Most research on the consumer decision-making process has been conducted on literate adults. More that 20% of the adult population in South Africa is classified as being functionally illiterate, lacking the numeric and language skills required to perform basic retail tasks. Research examining the challenges faced by functionally illiterate consumers is practically nonexistent. With the lack of research on the shopping behaviour of such consumers in grocery stores, retail marketing decisions are likely to be based on implicit assumptions about literate consumers. Furthermore, this leads to a lack of understanding of how functionally illiterate consumers can be empowered in the grocery store environment. The main purpose of this study was to examine how functionally illiterate consumers in South Africa make decisions to accomplish marketplace activities and also to investigate the coping mechanisms they used in the marketplace. The study specifically examined these issues in the context of grocery shopping. This study therefore aims to assist consumer behaviour researchers to compare the traditional consumer decision-making process with that of functionally illiterate consumers. At the same time, this study attempts to enlighten marketers about the characteristics of a significant proportion of the South African consumer market. A qualitative inquiry, specifically semi-structured interviews, was used to gather data amongst twelve adult literacy learners. The study reveals that functionally illiterate consumers are faced with difficulties in grocery stores. These difficulties are either related to the actual store environment or product choice. Functionally illiterate consumers make purchase decisions differently from commonly held perspectives. The major difference is the fact that functionally illiterate consumers make purchase decisions based on a single product attribute, disregarding other attributes. Functionally illiterate consumers employ coping mechanisms to complement their deficient literacy skills. In this study, a total of 18 coping mechanisms were identified. A number of these mechanisms are behavioural strategies that aid these consumers to solve the problems of satisfying their needs in the marketplace. The coping mechanisms reveal that these consumers have varying levels of literacy. In other words, functionally illiterate consumers are not a single homogeneous group of individuals. This further substantiates the notion that literacy is not static whereby an individual is either literate or not. Literacy implies a range of skills that demand competency in specific contexts. Some of these participants are ready to fight the shame of illiteracy by empowering themselves; this includes asking for help which improves their subsequent shopping experience. The participants that are free to talk to other people seem to have reasonably gained confidence. However, there are still some participants who prefer to hide their limited literacy skills and who tend to experience the same recurring problems. An implication for consumer behaviour research is that existing consumer decision models do not adequately reflect the decisions of functionally illiterate consumers. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Marketing Management / MCom / Unrestricted

The pursuit of sustainability and the preservation of natural resources in consumers’ product choice and –consumption is a worldwide concern. This research therefore focused on the relevance and inter relationship of various motivational factors in contributing to consumers’ pro-environmental intent to purchase eco-friendly appliances in the local context. Since pro-environmental intent does not inexorably lead to environmentally significant choice behaviour, the study also investigated consumers’ prioritization of environmentally related product features in the pre-purchase evaluation and selection of major household appliances. The perspective of those with increased spending power as well as access to a wide variety of products in major urban areas (e.g. Tshwane) was of specific interest. A store intercept method with a non-probability purposive sampling approach was used to recruit respondents in stores while they were in the process of acquiring appliances. A structured questionnaire was administered in face-to-face interviews. A total of 667 questionnaires were collected, of which 648 were used for structural equation modelling and conjoint analyses. Based on the construct associations specified in a structural equation model, an awareness of environmental consequences related to product choice and consumption emerged as an indirect determinant of pro-environmental intent and represents an important precondition for the formation of subjective norms and moral attitudes. A strong and statistically significant relationship between subjective norms and moral attitudes underscore the importance of a social group’s standards in the formation of an individual’s own moral norms and attitudes. In relation to perceived behavioural control, subjective norms may fulfill an informative role when consumers are less confident in their own ability to comprehensively evaluate and select a washing machine with eco-friendly attributes. A combination of moral norms, attitudes and anticipated feelings of guilt significantly contributed to respondents’ pro-environmental intent, and even though they seemed somewhat less convinced about how easy it is to choose eco-friendly appliances, their intentions to buy such appliances consistently reflect a pro-environmental inclination. Using Sawtooth conjoint software, trade-off tasks were compiled to determine the relative importance of environmentally related attributes in relation to other conventional features in consumers’ pre-purchase evaluation and selection of washing machines. Aggregate results reveal that consumers across various age, income and educational levels prioritise brand and price, despite the long-term financial and environmental repurcussions of product features that impact on the use of natural resources. Based on a cluster analysis, four consumer segments were identified that differ in terms of preference structures. Overall, respondents rely on price and brand associations to guide their decision-making due to their inability and inexperience to objectively assess the environmental attributes of a product, which then ultimately contradicts their observed pro-environmental intent. From a practical point of view, the findings substantiate the development of tailored intervention strategies to facilitate informed decision-making and deliberation of consequences that extend beyond the initial selection of a particular product option. Strategies that emphasize the financial benefits of environmentally related features that span over the entire life cycle of the appliance might prove influential in promoting pro-environmental choices. From a theoretical perspective, the research expands an existing body of knowledge by establishing insight about consumers’ behaviour in a Third-World emerging context. In addition, it provides evidence regarding the application of existing theory and methods to explain the inconsistency between consumers’ assumed pro-environmental intent and their actual observed choices in the execution of a more complex, expensive and significant act of acquiring major household appliances. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Consumer Science / PhD / Unrestricted

