FOOD CONSUMPTION AND THE ROLE OF GUILT IN THE PRE PURCHASE SITUATION - A QUALITATIVE STUDY WITH AN ECOLOGICAL FOOD APPROACH

Abstract

What food consumers choose to purchase has an environmental impact. Emotions and guilt has previously been shown to matter in what products consumers choose, but has not been looked into in ecological food consumption. This paper aims to deepen the understanding of guilt in the purchase of food consumption, by investigating when and why consumer experience guilt in the pre purchase situation of food and how guilt in the pre purchase situation influence the choice of food for the consumer. The paper has a qualitative approach and empiric material is gathered through eight interviews of generation Y, highly educated Swedish respondents. The findings show that guilt plays a role in what food consumers choose. Contemplation that leads to unpleasantness creates guilt in pre purchase situation of food consumption. The presence of ecological alternatives, how involved the consumers are in ecological issues and how much information and knowledge they hold of the food seem to influence the creation of guilt in the pre purchase situation. The findings of this study could possibly help shift to more ecological consumption by understanding more about when and why guilt in pre purchase situation of food is shaped, and how to influence the consumers’ choice of food.