Nation-level CSR, affective country image, and international consumers: A case of fashion products

Despite growing attention to consumer ethics and environmental consciousness, limited research has examined how nation‑level corporate social responsibility (NCSR) shapes international consumers’ purchasing behavior. Drawing on social psychology, CSR, and country‑of‑origin (COO) literature, this study explores how perceptions of a producing country’s NCSR, conceptualized as part of cognitive country image (CCI), influence purchase intention both directly and through affective country image (ACI). Focusing on four major fashion‑exporting countries (China, Bangladesh, Turkey, and Italy), the study investigates how Dutch consumers evaluate these countries’ NCSR. The findings show that perceived NCSR significantly predicts purchase intention and that this effect is mediated by ACI. However, perceived consumer effectiveness does not moderate the NCSR-purchase intention relationship. The study also highlights notable differences in how Dutch consumers perceive sourcing countries, particularly between Asian and European contexts, offering strategic implications for fashion firms seeking to strengthen competitiveness in the European market.