Ethical consumerism: A critical perspective of family decision-making of ethical food consumption in the UK

The overall aim of this study is to examine how family members influence each other in their everyday ethical food decision-making process and shopping. The study examines ethical consumption, the contextual factors that shape... [ view full abstract ]

The overall aim of this study is to examine how family members influence each other in their everyday ethical food decision-making process and shopping. The study examines ethical consumption, the contextual factors that shape consumer ethical shopping and to develop a conceptual understanding of the decision-making process of family ethical food consumption. The study builds on calls to firstly; adopt ‘family perspective’ moving away from the over-individualisation of family research towards a more all-inclusive and contextual approach. Secondly, to shift ethical consumption research from an individualistic/dyad to a contextual/familial focus, and to develop an understanding of, and to conceptualise, the intra-familial interaction processes leading to the eventual emergence of influence strategies and attendant ethical food consumption behaviour within the family. The study employs semi-structured interviews using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach to help uncover participants' subjective experiences, their meaning and how they make sense of everyday ethical food consumption.