The effect of corporate social responsibility upon purchase intent and the benefits perceived by the consumer: an experimental study

Abstract

Consumers are showing a growing concern for the social and environmental impact of business activities. In this context, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has gained importance and is generating a significant debate in academia and business. Several authors have adopted a theoretical premise according to which the consumer perceives an added benefit when purchasing products associated with CSR, this benefit being related to feeling good and to doing good. This research study aims to investigate the effects of CSR upon the benefit perceived by consumers and their purchase intent, in a context in which socially responsible businesses maintain higher pricing than their competition. Through an experiment, the authors tested the effect of CSR on dependent variables. A scale for measuring the perceived benefit variable, which was absent from the literature, was developed. The results showed that the consumers surveyed saw an added benefit in buying the products of socially responsible companies and that they are willing to pay 10% more for such products. To close the article, the main limitations, conclusions and suggestions for future research are indicated.