Are sustainability initiatives a waste of money? A study on the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives in the beer industry

Abstract

The following thesis will investigate the impact of sustainability initiatives on consumers’ purchase intention in the beer industry. Awareness of sustainability topics has been increasing, and its measurable effect has been questioned. Especially in the context of the beer industry, current literature has been lacking to fill in gaps on the effect of purchase intention, mediated by brand image and willingness to pay. Additionally, consumers' sustainability consciousness has been tested as a moderator in the context. This paper aims to clarify if sustainability initiatives are a waste of resources or an effective marketing strategy. In addition to literature research, quantitative research in the form of an online survey has been conducted. Results show that the implementation of sustainability initiatives increases purchase intention and that environmental initiatives are the most effective. Brand Image and Willingness to Pay were found to be partial mediators individually. However, no interaction between them was found. Moreover, sustainability consciousness was not found to be an appropriate moderator. Findings attempt to close the research gap on the interaction of the variables of sustainability initiatives and purchase intention and the mediators Brand Image and Willingness to pay. Managerial recommendations based on the results are the implementation of sustainability initiatives to increase purchase intention. The focus should lie mostly on environmental and social initiatives to maximize effectiveness.

Date of Award	3 Jul 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Paulo Romeiro (Supervisor)