Study goals
To investigate how Environmental Awareness and Social Norms influence the Purchase Intention of cruelty-free products among Brazilian consumers who are not vegan or users of these products, also analyzing the moderating role of price sensitivity in these relationships.
Relevance / originality
This research fills the gap by examining antecedents of cruelty-free purchase intention among a public with little engagement with the cause, while also exploring psychographic and normative factors and the moderating effect of price, in an emerging context in the Brazilian market.
Methodology / approach
An online survey was conducted with 249 Brazilians who are non-vegan and do not use cruelty-free products. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), using validated scales and tests for reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and multicollinearity.
Main results
It was observed that aspects such as environmental awareness and social norms positively influenced purchase intention. Price sensitivity did not significantly moderate these relationships, suggesting that ethical and social factors may prevail over financial barriers in this specific audience.
Theoretical / methodological contributions
This study broadens our understanding of sustainable consumption behavior, demonstrating that ethical values and social norms remain strong even when there is no prior involvement with the cause. Furthermore, it reinforces the use of PLS-SEM to investigate price moderation in emerging contexts.
Social / management contributions
This study indicates that, to drive the adoption of cruelty-free products in under-engaged markets, marketing strategies should emphasize ethical and environmental benefits, strengthening emotional and social connections with consumers, rather than focusing solely on price.