Abstract
The objective of this chapter is to develop a model of the behavior of the ecological consumer in order to know the motivations that influence the decision to purchase organic products in citizens from 25 to 45 years of Mexico. The methodology used in the research is qualitative. It was carried out through the non-experimental design, and with respect to the data collection tool, in-depth interviews were carried out. The results obtained with respect to the factors that influence the purchase decision of the products are accepted the general hypothesis. One of the limitations that the study faced was a limited literature regarding studies related to it in the case of Mexico.
TopBackground
Statement of the Problem
In recent years, environmental problems have intensified, especially those related to non - pollution, climate change and ecological awareness in the consumption of products. Currently, at the national and international level, there are four large environmental groups founded in the 60s and 70s that are the current basis of the militant institutional environmental movement. These are basically Greenpeace, WWF - ADENA, Ecologists in Action, and Seo / Birdlife (Bravo, 2010).
Due to ecological and marketing research that took place at an early stage in the sixties, environmental movements emerged (Hendarwan, 2002). They sought a new lifestyle and global alternatives to the industrial and consumer society, thus seeking to achieve the transformation of ecology. And it is because of this social movement that materializes the new market segment constituted by ecological consumers, individuals more concerned about the environmental consequences of what they consume, and be sensitive to the negative effects that the impact of human activities have on the environment and the health of people (Santesmases, 2004).
According to Fernandez et al. (2013) the main reason for purchasing organic products is that consumers consider them to be healthier because their products are subjected to methods that guarantee the care of environment. On the other hand, Tregear et al. (1994) tells that the environmental factor explains only a small part of organic food purchases, because consumers have a more egocentric behavior, where concern for oneself and, consequently, concern for their health plays a much more important role in the purchase of these products.
Meanwhile the survey conducted by National Geographic - GlobeScan (2012) showed that consumers with “ecological conscience” are a niche that grows fast in Mexico, creating a trend, but what factors motivates them to buy this type of products? It is just a novelty or the consumers really consider that the consumption of ecological products and / or services help with the care of the environment. Green consumption in Mexico has been a subject little investigated academically, since the few jobs that exist are market studies, such as the Green Study of TNS Research International (2010) which mentions that almost 50% of Mexicans prefer consume products that are friendly to the environment
Therefore, it is necessary that more research be done especially in Mexico to decipher the behavior of consumers who prefer organic products. The subject is of interest for various audiences because there is a possible business opportunity for the creation of companies, products and / or services with green features that help differentiate in an increasingly competitive market and of course for associations, movements and people that seek to promote sustainable lifestyles in the population. For these reasons, the object of study is to know the motivations that influence the decision to purchase organic products in citizens from 25 to 45 years of the municipality of Guadalajara.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Guadalajara: It is the name of the capital of Jalisco, Mexico. Guadalajara is a city and Mexican municipality, capital and most populated city of the state of Jalisco. It is located in western Mexico, in the center of Jalisco.
Consumer Behavior: Consumer behavior is that part of the behavior of people and the decisions that this implies when they are acquiring goods or using services to meet their needs.
Organic Products: It is called organic food, organic food, or biological food to agricultural or agro-industrial product that is produced under a set of procedures called “ecological.” In general, ecological methods avoid the use of synthetic products, such as pesticides, herbicides, and artificial fertilizers.
Ecological Purchases: The “ecological purchases” suppose the systematic application of compatible criteria with the environment to all the acquisitions and daily operations. In short, it is about meeting the needs of the company with the most appropriate products and favorable to the environment.
Psychological Motivators: The motivation is those stimuli that move a person, to perform certain actions, which require an effort to achieve in objective.
Buying Behavior: Conduct of the consumers relative to the de facto purchase of a product, as well as to the site and the frequency of such purchases.
Decision Purchase: Important decision process that lies behind the act of buying a product or service, consisting of different stages through which the buyer passes to decide which product or service is best suited to their needs and provides a greater value. If the purchasing decision is satisfactory and provides value to the consumer and, in addition, relational marketing tools are used for the loyalty of the latter, the reiteration of the purchase to the same supplier is highly probable.
Motivation Factors: The set of needs that explain the behavior of people are what we call motivating factors or motives: organic motivators and social motivators.