Consumer morality and moral norms

With a focus on consumer morality, this paper first reviewed the literature on moral norms, identifying six approaches: (a) descriptive/injunctive; (b) personal; (c) altruistic; (d) material, formal and synthetic; (e) autonomy, beneficence and justice; and (f) universal norms. The paper then explored three moral norm-related concepts - what constitutes a moral situation, morally irresponsible behaviour and morally risky behaviour - with a focus on the insights that they can shed on consumer morality, in concert with the notion of moral norms. The discussion then turned to an overview of how these moral norm concepts have been (can be) applied to understand the moral dimension of consumer behaviour. An iterative analysis of this discussion revealed 10 insights that serve as the genesis for an emergent conceptual framework that can scaffold discussions of the role moral norms play in explaining consumer moral behaviour. The paper concluded with a call for a theory on consumer morality and moral norms.