The effect of perceived CSR effort on consumer brand preference in the clothing and footwear sector

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) effort on consumer preference in the case of brands with different CSR histories in the clothing and footwear sector. Design/methodology/approach This study uses the conjoint analysis method and analyzes a sample of 381 French consumers. Two sports brands were tested in this experiment: Nike and Patagonia. Findings The results show that despite the sensitivity of the respondents to the social and environmental conditions involved in the manufacture of the shoes they purchase, they mainly preferred Nike – regardless of its shorter CSR history and significant criticism for social issues in its value chain. Customer recognition of a greater CSR effort by Patagonia does not seem to change this preference. Research limitations/implications One fictional product was tested, and the two selected brands have different levels of recognition by French consumers. To strengthen the external validity of the results, it would be interesting to repeat the study using other, real products and other brands with a similar offer on the market and level of consumer awareness. Practical implications The findings suggest that the ethical dimension of the product should not be put forward as the main selling point, but rather as an added value for the product. Originality/value Although there has been an increasing number of studies of consumer behavior toward ethical attributes in recent years, none to date have compared this behavior for products of ethical brands with different CSR histories.