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Purpose Consumers usually respond favourably to ingroups but negatively to dissociative groups and products linked to dissociative groups, termed the dissociative group effect. Despite important implications for branding, advertising and celebrity endorsement, little is known about how to attenuate the effect. This paper aims to introduce a mechanism which attenuates the dissociative group effect by drawing on construal level theory. Design/methodology/approach An experimental approach was used which included two-part between-subjects designs. Findings High identifiers prefer products linked to their ingroup over ones linked to a dissociative group, however, the opposite is true for low identifiers. The difference in preference is attenuated for high and low identifiers when they are placed in an abstract mind-set. The underlying mechanism of this effect is similarity focus. Research limitations/implications The same context was used to ensure that the attenuating effect found was not due to contextual factors. However, further studies should replicate the findings in a wider variety of contexts. Practical implications This research offers practical recommendations on how to manage multiple customer segments in increasingly diverse marketplaces. By inducing an abstract mind-set in customers, for example, via advertising copy, website architecture or contextual factors such as pitch of the music, marketers can increase the effectiveness of identity-linking marketing for consumers’ high/low in identification. Originality/value This is one of the first empirical studies to evidence the applicability of construal level theory within identity marketing and offers a novel mechanism to attenuate the dissociative group effect. The findings shed new light on how low identifiers relate and respond to identity-linked marketing.

The growing internationalization of electronic commerce demands the establishment of the cross-national validity of theoretical concepts. An important concept in e-commerce is consumers’ fear of online identity theft (FOIT), which impedes consumers’ willingness to engage in online transactions and can negatively affect e-commerce revenues. The present study validates the consumer FOIT scale developed in Germany by Hille et al. (2015) in a cross-cultural setting and proposes an abbreviated version of the scale, which is approximately 35% shorter than the original. Established validation procedures with samples of online consumers from Germany, the United States, and Japan demonstrate the reliability, validity, and cross-national applicability of the short FOIT scale. In particular, this study extends Hille et al. (2015) research by examining and revealing the impact of FOIT on consumers’ prevention-focused responses. This research offers implications for both research and e-commerce managers.

This article explores the psychological processes of place attachment across multiple public and private places and makes an empirical contribution in a smoking context. The study focuses on the range of places that smokers use, the place attachment process within those places, and the relevancy of place for the self-concept. A qualitative approach was adopted and consisted of interviews with 30 UK smokers. Three themes capture the processes by which smokers form attachments to smoking places, namely: seclusion and concealment, sociality, and control. Although smokers’ attachments with public and private places are grounded in their daily routine or habit, the person-place bond occurs depending on the benefits that are sought, and the meanings ascribed to the places. In some circumstances the traditional notion of a private place is challenged as public places are re-signified as private places. Overall, our findings provide additional insights into the processes of place attachment in an under-explored behavioral context.

Purpose The placement of warning labels on alcoholic beverages is a policy area with renewed interest, yet a strong evidence base regarding the efficacy of text-based or pictorial warning labels has still to emerge. Increased interest by policymakers has spurred research into potential alcohol warning label designs and messages. The purpose of this article is to draw together recearch in the alcohol warnings literature. Design/methodology/approach The current study seeks to review research that has sought to examine the effectiveness of alcohol warning labels. Searches for English-language articles (since 2000) using the terms “alcohol” and “warning label*” were conducted in 2015 across four databases (Web of Science, PubMed, PsycInfo and Cochrane). Articles were included if they empirically assessed the effectiveness and/or design of alcohol warning labels. Only studies that addressed the targeted individual consumer (consistent with downstream social marketing) were included. A narrative analysis approach was used for the 15 articles identified. Findings Findings are reported on five themes covering the design of the warning, starting with the use of imagery or recommendations, followed by a focus on the warning messages and whether they are specific, use signal words and are based on qualitative or quantitative information. Research limitations/implications Overall, there was little consistency in approach and measures, with very limited research having explored the potential of pictorial warning labels. Numerous research gaps are identified; thus, much more research is needed in this area. The evidence base is weak and caution is needed by policymakers regarding the introduction and implementation of alcohol warning labels. Limitations are discussed. Originality/value The review provides a timely up-to-date evaluation of the alcohol warning labels literature that has seen a recent resurgence but has not been critically reviewed.

