Fair Trade and social responsibility – whose duty? Estonian consumers’ attitudes and beliefs

I. Riivits-Arkonsuo¹*, M. Ojasoo¹, A. Leppiman¹ and K. Mänd²

¹Tallinn University of Technology, Faculty of Economics, Institute of Business Administration, Ehitajate 5, EE19086 Tallinn, Estonia
²MTÜ Mondo, Telliskivi 60A, EE10412 Tallinn, Estonia
*Correspondence: iivi.riivits@ttu.ee

Abstract:

This article investigates how the Estonian consumers endorse the idea of Fair Trade (FT) and understand the principles of social responsibility. The article is based on a study on Fair Trade and social responsibility conducted in 2014. The study examined the consumers’ attitudes and beliefs associated with FT and local Estonian agricultural production. The article aims to compare if there are any difference in the beliefs and attitudes among the Estonian consumers towards supporting local farmers and producers versus supporting the FT ideas which benefit the farmers and producers from the Global South. The authors fully recognize that there is no competition among these two groups per se, but the perception exists in the minds of the consumers. The respondents of the nation-wide representative sample (n = 1,007) evaluated the responsibility of different economic agents such as public sector, retailers, suppliers, producers, and consumers. Most of the respondents regarded the principle of social responsibility as giving the priority to local Estonian agricultural production. The Estonian consumers tend to be skeptical about the benefits of FT or the workers and farmers from the developing countries. The awareness and knowledge about FT ideas is not high.

Key words:

attitude and beliefs, consumer behaviour, Fair Trade (FT), social responsibility, the local agricultural production

Quality labels in Estonian food market. Do the labels matter?

I. Riivits-Arkonsuo*, A. Leppiman and J. Hartšenko

Tallinn University of Technology, Faculty of Economics, Institute of Business Administration, Ehitajate tee5, EE 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
*Correspondence: Iivi.riivits@ttu.ee

Abstract:

The current study investigates the consumers’ perception of quality labels for Estonian food. Based on empirical findings from a representative population survey, this paper analyzes and discusses consumers’ attitudes and the behavioural consequences towards two quality labels and related campaigns: the best Estonian foodstuff and the sign of national flag. The representative survey was fielded annually, at first in 2009 following in the years 2011–2015. Every wave comprises the answers of 1,000 Estonian inhabitants. Employing the same methodology over the time the current study achieves an understanding of development in consumer awareness the quality labels and the impact of those labels on the purchasing behaviour. The paper enables to estimate the effectiveness of launching quality labels for foodstuffs and concludes that the labels serve their purposes.

Key words: