The predisposed role of ethical concerns in business has been overemphasized with rise in globalization and unethical behaviors of companies engaging in various marketing practices (Newholm, 2007). While the world is faced with shortage from water and food with millions of children and adults living below poverty line and going to bed hungry there has been a huge rise in food wastages along with overconsumption. Global Food Losses and Food Waste reports by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of UN shares shocking data regarding food wastages has been revealed. It is been assessed that about one third of total food produced is lost in wastages associated from supply chain off food alone. Food Overconsumption is another greater problem that is facing the world at this stage where there remains greater challenges like war and pollution to attend to (Bray, 2011). The greater impact from such food wastages and overconsumption cannot be overemphasized by grouping them in social, economic, and environmental sustainability. While such global challenges remains, it has been found that they can directly be linked to consumer behavior arising from cultural influences. Thus, studying the several factors or consumer influences that goes into making of such behaviors can greatly help reduce such behaviors and create ethical behaviors that can create sustainability for the world. The scope of the current study details out such influences in consumer behavior as against ethical theories that can be applied to the problem for arriving at sustainability (Murphy, 2010).
Consumer behavior influence has been found to be the most integral and important factor that impacts consumer behavior. A consumer can be influenced by motivation, personality, attitude change that are related to cultural influences (Dion, 2012). Cultural predisposition constitutes the primary factor that induces a consumer’s choice regarding products. A consumer is more likely to indulge in food purchase or overconsumption behavior is he has been brought up in a cultural framework or family of such nature. On the other hand a person from a poor background is less likely to indulge in food wastages. Again attitude and motivation is a growing cause amongst consumers for purchasing more than the amount of food than is actually required (Brunk, 2010).
Consumer is moreover induced by various companies and advertisement as well as marketing expertise in accordance to their cultural factors for purchases made. Restaurants and food marketing companies tag consumers on their social media platform as well as through other advertisement forms by associating them with their products (Young, 2010). Economic and social status of consumers often leads to adopting wastage and overconsumption practices amongst consumers. A consumer who is more economically and socially well-off is more likely to purchase products and be impacted form marketing initiatives to impact their influences. A consumer who sees Mc Donald’s advertisement regularly in his own cultural setting is more likely to purchase products from the Company and if unrequired store it in refrigerator leading to overconsumption.
Figure 1: Consumer Influence in Food Over Consumption and Wastage
Source: (Newholm, 2007)
Research conducted in the field of consumer research reflects that consumer have little tolerance for visual imperfections, only consumers with environmental consciousness are tolerant. Consumer’s household storage for behaviors reflects high stock of food items that were never used. Though consumers have knowledge in regards to managing food in their household but they are seldom put into use. Food packaging also impacts quantity and type of food wasted. While households aim to optimize packaging functionality that reduces wastage of food but there has been a negative attitude towards packaging as well. Food waste behavior or practices can be well related to consumer thoughts, perception and motives arising from culture. People from UK do not waste food on the contrary people from USA tend to waste higher amounts of food. Socially determined practices in eating along with contextual factors have been seen to crucially impact on consumer behavior regarding food wastages and overconsumption. Watson and Meah noted that consumer rarely reflect environmental concerns regarding food wastages or overconsumption however, they have a motive driven to perform the right act. A consumer aims to be a good food provider in the family but rarely expresses environmental concerns. Cosnumer often tends to avoid food wastages. Consumer aims to attain a trade-off amongst various alternatives and goals especially in regards to anxiety regarding food as against food shortages. While evaluating the same a consumer generally ends up weighing family food first over environmental concerns. Household food management requires management in terms of consumer food wastage behavior where cultural influence has a crucial role. Unavailability of routines and planning schedules in regards to food is a matter of situational influences.
Quested et al. identified that food wastage is not a conscious decision but there remains a gap between food wasted and food purchased. Food and eating habit is a part of a more complex behavior that is much less impacted by social norms. Consumers depict a strong sense reading food wastage but due to their cultural predisposition they are often intrigued in the act.
Marketers use various tactics to influence the choice of consumers which leads them into consumption patterns that either leads to overconsumption or wastages. Research suggests that overconsumption in food was highest in America according to the United States Department of Agriculture as food supplied was 1200 calories due to factors as spoilage, plate wastage, cooking and so on (Szmigin, 2009). Further in Hong Kong it was assessed that over 3500 tons of food is wasted every year along with overconsumption. The Environmental food Crisis reports from UNEP states that at current rate of wastages and overconsumption, food production needs to increase by 40% more. The amounts of food wasted could feed one billion malnourished people globally. While some researcher argues that majority of food is lost in the supply chain other argues that food wastages can be reduced by altering consumer influences and choices in their purchase behavior by raising awareness towards the unsustainability of such behaviors (Carrington, 2014). Thus, ethical theories and applications needs to concern themselves regarding the impacts of food wastage towards consumers to overcome the implications regarding the same. While various factors remains pertaining to food over consumption and wastages it should be overcome by initiates taken by the government and other bodies working in the area.
