Contribution of the Concept of Identity to the Understanding of Responsible Consumer Behavior: Application to the Consumption of Fair Trade Products

Focusing on the purchase of fair trade products as an illustration, this research studies the current social and environmental concerns in consumption practices. In a postmodern world characterised by symbolism in consumption and a global 'crisis of meanings', ethical consumption behaviors are studied through their contribution to identity construction processes among consumers. An interpretative process of 14 narratives from 40 individual interviews, studied using a semantic analysis. An ethical consumption typology distinguishes the acts of 'moral conformity' from the deep critical postures, the latter of which derive either from political essence or a desire for liberation from the consumption 'system'.

Citation:

Nile OZCAGLAR-TOULOUSE (2007) ,"Contribution of the Concept of Identity to the Understanding of Responsible Consumer Behavior: Application to the Consumption of Fair Trade Products", in NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 34, eds. Gavan Fitzsimons and Vicki Morwitz, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 385-388.