From the attitude-behaviour-gap to a producer-people-gap?

ABSTRACT

The so-called attitude-behaviour-gap of ecology might have changed to a „producer-people-gap”. In summer 2017 in Germany, the intention of private house-builders to buy an exterior insulation system based on renewable materials was measured as positive, with a mean of 5.2 on a 1–7 Likert scale. But the intentions of professionals were clearly below, e.g. craftsmen, with an average of 3.6 on the same scale – although both groups, the privates and the professionals, judged that there is a clear trend towards such products.

Because of these findings, an additional investigation of management by producers was conducted in autumn and winter 2017/2018, in which a very critical atmosphere towards renewable materials was found. It was analyzed that the managements` attitudes might not be a basic refusal of renewable material in general, but rather a fear of costs of research and development of new products.

A concept was tested, to see if it would be possible to cause an attitude change within the professional key target groups just by applying marketing instruments. Five articles in key media of this market have been published between February and May 2018. In the following evaluation (n = 150) in May 2018 significant effects of the communication have been measured: The intention of decision-makers in craftsmen`s businesses to buy an exterior insulation system based on renewable material rose significantly (0.01 Lv.) from a mean of 3.6 in 2017 to 4.4 in 2018.

KEYWORDS:

• INT J SUST DEV WORLD
• Attitude-behaviour-gap
• Fishbein & Ajzen models
• renewable material
• social influences
• market shares of ecological products

Highlights

The attitude-behaviour-gap of ecology turns into a producer-people-gap

83% of all semi-finished products in industries are fossil-based (in Germany)

The reasons are due to management decisions of a few top CEOs, no longer to attitudes of consumers

Social influences on the buying behaviour of consumers have harmonized

A communication concept to address professional decision-makers has been developed to change this situation

The concept test has lead to significant rises in buying intentions of professionals

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Funded by the BMEL German Ministry of Nutrition and Agriculture.