When Consumer Betrayal Spreads: Transmission and Compounding Effects in High-Stakes Situations

Betrayal is a harmful phenomenon that damages relationships and imposes significant psychological and financial costs. This research examines consumer experiences of multiple betrayals by multiple actors in high-stakes situations, where the consequences for consumers are exceptionally devastating. Drawing on the lived experiences of the bereaved during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study finds that consumers perceive betrayal as originating from five interrelated levels. These betrayals often influence and facilitate other betrayals, a dynamic referred to as “transmission effects,” in which acts of betrayal propagate across and between levels. Results reveal that the depth and breadth of betrayal often transcend isolated brand incidents, and that multiple betrayals create a compounding effect where consumers spread the net of blame to include not just individual organizations but also the systems that govern them, and even broader societal structures. The research also spotlights the severe impact of betrayal on consumer well-being in the form of moral injury. By expanding the scope and implications of consumer betrayal, this article offers both theoretical and managerial contributions by deepening the understanding of how betrayal occurs, its effects on consumers, and how marketers might work to prevent or mitigate it.