GCSE Home Economics Teachers Conference

Barriers and Influences Affecting Consumer Behaviour

Philippa McKeown
Senior Consumer Affairs Officer Consumer Council

Barriers I went to the market but I didnt buy because of disability age ethnicity knowledge resources (time, money, location)

Disability Physical barriers Perceived barriers Hidden disabilities Socially isolated

BBC Learning Zone Clip:

disabled people have a fear of complaining which is related to their low levels of confidence

Quote from Consumer http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/6034.bb.wmv 1 Proficiency research

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 cant 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Those buy one get one free are no good for me because by the time I use one, the other is out of date.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 short film on the Silver Service DVD

Age Older Consumers

Older people in Northern Ireland are the least likely to shop online. Elsewhere in the UK, the number of over 55s buying online has more than doubled in the years 2004 2006 from 1.4. million to 3.4 million (Verdict,
UK e-Retail 2007).

Source: Well, what do consumers know now? A Consumer Council Progress Report on Consumer Proficiency 2003 2007, March 2008

Age Younger Consumers

Young people are less well informed about their rights (57 per cent compared to 63 per cent average) They are least likely to take further action if unhappy about goods or service (55 per cent compared to 64 per cent) Young people were the least likely to be satisfied with the way their complaint was handled.

Source: Well, what do consumers know now? A Consumer Council Progress Report on Consumer Proficiency, March 2008

Age Younger Consumers

Three quarters of young people and adults believe shops treat young people differently to adults One in four felt that shop staff did not act in a respectful way to young people Young people exert a huge influence on major household purchases e.g. cars, holidays and leisure Buy Rights raises awareness of rights and how best to communicate them

Source: Consumer Council Children Shopping Research, 2006

Ethnicity
Language barriers Prejudice Cultural differences Social isolation
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Knowledge In general, consumer skills remain less well developed among: young people (15-24) older people (55+) those living on a low income
Source: Well, what do consumers know now? A Consumer Council Progress Report on Consumer Proficiency 2003 - 2007

Knowledge
Consumers in rural areas tend to be less confident about expressing their consumer rights and taking further action and were less aware of where to go to for help and advice1.

Research in 20032 also showed consumers from minority, ethnic and disability groups and those living in areas of social need having fewer consumer skills.
1. 2. Well, what do consumers know now? A Consumer Council Progress Report on Consumer Proficiency 2003 2007, March 2008 Consumer Knowledge well, what do you know? March 2004

Other barriers

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

Source: Adult literacy in Northern Ireland, NISRA, 1998

Resources
Time Working hours Money Location
N.B This list is not exhaustive!

Low income Rural Food deserts Transport

Dependents Access to credit Lack of time Financial to do capability research

Quote from Consumer Council Disability Panel member

Shopping around is a luxury that some cant afford

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?

Impact of Marketing

Advertising is the art of convincing people to spend money they dont have for something they dont 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 Whites image before the film release, creating demand for Snow White goodstoday, we still see childrens 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, youre a loser. Kids are very sensitive to that. If you tell them to buy something, they are resistant. But, if you tell them that theyll be a dork if they dont, youve got open up emotional

their attention. You

vulnerabilities

Nancy Shalek, Shalek Agency, cited in Juliet. B. Schors 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

Social Psychology of Food

Parents struggle hard to protect their children from bullying and make sure that their childrens 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

Influencing Factors
Economic

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

Influencing Factors
Environmental and ethical

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

Influencing Factors
Personal A teenager might feel more comfortable ordering a CD online, whereas an older consumer might prefer to go to a high-street music store.

Influencing Factors

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

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

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

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. Spottedshopping for chilies, sausages and sweet potatoes at Saturdays Farmers Market. 2. Spottedbuying fresh haddock reduced to 1 because its nearing its use-by date.

3. Spotteddisposing of used plastic carrier bags at the supermarket collection bin.

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

5. Spottedloading a trolley with half price bedding plants and compost.

6. Spottedat the till, filling a rucksack with shopping essentials.

7. Spottedqueuing at a late night Spar to buy milk.

8. Spottedat the electrical counter in Tesco discussing the merits of a camera phone with the salesperson.

9. Spottedtaking delivery of shopping which was ordered online.

10. Spottedat 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