Page - 162 - in Intelligent Environments 2019 - Workshop Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Intelligent Environments

System for Motivating Ethical Consumption Behavior Using Dongle Interface Application Junichi SUZUKI a,b, 1, Tomonari OKUBO c , Hiromu OKI c , Takayuki FUKUI d , Takashi FUJII e , Toshihiko RYUGO e , Motoki SATO e , and Yasuhiro KAWAHARA f , a Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo b DENTSU INC. c ISI-Dentsu, Ltd. d Panasonic Corporation e Sivira Inc. f The Open University of Japan Abstract. Recent years have seen a rise in ethical consumption, which includes not only reduced expenditures but also considerations regarding the environment and future benefits to humanity. This study investigates a method for encouraging ethical consumption via the use of a dongle interface with a smartphone. We have developed an application that presents information to smartphone users to motivate ethical consumption via a dongle interface and records information on ethical activity to a blockchain. This paper also presents considerations with respect to ethical consumption activity resulting from use by customers in an actual commercial establishment, with presentation of intended future developments. Keywords. Dongle interface, ethical consumption, blockchain, traceability 1. Introduction Ethical consumption is a key phrase gaining worldwide attention. As a definition of ethical consumption, it is stated that consumer's consumption activity with the support of global environment and developing countries (Jeffery Bray et al.)[1] and consumption activity conscious of moral and political right (Kim Humphery)[2]. According to Veronika A. Andorfer et al., while an increasing number of people are aware of environmental issues and have oriented themselves to more ethical engagements, ethical consumption market share is still extremely low [3]. Deidre Shaw et al. indicated a gap between ethical consumption-related attitudes and behavior [4]. Louise M. Hassan et al. claims that empirical research is needed to assess the complex nature of intention and behavioral divergence [5]. Roberta Sebastiani et al. claims that as a new business model, economic consumption affects existing businesses [6]. John 1 Junichi Suzuki, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 277-8561, Japan, E-mail: suzuki.junichi@s.nenv.k.u-tokyo.ac. Intelligent Environments 2019 A. Muñoz et al. (Eds.) © 2019 The authors and IOS Press. This article is published online with Open Access by IOS Press and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC 4.0). doi:10.3233/AISE190038 162