‘Barriers’ and ‘Influences’ Affecting Consumer Behaviour

GCSE Home Economics (updated July 2013) ‘Barriers’ and ‘Influences’ Affecting Consumer Behaviour

Barriers • The following factors can act as barriers... • disability • age • ethnicity • knowledge • resources (time, money, location)

Disability • Physical barriers • Perceived barriers • Hidden disabilities • Socially isolated “disabled people have a fear of complaining which is related to their low levels of confidence” Quote from Consumer Proficiency research1 BBC Learning Zone Clip: http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/6034.bb.wmv N.B. Left click in slide show to activate internet link to clip (also referenced in Effective Consumer materials list) 1.Consumer Knowledge well, what do you know? March 2004

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 Those ‘buy one get one free’ are no good for me because by the time I use one, the other is out of date.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 • 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. Source: Canny Consumers? Are consumers standing up for their rights. Consumer Council, August 2012

Ethnicity • Language barriers • Prejudice • Cultural differences • Social isolation 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 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

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 N.B This list is not exhaustive! Shopping around is a luxury that some can’t afford Quote from Consumer Council Disability Panel member

7 Consumer Tests* • 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? * 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 Theaverage 10 year old had internalised 300 – 400 brands – 20 times the number of wild birds they could name! Nickeodean study 2001

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…” Middleton, S., Ashworth, K. and Walker, R., Family Fortunes: pressures on parents and children in the 1990s, Child Poverty Action Group, 1994

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

You Were Spotted! Activity 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.

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

‘Barriers’ and ‘Influences’ Affecting Consumer Behaviour