The Spillover Effects of Negative Supply Chain Information on Consumers’ Perceptions of Product Attributes

Research shows consumers moving from passive recipients of products and services to becoming a more integral part of supply chain operations and even strategies. As consumers are exposed to, and take interest in, more supply chain information, questions are arising concerning the impact this information has on product-related attributes and evaluations. This study examines the extent to which messages about a company’s supply chain activities, specifically those dealing with social responsibility, affect consumer evaluations of products sold by the company. Results indicate this “spillover effect” is most likely to occur when the message is negative. Positive messages are less influential. This effect is generalized across two sample populations, while accounting for relevant individual differences in consumer behavior.