Despite much research on consumers' brand identification, researchers remain divided regarding the conceptualization of the dimensions underlying social identity and how these dimensions impact marketing outcome variables. Further, previous studies have failed to examine the underlying psychological process driving this effect. The current research is the first to assess the importance of affective social identity as the mediator through which cognitive social identity impacts consumers' purchase intentions by ways of emotional and social value. Results show that affective social identity mediates the relationship between cognitive social identity and emotional value, where affect is the main driver in the formation of purchase intention. This study highlights the need to model cognitive and affective social identity separately and provides insight into how consumers' social identification influences their perceptions of identity-linked products. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Psychological ownership is an under researched concept in marketing and compulsive consumption. Research in marketing treats psychological ownership as a uni-dimensional construct yet the concept of psychological ownership is more complex. This research draws on the psychological ownership dimensions of self-efficacy and self-accountability to examine how these dimensions jointly explain smokers' quit intentions. A separate contribution lies in understanding the role of culture in smoking cessation. The authors use data across 25 European countries to examine the moderating influence of cultural value dimensions (autonomy/embeddedness, egalitarianism/hierarchy, harmony/mastery) on the relationship between the psychological ownership dimensions and quit intentions. Findings from this research show that psychological ownership plays a more important role in facilitating smoking cessation for smokers in autonomy, egalitarian, and harmony cultures. Given that culture explains cross-country variation in the psychological process of smoking cessation, national policy makers need to take culture into account when devising tobacco control policies.

The theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour (TRA/TPB) have received substantial research interest from consumer behaviourists. One important area of interest that has not been adequately researched concerns the impact of national culture on the TRA/TPB components and interrelationships. To date, no systematic assessment of the impact of culture on the TRA/TPB model relationships has been undertaken. In order to understand the potential impact of culture on the TRA/TPB model relationships, a structured review of TRA/TPB studies is undertaken. Studies that have quantitatively applied the TRA/TPB across at least two countries within a consumption domain since 2000 are reviewed. The authors propose that two of Hofstede's cultural dimensions, individualism and power distance, may moderate the TRA/TPB relationships. The review highlights that the impact of subjective norm on intention varies most across countries, with the relationship between intention and both attitude and perceived behavioural control operating more similarly across country samples. Further, a systematic assessment of variation in the TRA/TPB model relationships via multilevel modelling shows that only the subjective norm–intention relationship varies across the countries studied. The relationship between subjective norm and intention is found to be influenced by power distance, with a stronger relationship evident in high power distance cultures. This review is the first of its kind and is of significance in addressing the emic versus etic nature of the TRA/TPB. Importantly, the article outlines relevant avenues and recommendations for future cross-national research utilizing the TRA/TPB. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Research to date has not systematically examined the role and relative impact of individual-level cultural orientations. The literature offers no dominant approach as to the nature (direct, moderating or both) of individual-level cultural orientations. Thus, examination and comparison of the nature of the effects of individual-level cultural orientations are both timely and warranted. To address this research gap, a conceptual model exploring the relationship of individualism and uncertainty avoidance manifested as individual-level cultural orientations is developed. Specifically, the direct and moderating effects of the individual-level cultural orientations are assessed within a web engagement model linking perceived value of a website to two antecedents (trust and attitude toward the website). A web-based survey capturing views from 1845 consumers across seven European Union countries tested the models. The results show that individualistic orientation affects trust, but no clear moderating relationships are evident, thus questioning the moderating role of individual-level cultural orientations.

This research explores how national age stereotypes impact older workers' job-related perceptions by examining probability based samples across 26 countries taken from the European Social Survey. Multilevel data analysis was undertaken. Results show that, at the individual level, both extrinsic rewards and intrinsic rewards directly impact older workers' job satisfaction. At the country level, significant variations are found in the relationships between job satisfaction and related rewards for older workers across the 26 countries. Society's stereotypical views towards older people explained some of these cross-country variations. This study contributes to extant literature by explicating the process by which society's age stereotypes and the meta-stereotypes held by older workers affect how these workers make sense and take meaning out of their job-related circumstances leading to enhanced or diminished job satisfaction. Implications highlight the need for management to be vigilant in identifying and dealing with age stereotypes in the workplace. Furthermore, managers need to be more aware of the potential harmful consequences arising from negative meta-stereotypes and should implement strategies to tackle workplace stereotypes that would lead to negative meta-stereotypes held by older workers.

