Do Ethics Matter?

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Do ethics matter?
A qualitative study of the effects of ethical certifications on consumer behaviour

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Bachelor thesis Emma Ahlström Rebecka Andom Supervisor: PhD Jan E. Skaug Business!economics/Marketing Spring 2011!

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PREFACE
This bachelor thesis was conducted during the spring 2011 at the School of Business, Economics and Law at Gothenburg University. The thesis is written within the area of marketing and during the writing process, we have gained a deeper understanding of consumer behavior and ethical consumption. We would like to sincerely thank our supervisor PhD Jan E. Skaug for all his help and support and for continuously pushing us to go further and develop our thoughts and ideas into something meaningful. We would also like to give a special thanks to all the respondents who participated in the web-based survey as well as in the interviews. Without their participation this thesis would not have been possible. We hope that the thesis will increase the readers’ interest in consumer behaviour and generate a deeper understanding for ethical consumption.

Gothenburg, May 2011

Rebecka Andom

Emma Ahlström

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ABSTRACT- Do ethics matter?
Background and problem: The public interest in environmental and social matters is rising. A great proportion of businesses as well as consumers put effort into making ethically justified decisions. Consumers are continuously encountered with terms such as environmental awareness, corporate social responsibility, ethical consumption and sustainable development. Across various sectors, companies are realizing the importance of acting responsibly. But do consumers really care? There are controversies surrounding the value socially responsible marketing activities generates for companies. The opinions differ on whether or not ethical marketing activities have effect on consumer purchase behaviour. The uncertainty regarding the value of marketing socially responsible activities constitutes a... [continues]

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