Food wastage and overconsumption is a complex issue that includes a multitude of factors interacting in various directions. Consumer’s cultural perception has an important role in undermining the factor and overcoming of the same. Ethical theories have been devised on the basis of underlying causes and in order to overcome pertinent challenges. Rising behavior of consumers towards unsustainable consumption patterns have led to serious concerns world over, questioning authorities regarding their possible implications (ethics, 2007). Ethical theories as Utilitarianism and Deontology can help explain the consumer behavior regarding cultural influences.
The Utilitarian theory developed by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill have devised the theory on basis of moral acts. The theory overlooks any kind of morality or moral acts for the purpose of doing good. It can be concluded from the theory that an unethical behavior might arise due to performance of an immoral act. According to Utilitarian theory a consumer’s purchase behavior that can lead to possibilities of overconsumption or wastages is in totality wrong in nature (Davies, 2012). The application of this theory is limited but if can be applied might lead to non-performance of the influence of culture that marketers apply while marketing products of their companies.
Figure 2: Food Wasted WorldOver
Source: (www.savefoodcutwaste.com, Retrieved on 4th May 2017)
Deontological ethical theory on the other hand is much more applicable as it constitutes three aspects that makes it integral to perform duties, treating of human’s as objects of intrinsic moral values and that a moral principle is imperative in nature (Ferrell, 2015). This theory can be very well applied to the consumer’s unethical behavior associated from cultural influences leading to food wastages and overconsumption. The first and foremost focus of this theory states that it is totally wrong for a person to purchase a food from mere cultural influence which he might not consume and that can have several impacts. Secondly, as humans are assumed to have intrinsic values thus, they can easily be molded to gain ethical and sustainable behaviors from the end. this theory provides a way and a mean by which consumer influences can be molded to be rectified to attain sustainable consumption pattern in food. The third factor of the theory also holds true as it states that a moral principle is universalizable, as it can be argues that food wastages and overconsumption is unethical in any part of the world and no matter whosoever does it (Vermeir, 2008). None of the developed nations can argue
Consumer behavior has been found to be the leading cause of food wastages across the supply chain hence applying the Deontological ethical theory can help overcome the issue. While consumers feel that they can afford wasting food the total perception towards sustainable behavior cannot be created. The social, economic, environmental and other possible impacts from food wastages need to be assessed such that a sustainable behavior of consumers can be generated. Saving food from consumer’s cultural influences can greatly help in reducing pollution from dumping food onto soil, air pollution and help create impacts on the global society as well as community. As there is a growing disparity in the amounts of food supplied and shortage of foods in various countries, such facts and figures needs to be published such as to raise awareness and change current prevailing consumer influences in regards to personal attitude and choices. Farmers mostly in developing countries have a heavy reliance on the marginal returns they earn from food production. Reducing overall consumption patterns can help reduce their insecurity as well.
Recommendations and Conclusion
Analysis of several theories from consumer behavior influences and from ethics has helped obtain relevant ways in which consumers can apply ethics into being. There is a growing pattern amongst developed nations towards food wastages and overconsumption. Applying ethical theories and patterns in their consumption can help greatly reduce wastages and overcome the problem of shortages in other countries. The following recommendations will help overcome challenges faced in recent times;
Reference Lists
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Brunk, K. H. 2010. Exploring origins of ethical company/brand perceptions—A consumer perspective of corporate ethics. . Journal of Business Research, 255-262.
Carrington, M. J. 2014. Lost in translation: Exploring the ethical consumer intention–behavior gap. Journal of Business Research, 2759-2767.
Davies, I. A. 2012. Do consumers care about ethical-luxury?. Journal of Business Ethics, 37-51.
Dion, M. 2012. Are ethical theories relevant for ethical leadership?. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 4-24.
ethics, J. o. 2007. Studying the ethical consumer: A review of research. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 253-270.
Ferrell, O. C. 2015. Business ethics: Ethical decision making & cases. Nelson Education.
Murphy, P. E. 2010. Marketing, Ethics of. . Wiley Encyclopedia of Management.
Newholm, T. &. 2007). Studying the ethical consumer: A review of research. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 253-270.
Szmigin, I. C. 2009. The conscious consumer: taking a flexible approach to ethical behaviour. . International Journal of Consumer Studies, 224-231.
Vermeir, I. &. 2008. Sustainable food consumption among young adults in Belgium: Theory of planned behaviour and the role of confidence and values. Ecological economics, 542-553.
Young, W. H. 2010. Sustainable consumption: green consumer behaviour when purchasing products. . Sustainable consumption: green consumer behaviour when purchasing products. , 20-31.
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