The personal risks associated with smoking cigarettes are well documented (e.g., Doll et al. 2004), and the gathering of an evidence base for the health effects of secondhand smoke (SHS) has been a long-standing objective of public health researchers (e.g., see Barnes and Bero 1998). Homes continue to be unregulated areas where non-smokers living with smokers suffer high levels of SHS (Oberg et al. 2011). The increased awareness of the dangers of SHS is prompting developers and homeowners to take action to restrict smoking in private homes. Examples include two cities in California, USA, which have passed laws prohibiting smoking inside multiunit residential buildings (McKinley 2009), and many projects have been set up around the world (e.g., Canada, the UK) to encourage smoke-free housing (Action on Smoking and Health 2015). As a response to the awareness of SHS and its associated risks, many countries around the world have enacted legislation of varying strength to regulate places where smoking is permitted. To date academic research has mainly focused on evaluation of smoke-free legislation and understanding smoking in public spaces but has neglected research on gaining an understanding of the complex issues surrounding smoking in private shared places. There is little research on how smokers’ behaviors in their homes and cars have adapted in response to public smoking restrictions and how these changes have affected their relationship with their smoking sites. Thus the purpose of this research is to seek answers to the following research questions

The present paper makes two contributions to the literature, firstly by investigating whether or not three potential changes to the appearance of cigarettes would lead to positive benefits in increasing intentions to quit smoking. Secondly, by assessing which message would potentially work best on the cigarette. A scenario based field experiment with 125 current smokers was conducted. Smokers were randomly assigned into one of four conditions. Thirty seven smokers saw a cigarette which was completely black. A black cigarette was intended to convey a message of tar and disease as black is often associated with death and fear. However black can also be associated with elegance, authority and power. Thirty four smokers saw a cigarette which was printed with a message about the number of minutes that each inhalation of tobacco smoke would reduce the life expectancy of the smoker. The final experimental condition contained thirty smokers who saw a cigarette with the chemicals contained in cigarettes printed on it. Twenty four smokers were in a control condition. Smokers were not given the opportunity to handle the cigarettes but saw a photograph of the cigarette in an ash tray. Prior to the smokers seeing the photograph of the cigarette intention to quit smoking was solicited. After viewing the photograph the smokers were asked questions relating to the persuasiveness of the messages contained on the cigarette and intention to quit smoking.

The theory of planned behaviour (TPB;Ajzen 1991) has received substantial research interest with a large number of reviews and meta-analyses concluding favourably on the ability of the TPB to explain intention and behaviour across a wide spectrum of contexts (e.g. Albarracin et al. 2001; Armitage and Conner 2001; Conner and Armitage 1998; Godin and Kok 1996; Sheppard et al. 1988). The TPB is an expectancy value model which states that human behaviour is a consequence of one’s behavioural intention, which is in turn explained by one’s attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control regarding the behaviour.

Warning labels on alcoholic beverages are a policy area with renewed interest, yet a strong evidence base regarding the efficacy of text-based or pictorial warning labels has still to emerge. The current review is important as previous alcohol warning reviews (e.g., Greenfield et al. 1999; Kaskutas and Greenfield 1992; Kaskutas and Greenfield 1997; Stockwell 2006) have been based on studies conducted primarily to evaluate the US warning label introduced in 1989. The results of studies by Greenfield and colleagues who evaluated the US warning label have shown mixed effectiveness but do suggest a large percentage (43 %) of US consumers are aware and can recall the warning. Their research showed that seeing the warning is associated with having conversations about drink driving and drinking during pregnancy but with limited evidence to support that drinkers who see the warning decided to not drive after consuming alcohol (Greenfield et al. 1999). Other research (e.g., Stockley 2006) concluded that the US warning has failed to deliver a significant reduction in alcohol consumption among pregnant women or in the occurrence of drink driving in the USA. Similar conclusions were drawn in a later study by Wilkinson and Room who reported increases in awareness of the US alcohol warning yet no evidence of a reduction in consumption in response to the warning (Wilkinson and Room 2009).

The theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour (TRA/TPB) have fundamentally changed the view that attitudes directly translate into behaviour by introducing intentions as a crucial intervening stage. Much research across numerous ethical contexts has drawn on these theories to offer a better understanding of how consumers form intentions to act in an ethical way. Persistently, researchers have suggested and discussed the existence of an intention–behaviour gap in ethical consumption. Yet, the factors that influence the extent of this gap and its magnitude have not been systematically examined. We, therefore, contribute to the debate on the intention–behaviour gap by reviewing the empirical TRA/TPB studies that have assessed both intention and behaviour in ethical contexts. The findings from our review show that few studies assessed the intention–behaviour relationship and as a result, there is limited empirical evidence to date to quantify more accurately the intention–behaviour gap in ethical consumption. Our second contribution aims to provide an empirical case study which assesses the magnitude of the intention–behaviour gap in the context of avoidance of sweatshop clothing and to assess the roles of planning and actual behavioural control in potentially reducing the intention–behaviour gap. The findings of our case study suggest that there is indeed a large gap between intention and behaviour, and we conclude by calling for more empirical longitudinal studies to assess the complex nature of the relationship between intention and behaviour.

