INFLUENCE FACTORS ON CONSUMER DECISIONS: A QUASI-EXPERIMENT WITH BRANDS OF SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

Abstract

The goal set for this research is to propose a model of brand management to guide consumer choice to more sustainable options. The model assumes that consumers have varying degrees of awareness on the sustainability of products and services. At the same time, products and services may also be considered in varying degrees of sustainability. Thus the strategy of brands should be to communicate its sustainability aspects in order to reach the consumer who is at the same level. It is expected that from the momentum established by the model, in which more and more information is conveyed about the sustainability aspects of products and services, consumers start to be more aware or at least more informed. The independent variables were the brand’s image and the price. The dependent variable was the participant's intention of purchase. There were 402 consumers subjected to the quasi-experiment. The results were analyzed at brand level and, in general, shows that more sustainable brands grew in participant’s preference after they received information about the sustainability aspects of that type of product, but this gained preference were partially lost when participants were aware of product’s prices.