Changes in Consumer Behaviour
Executive Summary
Consumer behaviours have changed over the years; this is shown by consumers today purchasing a more healthy variety of products, as information today is known about products that was not known many years ago. Factors such as these, change the way we perceive and value products, as we now are more knowledgeable as well as manufacturers having by law to print the ingredients and content of the products ingredients on the back of most food products, allowing consumers to become more educated. The typical consumer today watches what they eat; they are more aware and exposed to factors that have brought about change in consumer behaviours.
Factors such as personal, psychological and social factors have a huge impact on consumer behaviour. From the family unit, to the lifestyles we now adopt, comes decisions influenced by our peers, experiences and knowledge. The ability to now have information right at our finger tips provokes people to know exactly what they are consuming, and whether or not they are a health risk to them or their families. While we as consumers can all access information on most of the products we buy, we also have the government, manufacturers and consumer groups that promote the health risk associated with products we consume. For example, an advertisement campaign by the health department will promote the health risk associating with smoking and a consumer group such as the ACA will publish in their magazine the health hazard linked with gene modification. The roles of the government and consumer groups are all widely linked and aim to inform the public consumer about the safety of products.
1.0 Introduction
Consumers today tend to purchase differently then they did 10 years ago. As we grow older with every new generation, our values and perceptions change, which is indicative of the way in which we purchase our goods and services. Consumers are concerned about what they buy, from household goods to genetically
Consumer behaviours have changed over the years; this is shown by consumers today purchasing a more healthy variety of products, as information today is known about products that was not known many years ago. Factors such as these, change the way we perceive and value products, as we now are more knowledgeable as well as manufacturers having by law to print the ingredients and content of the products ingredients on the back of most food products, allowing consumers to become more educated. The typical consumer today watches what they eat; they are more aware and exposed to factors that have brought about change in consumer behaviours.
Factors such as personal, psychological and social factors have a huge impact on consumer behaviour. From the family unit, to the lifestyles we now adopt, comes decisions influenced by our peers, experiences and knowledge. The ability to now have information right at our finger tips provokes people to know exactly what they are consuming, and whether or not they are a health risk to them or their families. While we as consumers can all access information on most of the products we buy, we also have the government, manufacturers and consumer groups that promote the health risk associated with products we consume. For example, an advertisement campaign by the health department will promote the health risk associating with smoking and a consumer group such as the ACA will publish in their magazine the health hazard linked with gene modification. The roles of the government and consumer groups are all widely linked and aim to inform the public consumer about the safety of products.
1.0 Introduction
Consumers today tend to purchase differently then they did 10 years ago. As we grow older with every new generation, our values and perceptions change, which is indicative of the way in which we purchase our goods and services. Consumers are concerned about what they buy, from household goods to genetically
References: Roy Morgan Research Group, Viewed on 20th of March 2007 <www.roymorgan.com.au> AC Nielson Market Research Group, Viewed on 23rd of March 2007< www.acnielson.com.au> Neal, C. Quester, P. & Hawkins, D. 2004, Consumer Behaviour: Implications for Marketing Strategy, 4th Edition, McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd. Choice (ACA) Magazine website online, Viewed of the 20th of March 2007 www.choice.com.au Journal of Consumer Research, Viewed on 20th of March 2007 http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/inthenews_2006.html