How millennials’ attitudes towards CSR affect their consumption behaviour in online retailing context

Abstract

Interest in corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues has grown globally, and the subject has become a central topic of concern and discussion. Consumers are also increasingly interested in companies’ CSR issues and are pressuring companies to change their operations toward a more responsible direction. One significant consumer group that has been described in several studies as the most ethical generation to date is the Millennials. This generational group forms a substantial part of the population and therefore has significant purchasing power, but what makes this group interesting is also the fact that they consume increasingly online and have been considered as one of the most important target groups for online retailers and a significant factor influencing the development of e-commerce.

This study combines the themes of CSR, Millennials, and online retailing. More precisely, the research aims to answer what kind of attitudes Millennial consumers have towards CSR and how it is reflected in their consumption behaviour in the context of online retailing. The study was carried out as a qualitative study, and data was collected by conducting nine in-depth interviews.

The findings show that CSR is a complex concept in the minds of Millennials. Millennials consider online retailers’ CSR to be a positive and important issue, which has a significant role, especially as the popularity of online shopping continues to grow. However, they also have negative attitudes towards the subject, and this often manifests as scepticism and doubts towards the CSR claims of online retailers. The results of the study also show that online retailers’ CSR can have an impact on the Millennials’ purchasing behaviour, but also that positive attitudes do not always translate into purchase intentions. Consequently, the research also reveals various barriers to responsible consumption in online retailing context.