Research report
Savouring morality. Moral satisfaction renders food of ethical origin subjectively tastier ☆
Highlights
- •
- Buying and consuming food of ethical origin brings about moral satisfaction.
- •
- Moral satisfaction renders the taste of ethical food subjectively superior.
- •
- This superior taste positively predicts intentions to buy ethical food.
- •
- The enhanced tastiness may act as a reward mechanism for buying ethical food.
Abstract
Past
research has shown that the experience of taste can be influenced by a
range of external cues, especially when they concern food's quality. The
present research examined whether food's ethicality – a cue typically
unrelated to quality – can also influence taste. We hypothesised that
moral satisfaction with the consumption of ethical food would positively
influence taste expectations, which in turn will enhance the actual
taste experience. This enhanced taste experience was further
hypothesised to act as a possible reward mechanism reinforcing the
purchase of ethical food. The resulting ethical food → moral satisfaction → enhanced taste expectations and experience → stronger intentions to buy/willingness to pay
model was validated across four studies: one large scale international
survey (Study 1) and three experimental studies involving actual food
consumption of different type of ethical origin – organic (Study 2),
fair trade (Study 3a) and locally produced (Study 3b). Furthermore,
endorsement of values relevant to the food's ethical origin moderated
the effect of food's origin on moral satisfaction, suggesting that the
model is primarily supported for people who endorse these values.
Key words
- Ethics;
- Taste;
- Morality;
- Buying intentions;
- Fair trade;
- Organic food
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
