Analysis of the attitude-behavior-relationship in the case of fair trade chocolate

Abstract

Against the background of increasing ethical concern among consumers, this paper analyses empirically the attitude-behavior-relation in the context of socially responsible buying behavior for Fair Trade chocolate. The Theory of Planned Behavior Model is enriched by the constructs moral obligation, previous buying behavior, and credibility as additional determinants of buying intention. As a result, moral obligation and previous buying behavior have the strongest impact on intention. The attitude towards buying Fair Trade products as well as perceived behavioral control continue to significantly impact intention. Significant differences are revealed comparing regular and seldom/never buyers, while gender has no impact.