Demographics-based differences in the relationship between perceived CSR and customer loyalty in the dairy products market

Abstract

The purpose of the current paper is to investigate the demographics-based differences in the relationship between customers’ perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and their loyalty towards brands/companies in the dairy products market, considering the socio-cultural and economic particularities of one of the largest countries of Central-Eastern Europe. For this purpose, a survey was implemented among a sample of 1461 dairy products consumers from the urban area of Romania, investigating perceived CSR and customer loyalty by using 28, and, respectively, 6 Likert-type items. Results show that customers’ loyalty towards dairy brands/companies is positively and significantly influenced by how customers perceive companies’ responsibility towards their customers, in all investigated demographic segments. However, there are other facets of perceived CSR (community development, the environment, economic success, sponsorship, public authorities) in which case the relationship with customer loyalty is only significant in certain demographics-based market segments.