‘Barriers’ and ‘Influences’ Affecting Consumer

Behaviour

GCSE Home Economics (updated July 2013)

The following factors can act as barriers...

• disability

• age

• ethnicity

• knowledge

• resources (time, money, location)

Barriers

Disability“disabled people have a fear of complaining which is related to their low levels of confidence”Quote from Consumer Proficiency research1

1.Consumer Knowledge well, what do you know? March 2004

• Physical barriers

• Perceived barriers

• Hidden disabilities

• Socially isolated

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/6034.bb.wmv

BBC Learning Zone Clip:

N.B. Left click in slide show to activate internet link to clip (also referenced in Effective Consumer materials list)

Age – Older Consumers

Those who can’t jump into a car are losing out and are at the

mercy of family and friends, home help or

deliveries.

Those ‘buy one get one free’ are no good for me because by

the time I use one, the other is out of date.

Cooking information is usually small and virtually unreadable, very difficult to compare like with like.

Quotes from: Silver Service? Are supermarkets meeting the needs of older consumers? Consumer Council in partnership with Age Concern, November 2007 – >>>Play Silver Service DVD (copies available on request from the Consumer Council)

Age – Older Consumers

• Levels of online shopping are lowest amongst older people aged 65+

• Only 10 per cent of over 65’s shopped online at least once a month and 82 per cent never shopped online

Source: Canny Consumers? Are consumers standing up for their rights? Consumer Council, August 2012 www.consumercouncil.org.uk/publications

Age –Younger Consumers

Source: Canny Consumers? Are consumers standing up for their rights. Consumer Council, August 2012

• Young consumers aged 16-24 considered themselves to be not well informed about their consumer rights

• However, 69 per cent of 16-24 year olds say they feel confident in speaking up if something goes wrong with goods or services they’ve bought.

Ethnicity

• Language barriers

• Prejudice

• Cultural differences

• Social isolation

Friends awarded £7,500 compensation over racist bouncer at Belfast

nightclub…the doorman made racist remarks to Mr Lopez, who is Portuguese and black….http://news.bbc.co.uk

Polish Cultural Week

The festival of Polish arts and culture is aimed at helping local people understand more about the backgrounds of those families who’ve

settled here in search of work and a better way of life.Belfast Telegraph 6/5/2009

Knowledge

In general, consumer skills remain less well developed among:

• young people (15-24)

• older people (55+)

• those living on a low income

Source: Canny Consumers? Are consumers standing up for their rights. Consumer Council, August 2012

Other barriers

1 in 4 people of working age in Northern Ireland have low literacy levels.

Discuss the problems this could cause a consumer

Resources

Time Money Location

Working hours

Low income

Rural

Dependents Access to credit

Food deserts

Lack of time to do ‘research’

Financial capability

TransportShopping

around is a luxury that some can’t

affordQuote from Consumer Council Disability Panel member

N.B This list is not exhaustive!

Access: can people get the goods or services they need or want? Choice: is there any?

Safety: are the goods or services dangerous to health or welfare?

Information: is it available, accurate, accessible and useful? Fairness: are some consumers unfairly discriminated against? Redress: if things go wrong, is there a system for putting them right? Representation: do consumers have a say in how goods or services

are provided?

7 Consumer Tests*

* The 7 consumer tests were developed in the 1970s and are still used today to measure the delivery of goods and services in private and public sectors

Influences on Consumer Behaviour

i.e. What makes us shop where and for what?

Impact of Marketing

“Advertising is the art of convincing people to spend money they don’t have for something they don’t need.” Will Rogers

“ I have always believed that writing advertisements is the second most profitable form of writing. The first of course is ransom notes…” Philip Dusenberry

In 1937, Disney licensed Snow White’s image before the film

release, creating demand for Snow White goods…today, we still

see children’s filmed linked with marketing for toys, clothing, burger

meal deals etc

Targeting Young Consumers

“advertising at its best is making people feel that without their

product, you’re a loser. Kids are very sensitive to that. If you

tell them to buy something, they are resistant. But, if you tell them

that they’ll be a dork if they don’t, you’ve got their attention.

You open up emotional vulnerabilities…”

Nancy Shalek, Shalek Agency, cited in Juliet. B. Schor’s Born to Buy: the

commercialised child and the new consumer culture, Scribner, 2004

Targeting Young Consumers

The average 10 year old had internalised 300 – 400 brands – 20 times the number of wild birds they could name!

Nickeodean study 2001

Middleton, S., Ashworth, K. and Walker, R., Family Fortunes: pressures on parents and children in the1990s, Child Poverty Action Group, 1994

Social Psychology of Food

“Parents struggle hard to protect their children from

bullying – and make sure that their children’s

lunchboxes are as full as their classmates. In this way,

snacks like crisps or chocolate are not seen as luxuries

but a way for their children to participate in

conventional behaviour…”

Influencing Factors

Cultural

Economic

Environmental and ethical

Personal

Physiological

Psychological and

Social

Influencing Factors

Cultural

Someone of Chinese origin might shop for specific ingredients at an Asian supermarket

Can you think of other examples?

Influencing Factors

Economic

A person living on a tight budget would be unlikely to buy luxury items as part of their weekly food shop.

Can you think of other examples?

Influencing Factors

Environmental and ethical

A shopper opposed to animal cruelty may choose not to buy products that have been tested on animals.

Can you think of other examples?

Influencing Factors

Personal

A teenager might feel more comfortable downloading music online, whereas an older consumer might prefer to purchase a CD.

Can you think of other examples?

Influencing Factors

Physiological

Someone who is trying to lose weight may wish to avoid fast food and high sugar snacks.

Can you think of other examples?

Influencing Factors

Psychological

Some shops play music designed to make consumers feel good, stay longer and buy more.

Can you think of other examples?

Influencing Factors

Social

Some consumers are influenced by trends and want the latest ‘must-have’ toys, fashion items or technology.

Can you think of other examples?

You Were Spotted! Activity

Cultural

Economic

Environmental and ethical

Personal

Physiological

Psychological and

Social

Taken from the ‘What influences consumer behaviour’ lesson plan, match the character(s) to the activity and say what the influencing factors is

1. Spotted…shopping for chilies, sausages and sweet potatoes at Saturday’s Farmers’ Market.

2. Spotted…buying fresh haddock reduced to £1 because it’s nearing its use-by date.

3. Spotted…disposing of used plastic carrier bags at the supermarket collection bin.

4. Spotted…coming back from the sales, trying to juggle several shopping bags whilst chatting on the mobile.

5. Spotted…loading a trolley with half price bedding plants and compost.

6. Spotted…at the till, filling a rucksack with shopping essentials. 7. Spotted…queuing at a

late night Spar to buy milk.

8. Spotted…at the electrical counter in Tesco discussing the merits of a camera phone with the salesperson. 9. Spotted…taking

delivery of shopping which was ordered online.

10. Spotted…at the cinema with a home-made picnic of sandwiches, crisps and fruit juices.

You Were Spotted! Activity

Recap on resources

Lesson Plans

Being a consumer

What influences consumer behaviour

What type of yoghurt are you?

Multimedia

BBC Learning Zone Clip – re: disability

Silver Service DVD – re: older consumers

Buy Rights – Have Your Say – re: young consumers