Relationship sustainability-store equity across segments of retail customers

Abstract

PurposeThe study of sustainability in retail has experienced an exponential interest in recent years as a result of greater awareness on the part of consumers of the negative effects of the current way of producing and consuming on society and the environment. This work examines the heterogeneous evaluation based on behavioural variables in retail trade and how consumer perceptions towards sustainable practices implemented in stores can influence the overall store equity.Design/methodology/approachThe authors propose a theoretical model based on the literature, tested through a mixed regression model in a sample of 510 customers of food retail establishments.FindingsThe dimensions of sustainability are postulated as driving forces of brand equity towards the retail establishment. Specifically, social sustainability shows a greater impact on consumer perception, being the main factor in the development of the store's brand equity. Furthermore, the analysis of unobserved heterogeneity identifies three latent classes in which the effects of perceptions on sustainable retail activities vary across consumer segments.Originality/valueThe study analyses in a single model the effect of sustainability dimensions on store equity from the consumer's perspective, analysing the differences between these relationships as a consequence of the unobserved heterogeneity of consumers.