An investigation of the effects of product recalls on brand commitment and purchase intention

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine how product recalls affect brand commitment and post-recall purchase intention. Design/methodology/approach – The role of consumer and product recall characteristics based on attribution theory is tested using data collected through experiments and analyzed using a type of finite mixture model. Findings – Results indicate varying effects of product recalls on commitment across these four customer groups and a strong effect of affective commitment on post-recall purchase behavior. Originality/value – This paper proposes four types of consumers based on dichotomous levels of affective and calculative commitment, namely, Hard Cores, Don’t-Cares, Lovers and Rationalists, and shows how product recalls affect these consumer groups differently, and how this information assists brand managers in developing post-product recall consumer management strategies.