The influence of CSR on purchasing behaviour in Peru and Spain

Purpose – The research study has three objectives. One is to provide empirical validation of the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate abilities (CA) as an influential factor in socially responsible consumption. The second is to ascertain whether there are significant differences between CSR parameters estimated in the purchasing decisions of consumers from Peru and Spain. Finally, the authors aim to measure people's trade‐off between the social (CSR) and traditional (CA) features of their purchasing decisions in terms of their willingness to pay. Design/methodology/approach – A discrete choice modelling experiment was used to test the relationship between CSR and CA, quantify consumers’ intention to purchase, and establish their willingness to pay for specific social features. Findings – It was found that there is a positive relationship between CSR and CA regarding consumer behaviour and that Peruvian consumers seem to be more sensitive to CSR features of products than Spanish consumers. Moreover, the results show that the willingness to pay for each specific social feature seems to be contextually defined. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the ongoing debate regarding the importance of corporate social responsibility as an influential factor in consumers’ socially responsible consumption. It quantifies the social features of companies’ products and willingness to pay.