The seminal contributions of Fishbein and Ajzen remain prominent in consumer research particularly in the areas of attitudes and decision-making. Fishbein and Ajzen separately and jointly worked in...

This research reports an assessment of Sweeney and Soutar's (2001) consumer perceived value (PERVAL) scale. The PERVAL scale contains four dimensions: quality, emotional, price, and social values. The present study develops and evaluates two short forms of the original 19-item PERVAL scale based on Sweeney and Soutar's (2001) original data and three other studies in two different countries. In comparison with the full scale, the short 12-item and 8-item forms have equally good dimensional properties and equivalent predictive validity. The discussion includes implications, both for research and for retail managers.

Previous research has provided limited insight into (1) the cross-national effectiveness of marketing communication aimed at engaging consumers and (2) the moderating role of national characteristics. This study assesses the effectiveness of a cross-national advertising campaign in terms of changing behavioral intentions. The authors examine the moderating effects of country-level indicators representing three institutional pillars (regulative, normative/moral, and cultural-cognitive) on the mediated associations between three advertising persuasion measures (message comprehension, attitude toward the campaign, and message elaboration) and behavioral intentions. The authors examine a multilevel analysis using survey data related to a 25-country advertising campaign to test hypothesized within-country and between-country effects. The results show that message comprehension affects message elaboration less strongly in countries with stronger regulative, normative/moral, and cultural-cognitive pillars. Attitude toward the campaign affects message elaboration less strongly in countries with stronger normative/moral and cultural-cognitive pillars. Message elaboration affects behavioral intention less strongly in countries with a stronger regulative pillar but more strongly in countries with a stronger normative/moral pillar. The authors discuss implications for international marketing theory and practice.

The market place has seen significant growth in the demand for ‘ethical’ products and services. Yet, consumers often experience knowledge, evaluation and choice uncertainties in decision-making processes, particularly in relation to products such as ethical clothing. The authors explore this pertinent form of consumer uncertainty through three qualitative studies of ethical consumers that examine their approaches to clothing consumption. In-depth interviews and focus groups confirm uncertainty arises; the results also identify the causes and consequences of consumer uncertainty in this context. The causes of uncertainty pertain to issues surrounding complexity, ambiguity, conflict and credibility that give rise to uncertainties that result in delaying purchase decisions, compromising beliefs and negative emotions. This study contributes to literature by offering a holistic understanding of the challenges facing consumers when making ethical choices. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PurposeBranding literature indicates that consumers buy branded products because they expect higher quality compared with non‐branded products. However, as private‐label brands improve in quality and deliver more value to customers, a reassessment of intention to buy manufacturer brands is pertinent. On the basis of the theory of reasoned action, the authors aim to hypothesize that the perceived quality of manufacturer brands, brand involvement, attitude toward private‐label brands, and perceived product similarity drive purchase intention. In addition, consumers' perceptions of product similarity and age might moderate the relationship between perceived quality and intention to buy manufacturer brands.Design/methodology/approachThe model and relationships are examined with a large sample of more than 600 consumers. The primary data were collected using face‐to‐face interviews.FindingsRegression analysis finds support for a direct effect of perceived product quality, brand involvement and attitude towards private‐label brands as well as a moderating effect of age on the relationship between perceived quality and intention to buy manufacturer brands.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors suggest implications of the study findings for brand management and marketing theory development, as well as avenues for further research. Amongst others, the authors recommend that brand manufacturers should communicate the quality aspects of their brands more clearly, because consumers' quality perceptions are strongest amongst the antecedents of purchase intention.Originality/valueOverall, the findings suggest that marketers need to revise their understanding of retail behavior in this area which constitutes the main contribution of the paper.

This study integrates extant research relating to store-related cognitions, customer emotions (arousal and pleasure), satisfaction, and loyalty into one framework. The researchers administer a survey to 274 customers in four coffee shops of a major chain. Using these data, the researchers test the hypotheses and model with structural equation modelling. The findings suggest that (a) store-related cognitions differentially affect emotions and customer outcomes (satisfaction and loyalty) and (b) the two emotions of arousal and pleasure differentially mediate the relationships between store-related cognitions and customer outcomes.

Uncertainty is an important concept within consumer behavior which to date is under-theorized, especially in relation to important downstream variables such as information search intention and purchase intention, and can therefore lead to a loss of utility. The authors propose a new multidimensional conceptualization of consumer uncertainty and develop a theoretical model of uncertainty within two consumer behavior contexts, namely avoidance of sweatshop apparel and avoidance of food additives. Drawing on literature-based insights as well as qualitative research and Expected Utility Theory, the authors develop hypotheses that offer insight into the potential antecedents (ambiguity and credibility) and consequences (search intention and purchase intention) of uncertainty. Using survey data, the authors test the hypotheses, finding strong support for many relationships hypothesized. Research and managerial implications are discussed.

