From ethical retailing to advocacy: identification and engagement as drivers

Purpose This study aims to investigate how consumer perceptions of the ethics of retailers (CPER) influence brand advocacy. It focuses on the mediating role of consumer–brand identification (CBID) and the moderating roles of brand involvement and social media exposure. Design/methodology/approach Grounded in social identity theory, the study tests a moderated mediation model using survey data from 407 UK consumers. The three hypotheses were examined using Hayes' PROCESS macro. Findings CPER has a positive effect on brand advocacy. This effect is stronger when consumers have a high brand involvement and greater exposure to brand-related content on social media. CBID mediates the relationship between CPER and brand advocacy. This indirect effect is amplified under conditions of high brand involvement. However, social media exposure does not significantly moderate the indirect effect via CBID. Research limitations/implications This study's cross-sectional sample from the United Kingdom limits generalisability to other cultural contexts, particularly collectivist societies such as China, where ethical perceptions and brand preferences may differ. Future research should test the model across cultures, examining how cultural values, scepticism and materialism among young consumers shape the CPER–consumer response link. Although social media exposure positively moderated the CPER–advocacy relationship, its non-significant interaction with CBID suggests overexposure risks, including information overload and heightened retailer scrutiny. Practical implications The findings show that brand involvement strengthens both the direct CPER–advocacy link and the indirect effect via CBID, with advocacy 33% stronger at high involvement. Managers should therefore prioritise strategies that deepen involvement, such as loyalty programmes and experiential ethical initiatives. Social media exposure amplifies the direct CPER–advocacy effect (47% stronger at high exposure) but does not enhance CBID, suggesting it is better suited for message amplification than identity building. To foster high brand involvement, managers should create platforms that facilitate identification (CBID) to better foster advocacy. Social implications This study highlights how ethical practices can strengthen consumer advocacy by fostering meaningful CBID and brand involvement. By showing that consumers' evaluations of retailers' ethicality are translated into stronger advocacy when consumers feel connected to and involved with a brand, the findings encourage retailers to move beyond symbolic ethics toward inclusive, participatory initiatives. Such approaches can empower consumers, enhance trust and promote responsible consumption, contributing to more transparent, socially accountable and community-oriented retail ecosystems. Originality/value This study extends prior CPER research by identifying CBID as a key psychological mechanism linking ethical perceptions to advocacy. It also highlights brand involvement as an important boundary condition. The findings suggest that ethical retailers can strengthen brand advocacy by fostering consumer involvement and identification through ethical storytelling, co-creation initiatives and value-based partnerships.