The Influence of Advertising Appeals on the Sustainable Consumption Behaviors of Surplus Food: Moderated by Reference Groups and Message Framing
(A2019-8294)

AUTHORS

Yu-Tse Lin, Fu Jen Catholic University; Yu-An Chang, Fu-Jen Catholic University

KEYWORDS

advertising appeals; surplus food; sustainable consumption behaviors

ABSTRACT

In 2015, The United Nations set Sustainable Development Goals in order to reduce food waste and losses in production, supply chain, retail and consumers. The sustainable consumption behaviors is a very important issue, but the research on advertising appeals is rarely focused on “surplus food.” Therefore, this study explores how normative appeals (descriptive and injunctive) and benefit appeals make consumers to engage in the sustainable consumption behaviors of using surplus food. This study examined three studies with the 815 valid samples totally. The results show that in the membership groups’ condition, descriptive appeals is most effective. In the aspirational groups’ condition, the injunctive and benefit appeals perform effectively. In addition, the interaction between advertising appeals and message framing is also significant in sustainable consumption behaviors. In the positive message framing, descriptive and benefit appeals are most effective, whereas injunctive appeals is the most effective in negative message framing.