The influence of information about labour abuses on consumer choice of clothes: a grounded theory approach

Abstract

This paper attempts to fill one of the gaps in the literature about ethical consumption, in particular about ethical purchasing of clothes. By using grounded theory and sampling University students, this study proposes a model to explain the influence of information about labour abuses on consumer behaviour when buying clothes. The model is built upon a core category labelled ambivalence. This category explains the differences in cognition, motivation and behaviour among participants. The ambivalence arises due to the interdependent relationship of three factors: should (ethical obligation), want (conflicting identities), and can (personal action to change). [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]