Decoding consumer resistance to near-expired products: The role of social stereotyping

Why are consumers reluctant to purchase near-expired products despite the commonly tempting price deals associated with them? Whereas prior literature attributes this phenomenon to various product-related factors (e.g., freshness or quality concerns), we propose that it may also partially stem from consumers’ concern of being stereotyped as stingy; that is, people tend to stereotype the purchasers of near-expired products as stingy, which may in turn motivate consumers to resist these products to maintain their social evaluation. Seven studies—including an IAT (Implicit Association Test) experiment, a field experiment, lab and online experiments—offer converging evidence for the proposed effect. The authors also validate the proposed underlying process by showing that the effect is magnified when price discounts are applied to near-expired products and attenuates when purchases are made privately or when purchasers are imbued with socially desirable characteristics such as being proenvironmental and smart consumers. The authors conclude by highlighting insights for emerging ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) marketing and retailing practices.