PurposeLong‐term orientation (LTO) is an important cultural value, which has been shown to meaningfully affect the behavior of individuals. Bearden et al. developed and tested a two‐dimensional scale measuring LTO at the individual level. This study aims to replicate and extend the work of Bearden et al. examining the psychometric properties and generalizability of the scale across ten countries of the European Union (EU).Design/methodology/approachSurvey‐based data were collected from 3,491 respondents across ten EU Member States via an internet questionnaire.FindingsThe LTO scale is found to possess adequate dimensional properties in the majority of country samples. Discriminant validity between the two LTO dimensions is not evidenced across four country samples. Significant association is found between LTO and individualistic orientation among respondents in nine of the ten countries with few significant associations found between LTO and uncertainty avoidance. Finally, the generalizability of the scale is assessed through Cronbach et al.'s (1963) generalizability theory and found to be satisfactory though discriminant validity is found to be lacking.Research limitations/implicationsOverall, the scale is recommended for use in measuring LTO with caution. Further research is needed to clarify the difference between the two subscales of tradition and planning.Practical implicationsMeasuring and better understanding cross‐cultural differences in customers' LTO can be a means to overcoming difficulties in effectively marketing products and services across cultures.Originality/valueThe paper presents an original and first presentation of a cross‐cultural validation of a parsimonious LTO scale.

This study investigated the impact of nutrition information on consumers' choice of a cake and examined the roles of key psychological decision factors. Based on a generalized linear model, results of an experiment on 299 female consumers in the United Kingdom showed that the presence of nutrition information in the form of Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) had a direct impact on food choice. GDA information had a moderating effect on the relationship between two psychological factors (conflict and self-control, but not temptation) and consumer choice. Temptation, conflict and self-control had direct effects on choice.

PurposeIn 2005, the European Union launched a four‐year antismoking television advertising campaign across its 25 Member States. This study aims to evaluate the second and third years (2006 and 2007) of the campaign based on telephone interviews with over 24,000 consumers (smokers, non‐smokers, and ex‐smokers).Design/methodology/approachThe study focuses on smokers and examines the potential for using segmentation and targeting in informing the campaign. Three important factors are used to identify clusters: attitude toward the campaign; comprehension of the campaign; and inclination to think responsibly about their smoking behaviour.FindingsCluster analyses identify three distinct and significant target groups (message‐involved, message‐indifferent, and message‐distanced) who respond differentially to the advertising. Furthermore, the percentage of respondents within each cluster varies across the EU Member States. Using Schwartz's cultural framework, the cultural dimension of “openness to change versus conservatism” is found to explain substantial cross‐national variation in message‐involved and messaged‐distanced respondents.Research limitations/implicationsCluster solutions are shown to be stable across the two data waves. Implications of these results are discussed.Originality/valueThis is the first study that seeks to better understand consumer reactions to social‐marketing advertising across different segments of the overall target group.

This paper investigates the roles of personal, product related and economic factors in predicting rural consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions towards organic and free-range produce. A conceptual model is derived and tested via structural equation modeling on a sample of 222 rural consumers. The results show that attitude is explained by consumers’ food safety concern, ethical lifestyle and price perceptions. Attitude partially mediates the effects of ethical lifestyle and price on intention to purchase organic produce as well as the effect of ethical lifestyle on intention to purchase free-range produce. Attitude assumes a more central role in fully mediating the effect of food safety concern on intention to purchase organic produce, as well as the effect of price on intention to purchase free-range produce. Overall the conceptual model of consumer decision making performs well in both organic and free-range contexts yielding similar results.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present an overview and evaluation of the European Commission “HELP – for a life without tobacco” campaign.Design/methodology/approachData collected via a web and a telephone survey is used to evaluate the campaign.FindingsThe findings reveal how a campaign targeted at individuals can lead to social change through involvement with key stakeholder groups including NGO's and the public at large. At an individual level the campaign was received favourably with overall high levels of awareness and engagement with the message. The associated web site was thought to contain trustworthy information and persuasive arguments about the dangers of smoking and passive smoking.Originality/valueThe originality of this paper lies in providing an example of social advertising across a large number of countries. Furthermore, this case study adds to the literature on demarketing, highlighting that demarketing can take place across two levels both at the citizen level and at the governmental level.

