How Does Consumer Animosity Affect Consumer Behavior? The Case of Filipino College Students as Consumers Amid the West Philippine Sea Conflict

Abstract

There are consumers who participate in political consumerism by avoiding, rejecting, or condemning products and services from countries perceived as aggressors through their military or economic action. This study examines how Filipino college students in Metro Manila, Philippines, who are frequently exposed to social media, will be affected as consumers amid the current tension in the West Philippine Sea. Using the theories of social identity, uses and gratifications, and echo chamber as frameworks, 770 college students from private and public universities in Metro Manila were surveyed. The Results show that consumer animosity strongly predicts both purchase intention (β = 0.591, p < 0.001) and negative word of mouth (β = 0.529, p < 0.001). These findings confirm that animosity toward a country (China, in this case) translates into behavioral intentions to avoid its products and dissuade others through negative word of mouth. This supports, the existing literature that shows that animosity-driven behavior is a robust indicator of anti-consumption.