Article
Exploring the Influence of Ethical Branding and Corporate Social Responsibility on Consumer Buying Decisions: An Empirical Study of the Packaged Food Industry in Nagpur District, Maharashtra
In recent years, consumer attitude towards risks in terms of product safety, environmental sustainability and social responsibility of brands has been increasing, making this an important factor in its purchases in packaged food consumption, in particular.In recent years, ethical branding has been a very relevant factor and the ethical aspect of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in consumers' behavior to purchase packaged food products, in particular. Consumer's perception of CSR and effect of ethical branding on consumer's buying choice in packaged food industry in Nagpur district, Maharashtra is studied in this work. The study targets consumers' perception and awareness in relation to: ethical business practice, use of eco-friendly packaging, use of fair trade policies, implementing community development programmes and transparent marketing communication by packaged food companies. The primary data was collected by the consumers and the secondary data was obtained from scholarly articles, industry reports and company publications. The obtained data was analysed using statistical tools; descriptive, correlation and regression analysis. These results show that there is a positive attitude towards brands that are seen as being responsible and actively involved in CSR. All of these intangible elements such as trust, reputation, CSR and social commitment contribute to the purchasing and to brand loyalty. The study reveals the positive effects of companies on their image due to ethical branding and CSR, while some of the benefits include sustainable consumer relationship and gaining a competitive advantage. The results of the study will be beneficial to food system policy makers, marketers and stakeholders in designing and implementing policies to better link business goals with stakeholder aversions.