It Leaves a Bad Taste in Your Mouth: How Corporate Social Irresponsibility Impacts Consumption Experiences

Abstract

Across three experiments, we examined the impact of both corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate social irresponsibility (CSIR) on consumer taste evaluations. The current research demonstrates that CSIR information consistently negatively impacts perceptions of taste across both hedonic and utilitarian food products. Specifically, it translates to perceptions of inferior taste in food products, an effect mediated by both guilt and quality perceptions. Notably, the majority of CSR research focuses on attitudes toward the firm versus actual product experiences. Accordingly, firms should consider how information related to CSR/CSIR can impact not only attitudes toward the firm but the consumption experiences with specific products.