CSR in Food Retailing: What's on Customers' Minds?
csrCSR IN FOOD RETAILING: WHAT’S REALLY ON CUSTOMERS’ MINDS?
Eva Lienbacher, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria Christina Holweg, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria Nicole Rychly, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria Peter Schnedlitz, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria
ABSTRACT Even if corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities have the potential to create stronger relationships between retailers and their customers, current studies show that the impact of CSR on consumers’ behavior may be overrated. This study presents an exploratory approach to examine the awareness and relevance of CSR in food retailing. Compared with prior studies, the results show that CSR is of minor importance for consumers. INTRODUCTION The precise nature of companies’ social orientation has been strenuously debated by scholars (Devinney 2009; Friedman 1970; Oosterhout and Heugens 2008). In recent decades, the discussion has focused on the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR), and this paper builds on this concept. The motivation to engage in CSR differs from idealistic to strategic orientation (Bhattacharyya 2010; Hemingway and Maclagan 2004). When companies follow a strategic CSR approach, among others, they communicate their CSR activities to their stakeholders. Thus, it has to be kept in mind that CSR communication is delicate and could be seen as “green washing” (Dawkins 2004; Du, Bhattacharya and Sen 2010; Greer and Bruno 1996; Schmeltz 2012; Ziek 2009). Current studies show that the impact of CSR on consumers’ behavior may be overrated as consumers are either not aware of it or it does not influence their purchase decisions (Öberseder, Schlegelmilch, and Gruber 2011; Pomering and Dolnicar 2008). As retailers play an important role in the economy and society (Bauer and Hallier 1999; Deloitte 2011), this study presents an exploratory approach to investigate the awareness and importance
Eva Lienbacher, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria Christina Holweg, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria Nicole Rychly, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria Peter Schnedlitz, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria
ABSTRACT Even if corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities have the potential to create stronger relationships between retailers and their customers, current studies show that the impact of CSR on consumers’ behavior may be overrated. This study presents an exploratory approach to examine the awareness and relevance of CSR in food retailing. Compared with prior studies, the results show that CSR is of minor importance for consumers. INTRODUCTION The precise nature of companies’ social orientation has been strenuously debated by scholars (Devinney 2009; Friedman 1970; Oosterhout and Heugens 2008). In recent decades, the discussion has focused on the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR), and this paper builds on this concept. The motivation to engage in CSR differs from idealistic to strategic orientation (Bhattacharyya 2010; Hemingway and Maclagan 2004). When companies follow a strategic CSR approach, among others, they communicate their CSR activities to their stakeholders. Thus, it has to be kept in mind that CSR communication is delicate and could be seen as “green washing” (Dawkins 2004; Du, Bhattacharya and Sen 2010; Greer and Bruno 1996; Schmeltz 2012; Ziek 2009). Current studies show that the impact of CSR on consumers’ behavior may be overrated as consumers are either not aware of it or it does not influence their purchase decisions (Öberseder, Schlegelmilch, and Gruber 2011; Pomering and Dolnicar 2008). As retailers play an important role in the economy and society (Bauer and Hallier 1999; Deloitte 2011), this study presents an exploratory approach to investigate the awareness and importance