On 26 March 2006, Scotland implemented a smoke-free policy prohibiting smoking in indoor public venues, including bars and pubs. Drinking and smoking are highly associated behaviors, so we evaluated whether the regulations would decrease drinking behavior among smokers in public venues. We further assessed whether this effect would be more pronounced in heavier drinkers and whether decreases in drinking behavior in pubs would be offset by increased drinking in the home.Participants (N = 1,059) were adult smokers and nonsmokers from Scotland and from the rest of the United Kingdom, which did not have comprehensive smoke-free policies during the study period. Data were collected using a random-digit-dialed telephone survey from February to March 2006, just prior to the policy implementation in Scotland. Follow-up surveys were conducted in March 2007. Using baseline data, we categorized participants as abstainers, moderate drinkers, or heavy drinkers.Overall, results demonstrated that drinking behavior did not change significantly in Scotland compared with the rest of the United Kingdom following implementation of the smoke-free policy in Scotland. However, planned comparisons examining mean changes in drinks consumed in pubs or bars following the legislation demonstrated that the smoke-free legislation was associated with reduced drinking behavior in pubs and bars among moderate- and heavy-drinking smokers in Scotland. These moderate- and heavy-drinking Scottish smokers also reduced their pub attendance following policy implementation.The smoke-free Scottish law did not increase drinking in the home. These findings suggest that smoke-free policies may have additional public health benefits for those at greater risk for alcohol-related health problems.

Governments in many developed countries are increasing their efforts to reduce smoking. In line with their commitment for action, governments use anti-smoking advertising to highlight the health risks of smoking and regulatory measures to dissuade consumers from consuming tobacco. In the past, governments tended to take these steps in isolation, now they are more likely to combine these strategies as part of a demarketing mix. However, relatively little is known about the differential impact of these demarketing mix elements in relation to consumers' intention to quit smoking and other important outcome variables. This article presents a conceptual model linking the 4Ps in a demarketing context with three outcome measures: consumers' attitude toward the tobacco industry, consumers' attitude toward smoking, and consumers' intention to quit smoking. The authors use empirical longitudinal data to test the model and the results suggest that the four demarketing mix elements affect smokers' attitudes toward the tobacco industry and smoking, as well as their intention to quit over time. Further, the results from structural equation modeling analysis indicate that not all four demarketing mix elements are equally effective in inducing consumer behavior change.

The paper examines the roles of health consciousness, food safety concern and ethical self-identity in predicting attitude and purchase intention within the context of organic produce. A conceptual model is derived and tested via structural equation modelling. Findings indicate food safety as the most important predictor of attitude while health consciousness appears to be the least important motive in contrast to findings from some previous research. In addition, ethical self-identity is found to predict both attitudes and intention to purchase organic produce, emphasizing that respondents' identification with ethical issues affects their attitude and subsequent consumption choices.

This study investigates the continuing effects of tobacco marketing communications in a post advertising era, focusing on the constructs of brand awareness, brand image, attitude formation and intention to smoke by adolescents. A conceptual model is presented, based on 926 respondents from a UK wide study, to assess brand-related interrelationships and influences of peers on adolescents' attitudes toward smoking and intention to smoke. Results show the strong influence of branding on both attitude and intention, and have implications for government anti-smoking policies specifically in regard to generic packaging and point of sale displays.

This paper explores the effectiveness of cigarette warning labels across two countries, one (the UK) with new and stricter legislation where text based labels have been made more prominent and one (the USA) with less stringent regulation, where labels are less visible. Using longitudinal data from the two countries, the research seeks to investigate the impact of the different types of warning labels on the information processing by consumers. This paper assesses the effectiveness of warning labels in terms of: consumer attention, elaboration, contemplation on quitting and behavioural compliance. This study provides a comprehensive examination of these key factors in a fixed causal sequence. Structural equation modelling was used to test this model based on longitudinal panel survey data from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Four Country Survey. Analysis of a sample of 901 US smokers and 1459 UK smokers yielded results in full support of all hypothesised relationships in the model proposed for both countries. Findings suggest that the new European Union policy of more prominent warning labels has a direct effect on influencing behavioural compliance by smokers.

This study examines the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) in the context of adhering to the UK low-risk single-occasion drinking (LRSOD) guidelines. Additionally, gender differences were explored. A convenience sample of 110 female students and 107 male students provided information about their LRSOD behaviour, as well as views, attitudes and intention regarding keeping to the LRSOD limit. Results of this study show the theory of reasoned action rather than the TPB to be pertinent, accounting for 24% of the variance for the female sample and 36% for the male sample. Gender differences are evident in terms of perceived pressure from government and educational campaigns as well as perceived likelihood of positive consequences of adhering to the LRSOD guidelines. Implications of the findings are discussed.

