Chapter 15: Age and Gender Differences in Consumer Attitudes Towards Cruelty-free Cosmetics: Integrating Social Identity Theory Within the Stimulus-Organism-Response Framework

In recent years, a growing social consciousness and post-pandemic lifestyle shifts have prompted consumers to scrutinise the ethical implications of their choices, particularly in the beauty industry. The growing preference for cruelty-free cosmetics reflects this shift towards values-driven consumption. This study examines the psychological processes that diverse consumer demographics undergo when purchasing cruelty-free cosmetic products, a trend gaining momentum in socially aware markets. By integrating Social Identity Theory (SIT) into the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, it examines how gender moderates the relationship between key stimuli, such as cruelty-free labels, awareness, social media influence (SMI) and regulatory standards, and consumer responses, as measured by perceived value (PV). Using covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) on data from 468 validated participants, the study reveals significant gender-based disparities in consumer behaviour. Findings indicate that Social Identity (SI) substantially moderates the relationship between stimuli and PV, suggesting that gender influences how consumers process information and make purchasing decisions about cruelty-free products. These insights provide practical implications for stakeholders in ethical consumerism, enabling them to align marketing and communication strategies with evolving consumer values. The study’s originality lies in its integration of SIT into the S-O-R framework, providing a fresh perspective on ethical consumption and highlighting the pivotal role of gender in shaping attitudes and behaviours towards cruelty-free cosmetics. Ultimately, it advances theoretical understanding and provides actionable insights to engage different consumer segments more effectively.