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Impact of a retailer’s CSR activities on consumers’ loyalty

Author

Listed:
  • Didier Louis

    (LEMNA - Laboratoire d'économie et de management de Nantes Atlantique - IEMN-IAE Nantes - Institut d'Économie et de Management de Nantes - Institut d'Administration des Entreprises - Nantes - UN - Université de Nantes)

  • Cindy Lombart

    (Audencia Recherche - Audencia Business School)

  • Fabien Durif

    (ESG - Ecole des Sciences de la Gestion - UQAM - Université du Québec à Montréal = University of Québec in Montréal)

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of the main dimensions of a retailer's corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities (philanthropic activities, respect for the environment, respect for the consumers and respect for the workers) (e.g. Maignan, 2001; Brunk, 2010a; Öberseder et al. , 2014) on consumers' loyalty towards this retailer. Mediation (through consumers' trust in this retailer and/or retailer's perceived brand equity) and moderation effects (depending on the groups of consumers considered) are also studied. Design/methodology/approach This research was conducted on 547 consumers, representative of the Quebec population. These consumers were asked to select a retailer of their choice that they were familiar with (notably with its CSR activities) and to complete a questionnaire with regard to that retailer. Findings This research highlights that: the impact of a retailer's CSR activities on consumers' loyalty differs according to the dimensions considered (philanthropic activities, respect for the environment, the consumers and the workers), is fully or partially mediates by consumers' trust in this retailer and/or retailer's perceived brand equity and depends on the groups of consumers considered (the very responsible consumers, the local sceptical recyclers and the least responsible consumers). Research limitations/implications This research indicates that when CSR is considered not as an aggregate construct, but in terms of its dimensions, their impacts on consumers' loyalty towards the retailer may differ or appear under certain conditions. Moreover, this research points out that consumers' trust in the retailer is a partial mediator (for the philanthropic activities dimension of a retailer's CSR activities for the very responsible consumers and the local sceptical recyclers) of the relationship between the dimension of a retailer's CSR activities considered and consumers' loyalty towards this retailer. Consumers' trust in the retailer is also a full mediator (for the respect for environment dimension of a retailer's CSR activities for the very responsible consumers) of the relationship between the dimension of a retailer's CSR activities considered and consumers' loyalty towards this retailer. Lastly, retailer's perceived brand equity is a full mediator (for the respect for environment dimension of a retailer's CSR activities for the three groups of consumers considered) of the relationship between the dimension of a retailer's CSR activities considered and consumers' loyalty towards this retailer. Practical implications This paper indicates to retailers that the dimensions respect for the consumers and the workers of their CSR activities do not have an impact on consumers' loyalty. By contrast, for a retailer to be perceived by consumers as engaged in philanthropic activities or being environmentally friendly has a positive impact on consumers' loyalty. Originality/value In this research, CSR is conceptualised as a multidimensional construct and the impacts of its main dimensions (philanthropic activities, respect for the environment, respect for consumers and respect for workers) on an important and strategic variables for retailers, loyalty, are highlighted. Moreover, this research also indicates that the impacts of a retailer's CRS dimensions on consumers' loyalty depend on individuals and may follow different paths (through consumers' trust in the retailer and/or retailer's perceived brand equity).

Suggested Citation

  • Didier Louis & Cindy Lombart & Fabien Durif, 2019. "Impact of a retailer’s CSR activities on consumers’ loyalty," Post-Print hal-03780804, HAL.
  • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03780804
    DOI: 10.1108/IJRDM-12-2018-0262
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    Cited by:

    1. D. Louis & C. Lombart, 2024. "Impact of a corporate social responsibility message on consumers’ sustainable behaviours and purchase intentions," Post-Print hal-04386727, HAL.
    2. Kolesnik, N., 2023. "Implementation of the concept of sustainable development in food retail: Latent semantic analysis of SMM communication 2015-2021," Journal of the New Economic Association, New Economic Association, vol. 60(3), pages 79-102.
    3. Shaohua He & Lei Liu & Qi Liu & Shaoling Fu, 2024. "Creating social value through operational supply chain transparency," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(3), pages 2333-2351, May.
    4. Jean-Eric Pelet & Basma Taieb & Rami Alkhudary, 2023. "Measuring consumer perceptions of home-delivery convenience – the case of cargo bikes [Mesurer les perceptions des consommateurs sur la commodité de la livraison à domicile - le cas des vélos cargo," Post-Print hal-04100575, HAL.
    5. Saloua Bennaghmouch & Martine Deparis & Hanene Oueslati & Marie-Catherine Paquier & Gerald Cohen & Laurent Grimal & Hocine Sadok, 2021. "Franchise et RSE : impact social et environnemental de la franchise," Working Papers hal-03694438, HAL.

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