Making a Brand Loved Rather Than Sustainable? Cosmopolitanism and Brand Love as Competing Communication Claims

Sustainability labels on products improve consumers’ product quality perceptions, suggests existing research. To understand this link in detail, the interaction of attitudes towards sustainability and brand are explored. Theoretically, a branding view is contrasted with moral consumer cosmopolitanism: that people consider issues planetary challenge must be met by all humanity. The theory tested using case global hazelnut spread investigating between toward (branding view) attitude firm-NGO collaboration (cosmopolitanism) intention to purchase. Stepwise moderated regression analysis applied sample 109 French responses from an online survey. Analyses show for those who rated highest category (brand lovers), effect NGO purchase was negative. By theoretically integrating cosmopolitan lens, study contributes nascent debate around potential negative effects eco-labels. moderation implies researchers take more nuanced approach different levels managers withholding their performance lovers.