In 2005, the European Union (EU) commissioned a study as part of an EU-wide antismoking campaign. The study was conducted by a consortium of EU companies. Our research reanalyzes the EU data, based on interviews with over 25,000 consumers in 25 countries. This paper focuses on Eastern EU countries and addresses the potential effects of source misattribution. We built a conceptual model linking comprehension of and attitude toward the campaign with outcome measures: responsible thinking toward smoking and intention to quit. Our analysis suggests that source attribution plays a moderating role in the relationship between message comprehension and the two outcome variables.

Globalization leads to a need to understand consumer behavior across national boundaries. The call for this special issue noted: “Consumers from different countries and cultures may be similar on some dimensions but differ on others. This provides researchers with the opportunity to explore how changes in multiple aspects of the cultural and national context can influence consumer theory.” This special issue is particularly relevant given the blurring of geographic cultural boundaries and the reshaping of society though global flows relating to mediascapes, ethnoscapes, ideoscapes, technoscapes, and finanscapes (Appadurai, 1990). The blurring of boundaries and the associated emergence of a ‘global consumer culture’ (Cleveland and Laroche, 2007; Zhou et al., 2008) allows companies to standardize their branding and communication strategies. Nevertheless, meaningful cultural differences can still be found in consumer psychology and behavior across countries (e.g., Walsh et al., 2014).

Fair trade is concerned with ensuring a fair price and fair working conditions for producers and suppliers, promoting equitable trading agreements. Throughout recent years fair trade has experienced considerable growth in the food sector. This growth has been significantly aided by labelling certification through the Fairtrade Foundation mark and availability in the mainstream. Consumer concern in other product sectors, notably fashion and clothing where child labour and worker's rights are pertinent issues, is exerting pressure for similar action. However, this market remains under-developed, restricting choice in this area. Despite recent media attention and increased levels of consumer concern, fair trade concerns in the clothing market have been neglected in marketing research. In order to address this, this paper considers fair trade concerns in the context of sweatshop clothing. The article examines consumers' ethical intentions to avoid purchasing sweatshop-produced clothing and their actual purchase behaviour, as well as the constraints impacting consumer behaviour in this context.

This study examines an extended version of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) in the context of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) as an aid to smoking cessation. An attempt is made to address the intention-behaviour gap identified in the literature by specifically focusing on the role and interrelationships of volitional stages, namely intention, planning and anticipated effort. A convenience sample of 207 female smokers, aged 16-36, provided information about their views, attitudes and volitional behaviour regarding the use of NRT as an aid to smoking cessation. Results of this study show the TPB to be pertinent, accounting for 41% of the variance in intention to use NRT as an aid to smoking cessation. Furthermore, behavioural intention is found to mediate the relationship between the TPB antecedents (attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control) and each of the two volitional elements, planning and anticipated effort. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Consumer concern for ethical issues has been well documented across much of the developed world. Research on values is also prominent in the literature. Neglected in consumer behaviour is an understanding of the pertinence of particular values in ethical decision making contexts. This paper outlines the results of qualitative research, which explores those values pertinent to ethical consumers in decision making and the nature of their influence in grocery consumption contexts. A questionnaire was used to ascertain the dominance and nature of values influencing consumer decision making in this context.

To examine whether health warnings printed onto the cigarette stick would increase intentions to quit.Two experiments with smokers were conducted. The first study was conducted in Scotland on 88 adult (aged 18 or over) smokers recruited around two university campuses. The second study was conducted on 120 adult (aged 16 or over) smokers recruited around inner city cafes in Greece. Study 1 tested smokers' ratings of the attractiveness of cigarettes printed with either 'minutes of life lost' (minute condition) or 'toxic constituents' (toxic condition) against a control cigarette as well as the change in participants' pre-exposure and postexposure quitting intentions. Study 2 only assessed the effect of the minute condition on smokers' change in quitting intentions. Analysis of variance and paired-samples t tests were undertaken. Participants in Study 1 were shown a picture of the stimuli, with participants in Study 2 given the actual cigarette to hold.The analyses revealed increases in quitting intentions postexposure for the minute condition (mean paired difference=0.68, p0.001) and the toxic condition (mean paired difference=0.23, p0.05) in Study 1. Similar findings were found for the minute condition (mean paired difference=0.38, p0.001) in Study 2.These results suggest that printing a public health warning on the cigarette stick may result in higher intentions to quit smoking. However, many other messages (eg, benefits of quitting, harmful effects of secondhand smoke) which can be printed on the cigarette stick have not been tested in the current studies.

