under the observable condition valuated fair trade higher than those under the anonymous condition, whereas the opposite tendency was observed for the valuation of price and caloric content for their overall purchase intention. These phenomena suggest that ethical consumption, such as purchasing fair-trade foods, is influenced not only by individual’s intrinsic motives for ethical issues but also by extrinsic social factors such as reputation-enhancing opportunities.

► Effect of reputational concern on purchase intention for fair-trade food was explored.
► Relative importance of fair-trade was assessed by using conjoint analysis.
► Consumers valuated fair-trade higher when their decision was observable by others.