Australian ethical consumer segmentation of food and agricultural products and export opportunities for the Pacific Islands

Abstract Ethical consumerism is one of this century’s retail success stories and has continued to grow despite the global pandemic economic contraction. Consumers worldwide are increasingly putting their money where values in purchases food drink, clothing, housing, financial other services. Understanding these consumers key competing successfully markets for ethically sourced products presents opportunities reducing poverty developing countries agricultural production dominant activity, such as small island states (SIDS) Pacific. While ethical an expanding research field, findings rarely analysed detail market development. Rarer still segmentation terms product attributes aimed explicitly at reduction slow-growth, emerging economies like those Here we report a latent class cluster analysis survey responses by conscious Australian ( n = 637) associated with Oxfam, development charity. Four distinct consumer segments were identified implications Pacific producers. Product origin ‘the story behind product’ particularly important consumers. The provide practical insights stakeholders similarly situated around globe that need new opportunities.