PurposeWhereas much previous research focuses on the ways consumers strive to gain social approval, consumption that may result in social disapproval must be considered. In order to do so, the purpose of this paper is to explore consumers' self‐concepts within a risky consumption context, namely smoking. Self‐concept discrepancies and the resulting emotions and coping strategies are identified.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative methodology based on 30 focus groups conducted across ten European countries is employed.FindingsFindings demonstrate self‐concept discrepancies between both the actual self and ought/ideal guiding end states, as well as between the “I” and social selves. Such discrepancies generate negative emotions and result in emotion‐focused coping strategies. In addition, the accuracy of smokers' social self‐concepts with reference to the actual perceptions of non‐smokers is discussed.Practical implicationsImportant implications for the design of effective anti‐smoking advertising are discussed, based on the findings. It is suggested that counter advertising should encourage dialogue between smokers and non‐smokers and that message themes should centre on building the self‐efficacy of smokers.Originality/valueThe reason why the social context should be an integral part of consumer self‐concept research is highlighted. Moreover, the importance of moving beyond merely understanding the existence of self‐discrepancies, to focus on the emotions that are generated by these discrepancies and the consequent coping strategies employed to resolve them is identified. As such, the potential contributions that may arise by recognising the intersection between two bodies of literature that are often treated separately, namely, consumer coping and the self‐concept, are highlighted.

Background: To evaluate how Scotland's smokefree law impacted self-reported secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in hospitality venues, workplaces and in people's homes. In addition, we examine changes in support for the law, pub and restaurant patronage, smoking cessation indicators and whether any observed changes varied by socioeconomic status. Methods: A quasi-experimental longitudinal telephone survey of nationally representative samples of smokers and non-smokers interviewed before the Scottish law (February to March 2006) and 1 year later after the law (March 2007) in Scotland (n = 705 smokers and n = 417 non-smokers) and the rest of the UK (n = 1027 smokers and n = 447 non-smokers) where smoking in public places was not regulated at the time. Results: Dramatic declines in the observance of smoking in pubs, restaurants and workplaces were found in Scotland relative to the rest of the UK. The change in the percent of smokers reporting a smokefree home and number of cigarettes smoked inside the home in the evening was comparable in Scotland and the rest of the UK. Support for smokefree policies increased to a greater extent in Scotland than in the rest of the UK. Self-reported frequency of going to pubs and restaurants was generally comparable between Scotland and the rest of the UK; however, non-smokers in Scotland were more likely to frequent pubs more often. No differences in smoking cessation indicators were observed between countries. Conclusion: The Scottish smokefree law has been successful in decreasing secondhand smoke exposure while causing none of the hypothesized negative outcomes.

The social norms approach suggests that tobacco use among a referent population will reduce provided they are presented with accurate information about the perceived norms of that behaviour. This study investigated adolescents' perceived tobacco-related norms on future smoking intentions, using a sample of 11-16 year olds (n = 804) from wave two of the Youth Tobacco Policy Survey. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse, simultaneously, the hypothesized normative model on future smoking intentions among both adolescent smokers and never smokers. While among adolescent smokers perceived prevalence, perceptions of the tobacco industry and risk from smoking were associated with future smoking intentions, among never smokers only perceived sibling approval was associated with future smoking intentions. The research highlights the need for more comprehensive anti-tobacco related campaigns that incorporate messages and stimuli relevant to behaviour reflecting these normative types.

Background: In March 2004, Ireland implemented comprehensive smoke-free regulations. Some were concerned this would cause pub patrons to move their smoking and drinking from inside pubs to inside homes. This article aims to assess whether nationwide smoke-free policies are associated with more smoking or drinking inside the home. Methods: Participants were 1917 adult smokers (> 18-years old) from Ireland (n ¼ 582), Scotland (n ¼ 507) and the rest of the United Kingdom (n ¼ 828), which did not have smoke-free laws at the time of the interview, who completed a random digit-dialed telephone survey in February to March 2006. The percentage of alcoholic drinks consumed in the home versus pubs was compared by country as well as the percentage of daily cigarette consumption occurring in the home after work. Results: Irish respondents reported a significantly lower percentage of alcoholic drinks consumed in the home compared to Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom, and cigarette consumption in the home was comparable in all three regions. Conclusions: Smoking and drinking in the home was not greater in smoke-free Ireland than in the United Kingdom, where there was not a smoke-free law at the time of the survey. These findings add further support to the enactment of comprehensive smoke-free laws, as called for in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.