Do Consumers Want to Create Shared Values? Building Trust in Times of Whitewashing

Objective: This article looks at consumer behaviour in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market in response to actions undertaken by organisations to create shared value. The main objectives of the paper are twofold: to explore the concept of creating shared value (CSV), and explain the forces at work on the demand side that encourage willingness to participate in support activities. The study also identifies stimuli and inhibitors that act as motivators and constraints in the creation of shared value. Research Design & Methods: A qualitative research approach is adopted to accomplish the research objectives. Drawing on individual deep interviews (IDI), the authors identify the understanding, perception and expectations of potential customers toward the concept of CSV. The research group was selected in terms of people who are or were economically active and provided their households with daily (fast-moving products) shopping. Age was a criterion for dividing the participants of the focus group. Findings: The concept of CSV is not widely recognised. While the creation of shared value is often referred to by different names and partially overlaps with tools from the field of socially responsible marketing (such as cause-related marketing – CRM), a deeper examination of CSV reveals key differences, particularly in its much broader consideration of the role of shared value creation across the organisation, rather than being confined to a single functional area. Additionally, CSV is generally looked upon in a positive light. The primary motivating factor for consumers’ involvement is the selection of the target group of beneficiaries. The request for a detailed report on aid provided, demonstrating the organiser’s credibility (supply side), remains unaddressed. Moreover, there is a suggested “fair mark-up” of 10–20% on the product’s base price linked to the amount donated. Additionally, identified inhibitors act as constraints in the creation of CSV. As the key inhibitor factor seems to be lack of trust resulting from organisations’ greenwashing or whitewashing practices, which implicates a tool-based approach to CSV rather than a strategic one. Implications / Recommendations: The selected research method (IDI) allows the authors to explore the issue and identify the factors that prevent respondents from undertaking business initiatives toward creating shared value. Furthermore, the tool-based approach to CSV is important for increasing the organisation’s visibility. Therefore, it is necessary for future research to validate these findings through quantitative studies, considering both the corporate and functional levels of organisational management. Contribution: The article sheds light on the perception of CSV on the demand side and the factors influencing consumer willingness to participate in its creation. Additionally, our examination of the literature reveals that the flexible structure of CSV allows for extensive interpretative freedom in understanding the concept. This paper contributes to the discussion on CSVs, pointing out definitional similarities with CRM and highlighting factors that increase consumers’ willingness to engage with organisations or discourage them from doing so. In particular, we find that respondents emphasised one factor in particular – the type of beneficiary. In addition, trust in the organisation and its brand mitigates any potential doubts. The article emphasises the potential to build trust in organisations by actively involving stakeholders in their CSV development processes.