According to research led by Tobias Schlager of the University of Lausanne, people – especially women – are likely to be deterred from shopping with brands that have higher gender pay gaps. Using four experiments, researchers were able to demonstrate how people are turned off by brands with gender pay gaps. “Consumers who believe that a company is treating its employees unfairly can be hesitant to purchase goods from that company because it implies support for inequitable firm practices,” reads the report. It also reveals a cut-off point; if there is a substantial personal cost to the individual in avoiding a brand – for example, needing a ride in the pouring rain – they're more likely to bypass their moral view.

People – especially women – are likely to be deterred from brands with higher gender pay gaps.Samson Katt (2020)

The UK’s obligatory gender pay gap disclosure was placed on pause during the pandemic, something critics fear will impede progress, especially given the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on women. This research highlights the need for all brands to remain mindful of the values and experiences of their consumers, while also pointing to how even the most ethical brands still need to be in the right place at the right time. Helping people to make more informed choices, more conveniently, Progressive Shopper simplifies the act of values-based purchasing – something that could become even more important post-pandemic, with consumers reporting a 23% increase in the number of brands they feel emotionally connected to.

Ellie Barber is a senior behavioural analyst at Canvas8. She has worked across the UK, US, Europe, and Asia to unpick consumer behaviour for some of the world’s largest brands, finding herself on rooftops with Russian teenagers and eating hot pot with Shanghai’s streetwear community. When she’s not doing that, you can find her singing at weekly choir practises or attempting Ottolenghi recipes.