Bringing veganism to the wardrobe: examining consumers’ intention to buy vegan leather

Abstract

Given the rising interest in ethical fashion consumption among consumers this study posits the reasons behind getting involved in such consumption behavior. Using self-concept theory, this study investigates the influence of internalized moral identity, symbolized moral identity, green self-concept, product self-concept, perceived self-enhancement and green self-identity to explain consumers’ intention to buy vegan leather. In addition, the moderating role of perceived social stigma was also analyzed. Standardized scales were used to collect the data from 348 participants from India. Data were analyzed using the AMOS-based structural equation modeling technique. The results indicate that internalized moral identity, green self-concept, and product self-concept shape the green self-identity of an individual consumer. Further, only moral identity (both internalized and symbolized) influences perceived self-enhancement. This study contributes to the literature on ethical fashion buying behavior from an individual’s values point of view that may be applied by practitioners to comprehend the global vegan market.

Keywords:

• Moral identity
• self-concept
• perceived self-enhancement
• green self-identity
• vegan leather

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Pooja Goel

Pooja Goel is an Associate Professor at the Department of Commerce, Faculty of Commerce and Business, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi. Her area of specialization is consumer behavior, sustainability, and technology adoption. She has more than 15 years of teaching and research experience and is well-versed in handling various administrative as well as academic positions. She is on the review board of reputed Journals of Emerald, Elsevier, and Sage publications. She has published her work in several international journals of repute, including the Journal of Business Research, the Journal of Cleaner Production, and the International Journal of Bank Marketing.

Nripendra P. Rana

Nripendra P. Rana is a Professor in Digital Marketing and Systems at Queen’s Business School, Queen’s University Belfast, UK. His current research interests focus primarily on the adoption and diffusion of emerging ICTs, e-commerce, m-commerce, e-government and digital and social media marketing. He has published more than 250 papers in various leading academic journals, conference proceedings, books, etc. He has co-edited five books on digital and social media marketing, emerging markets, and supply and operations management. He has also co-edited special issues and organized tracks, mini-tracks and panels in leading conferences. He is a Chief Editor of the International Journal of Electronic Government Research and an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Information Management. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) in the UK.

Vincent Charles

Charles Vincent, PhD, PDRF, FRSS, FBCS, SFHEA, MIScT, CMBE, is a Reader in AI for Business and Management Science at Queen’s Business School, Queen’s University Belfast, UK. In addition, he holds multiple visiting professorship positions across the Globe. His expertise lies at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Management Science, with a particular focus on boosting business productivity, fostering regional competitiveness, and enhancing societal welfare, and a well-rounded commitment to driving positive multi-dimensional impact. He has over 25 years of teaching, research, and consultancy experience, having been a full professor and director of research for more than a decade in triple-crown (accredited by AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA) business schools. He has published extensively and serves as an Associate Editor and Special Issue Editor for many prestigious journals.

Anuj Sharma

Anuj Sharma is a Professor of Information Systems and Analytics at the Jindal Global Business School, O. P. Jindal Global University, Haryana, India. He is a Fellow of the Indian Institute of Management Indore. His current research interests focus primarily on the development and use of information systems, scientometrics, data analytics, e-commerce, digital marketing, and innovation. He has over ten years of experience in management teaching, research, and consultancy at both Indian and international organizations.