UK consumers’ ethical beliefs towards dining at green restaurants: A qualitative evaluation

Abstract

This study explores consumers' intrinsic ethical beliefs across the UK and how these contribute to their intention to dine at green restaurants. A series of four semi-structured focus groups were conducted to elicit ethical beliefs relative to the consumers' decision-making concerning dining at green restaurants. The in-depth qualitative data was examined through the lens of the Hunt-Vitell theory of ethics (H-V model), which has been rarely used in the hospitality domain. The data showed that 45% of the participants had dined at a green restaurant, and 37% had difficulty defining the term. The results also revealed diagnostic information concerning British consumers' salient ethical beliefs relating to dining at green restaurants, such as perceived personal and environmental benefits, concerns, reference groups, facilitators, and barriers. There was substantial ambiguity regarding the knowledge of green restaurant initiatives amongst consumers. Increasing knowledge by promoting informative and educative green initiatives could be employed by restaurants to raise the general public's awareness of ethical approaches adopted. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.