Consumers' Ethical Beliefs Scale

What it measures

Measures beliefs about the ethicality of a range of questionable consumer behaviours across four categories. Actively Benefiting from Illegal Activity captures beliefs about clearly illegal acts such as shoplifting and software piracy. Passively Benefiting at Others' Expense captures beliefs about benefiting from others' mistakes (e.g., keeping incorrect change). Actively Benefiting from Deception captures using deception to gain advantage (e.g., returning merchandise after using it). No Harm/No Foul captures minor transgressions perceived as victimless (e.g., recording music from the radio). Consumer ethical beliefs predict actual unethical consumer behaviour and responses to corporate social responsibility claims.

Representative items

• Drinking a can of soda in a supermarket without paying for it. (Illegal)
• Getting too much change and not saying anything. (Passive)
• Using a coupon for merchandise you did not buy. (Deception)
• Returning merchandise to a store by claiming it was a gift when it was not. (Deception)
• Tasting grapes in a supermarket without intending to buy. (No Harm/No Foul)

Citation

Vitell, S.J., & Muncy, J. (1992). Consumer ethics: An empirical investigation of factors influencing ethical judgments of the final consumer. Journal of Business Ethics, 11(8), 585–597.