Anti-commercial consumer rebellion: Conceptualisation and measurement

Abstract

Accounts indicate that consumers are increasingly concerned with the negative impact of business on global economics, politics, cultures and the environment. Many of these consumers point specifically to marketing policies and tactics as the primary impetus behind these negative influences and, perhaps because of this, many have begun to engage in some form of ‘consumer rebellion’. This paper defines and conceptualises ‘anti-commercial consumer rebellion’ (ACR) as open and avowed resistance to institutionalised marketing practices. The paper reports the results of a scale development effort to measure anti-commercial consumer rebellion in the general population. The managerial implications of the ACR scale, study limitations and avenues for future research are discussed.