Purchasing food to counteract Mafia in Italy
ISSN: 2042-6763
Article publication date: 15 November 2017
Issue publication date: 22 March 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to investigate pro-social behaviour of Italian consumers during the decision-making process of buying food produced in lands confiscated from Mafia-type organisations. This is assumed as a form of buycotting, thus as an ethical purchasing choice to contribute to social change.
Design/methodology/approach
Data from 339 interviews were elaborated with a cluster analysis. The difference between groups was confirmed using MANOVA, whereas the multivariate multiple regression analysis was carried out to assess the difference between clusters.
Findings
Three types of consumer groups are identified: absolutists, exceptionists and subjectivists. Coherent with previous studies, findings also highlight the relevance of information acquisition and of the self-effectiveness perception as key factors to stimulate pro-social behaviours.
Originality/value
With a social marketing perspective, the paper offers useful suggestions to promote political consumerism as a critical choice to contribute to fight against Mafia-type organisations and to spread a culture of lawfulness.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the anonymous reviewers for their contribution to the paper’s improvement.
Citation
Rivaroli, S., Ruggeri, A., Novi, P. and Spadoni, R. (2018), "Purchasing food to counteract Mafia in Italy", Journal of Social Marketing, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 142-158. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSOCM-03-2017-0019
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited