Promoting purchases of sustainable groceries: An intervention study

Previous research suggests that consumers can be encouraged to purchase environmentally friendly groceries by means of persuasive messages. The present intervention study investigated whether providing information about how consumers can help mitigate environmental and social problems through everyday purchasing decisions can (a) strengthen consumers' intentions to purchase sustainable groceries (e.g., ecological and fair trade foods), (b) promote actual purchases of sustainable groceries, and (c) strengthen self-efficacy beliefs in the domain of sustainable development (the assumed determinant of sustainable consumption). The results suggest that the intervention strengthened consumers' intentions to purchase domestic, seasonal, and certified ecological products. In addition, the intervention promoted the actual purchasing of certified ecological and fair trade products. Effects of the intervention on self-efficacy beliefs were, however, nonsignificant. We discuss whether increased knowledge and consciousness might have accounted for some of the observed effects on purchasing intentions and actual purchases of sustainable groceries.

► Use of persuasive information to promote sustainable consumption and self-efficacy.
► Intervention promoted intentions and actual purchasing of sustainable groceries.
► Self-efficacy (assumed determinant of sustainable consumption) was not affected.
► Increased knowledge may have accounted for some effects on sustainable consumption.