Compassionate consumption: how solidarity shapes purchase intentions

PurposeAddressing a gap in research on solidarity, this study investigates how solidarity with a country in crisis impacts consumer purchase intentions for products from that country, using wine as the product of investigation.Design/methodology/approachUsing the context of the Russo-Ukrainian war and the global solidarity it inspired, the study employed an online survey of US consumers (N = 464) to examine factors influencing solidarity with Ukraine and subsequent purchase intentions for Ukrainian wine. Embedded within the survey was an experiment manipulating label design elements (script and national symbol) to assess their impact on perceived authenticity and product quality.FindingsThe study found that greater familiarity with a crisis-affected country leads to a more positive image of that country, which in turn fosters solidarity. The sense of solidarity translates into a greater likelihood of purchasing products from the country in crisis. Furthermore, solidarity leads consumers to view products from the crisis-affected country as more authentic. However, solidarity itself did not directly affect quality perceptions, and neither authenticity nor quality perceptions alone directly influenced purchase intentions.Practical implicationsMarketers and policymakers in crisis-affected countries can leverage the sense of global solidarity by emphasizing their country’s positive image and communicating its products’ authenticity and quality, likely boosting consumer purchase intentions.Originality/valueThe study uniquely combines the impact of global solidarity with consumer behavior, revealing new dimensions of how crisis contexts affect product evaluations and purchasing intentions.