Sustainable Consumer Behavior: The Driving Force of Innovation in Retail

Daniela Šálková, Aleš Hes () and Petr Kučera
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Daniela Šálková: Department of Trade and Finance, Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
Aleš Hes: Department of Trade and Finance, Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
Petr Kučera: Department of System Engineering, Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 24, 1-26

Abstract: The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented shock to the world economy. Consumer purchase of a country’s brand and the products manufactured in their own country plays a vital role in that country’s GDP, and helps revive the country’s economy. This study focuses on understanding the factors that influence consumers’ buying behavior, and on modeling these factors to understand the causal relationship, using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The data analysis is based on the online survey carried out between 30 March 2020 and 18 April 2020. A total of 367 responses were collected during this period. The study’s findings indicate that there are changes in consumer buying behavior, and the factors that are decisive for purchasing decisions in times of social crisis are changing. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumers’ lives and the changes in their behavior during and after the crisis. Consumers’ attitudes towards traditionalism and retail innovation are essential for the sustainable development of consumer behavior. Under the influence of change and shopping constraints, unplanned- and impulse-shopping behavior has changed into a deliberate search for more sustainable options, with women shopping for sustainable food more often than men. Women are more health-conscious, and consider sustainable food healthier than conventional food. On the retail side, trusted certification of origin supports the rate of sustainable-food purchases, and, from the viewpoint of innovation, the use of digital communication with consumers across different communication channels and platforms is essential.

Keywords: consumer; COVID-19 pandemic; ethical products; innovation; purchasing behavior; retail; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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