Anti‐consumption of public services: vacci(not)ion for Swine Flu

Purpose – Anti‐consumption is a new domain of research that deals with why individuals avoid consumption of particular products. To date, research in this area is only confined to the rejection of goods, with no evidence from the services industry. The purpose of this paper is to explore the extent of anti‐consumption behaviour for public health services, by deriving data from Swine Flu vaccination resistance in Turkey. Design/methodology/approach – The research employs a factor analysis method based on data collected from 519 individuals. Findings – Findings suggest that there is a strong anti‐consumption attitude of the Turkish public towards the service, and a major reason for avoidance was moral incompatibility, such that the public believed that the vaccination served the interests of pharmaceutical companies and the government. The findings also reveal that all the factors previously mentioned in the literature may be involved in the anti‐consumption of public health products. Originality/value – This study suggests that public products, including public health services, are highly subject to anti‐consumption movements, and policies involving such products should also be considered from this perspective in order to provide an increased welfare for the public.