The apparel and textile industry plays an enormous role in the depletion of natural resources, pollution and other environmental problems. Pro-environmental efforts should thus be encouraged in all stages of the apparel supply chain, but also more specifically at the disposal stage during which consumers should be encouraged to adopt eco-friendly options such as donating, recycling and/ or reselling apparel. The aim of this study was to explore and describe female consumers' pro-environmental disposal motivation and intent regarding apparel in the South African context. The hypothesis and conceptual framework for this study was based on a combination of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Norm Activation Theory's (NAT) constructs as the underlying motivational factors that contribute to pro-environmental disposal intent. The research was carried out in the Gauteng province, South Africa. The sample comprised of 315 female consumers; female consumers were of particular interest since they tend to engage in pro-environmental behaviour to a larger extent than males. This quantitative study used a cross-sectional survey design for which a Qualtrics web-based questionnaire was developed. Data was captured and coded to be further subjected to descriptive and inferential analyses. The findings indicated that most respondents are aware of environmental consequences related to the disposal of apparel. Social norms influenced respondents' personal norms, as well as their behavioural intent to make pro-environmental decisions regarding the disposal of apparel. It seems that consumers' attitudes also influence their pro-environmental behavioural intent significantly. In contrast, perceived behavioural control had a weaker influence on pro-environmental intent. The theoretical contribution of this study relates to the relevance of TPB and NAT constructs in the local context. In so far as practical implications are concerned, it was concluded that government and businesses should get involved in promoting pro-environmental apparel disposal options and educating consumers about the benefits of disposing apparel in a pro-environmental manner. / Die klere en tekstiel bedryf speel 'n noodsaaklike rol in die vermindering van natuurlike bronne, besoedeling en ander omgewingsprobleme. Pro-omgewings pogings moet dus aangemoedig word in alle stadiums van die klere voorsienings kettings, maar meer spesifiek ook in die wegdoen fase waarin verbruikers aangemoedig moet word om omgewings vriendelike opsies te oorweeg soos skenking, herwinning en herverkoping. Die doel van hierdie studie was vroulike verbruikers se pro-omgewings klere beskikkings motivering en bedoeling te verken en beskryf in 'n Suid Afrikaanse konteks. Die hipotese en konseptuele raamwerk vir hierdie studie is gebaseer op 'n kombinasie van die Teorie van Beplande Gedrag (TPB) en die Norm Aktiverings Teorie (NAT) se konsepte as die onderliggende motiverende faktore wat bydra tot verbruikers se pro-omgewings wegdoen voorneme. Die navorsing was uitgevoer in Gauteng provinsie, Suid Afrika. Die steekproef het uit 315 vroulike verbruikers bestaan; vroulike verbruikers was van besondere belang aangesien hulle geneig is om betrokke te raak in pro-omgewings gedrag tot 'n groter mate as mans. Hierdie kwantitatiewe studie het 'n deursnit opname-ontwerp gebruik waarvoor 'n Qualtrics web-gebaseerde vraelys ontwikkel is. Die data was ingevoer en verder gekodeer om beskrywende en inferentiële statistiek ontledings te ontwikkel. Die bevindings het aangedui dat die meeste respondente bewus is van hoe die wegdoen van klere die omgewing beïnvloed. Sosiale norme het die respondente se persoonlike norme beïnvloed, asook hul gedragspatrone intensie om pro-omgewings besluite te maak ten opsigte van die wegdoen van klere. Dit blyk dat die houdings van verbruikers hul pro-omgewings gedrags intensie ook aansienlik beïnvloed. In teenstelling hiermee, het waargeneemde gedrags beheer 'n swakker invloed op pro-omgewings voorneme. Die teoretiese bydrae van hierdie studie het betrekking tot die toepaslikheid van TPB en NAT konsepte in 'n plaaslike konteks. In terme van praktiese implikasies, was die gevolgtrekking dat die regering en besighede betrokke moet raak in die bevordering van pro-omgewings wegdoen opsies en die opvoeding van verbruikers oor die voordele van die afhandeling van klere op 'n pro-omgewings wyse. / Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Consumer Science / MConsumer Science / Unrestricted

Food labels are imperative in consumers‟ decision-making process of packaged food products as they communicate important information such as expiry dates, nutrition information and information about allergies to the consumer. Especially during a first-time purchase, consumers rely on food labels to assist them in making their product choice easier. In the heterogeneous context of South Africa, consumers‟ product needs vary and one may assume that consumer needs in terms of food label information differ. Although food labelling is regulated in South Africa, it is still important that consumers are satisfied with labels due to their significant communicative function. However, to the knowledge of the author, little previous research exists on South African consumers‟ satisfaction with food labels. Therefore, this study aimed to explore and describe consumers‟ satisfaction with food labels based on a typical in-store encounter. The confirmation/disconfirmation paradigm had been used as theoretical foundation in this study and consumers‟ expectations and performance judgement of food labels were therefore explored and compared within the confirmation/disconfirmation paradigm. This study furthermore aimed to explore the influence of food labels on consumers‟ product choice as well as to determine the influence of demographic characteristics on consumers‟ expectations and performance judgement of food labels. Lastly, this study aimed to make recommendations to food regulators and manufacturers on how existing food labels could be improved in order to enhance consumer satisfaction. Based on the literature, satisfaction with food labels might be influenced by the information on food labels such as ingredient lists, expiry dates and nutrition information as well as attributes of food labels such as the readability, understandability, credibility and adequacy. Exploratory factor analysis used in the present study indicated that the information on food labels can be classified as either primary (ingredient list, expiry date, health and nutrition information, information about allergies and quality guarantee) or secondary (name of manufacturer, well-known logos or symbols, country of origin or geographical region, usage instructions and number of servings). A quantitative research method by means of a survey approach was used in this study over a period of three weeks. A total of 400 self-administered questionnaires were distributed at office buildings and business premises in the urban Gauteng Province in September 2010 by means of a non-probability sampling method. A total of 279 useful questionnaires were retrieved and data analysis was performed by Statistical Consultations Services of the North-West University using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). Results show that respondents were only partially satisfied with food labels as they were satisfied with secondary information, but dissatisfied with primary information as well as with label attributes. The results furthermore show that primary information tended to be more likely to influence respondents‟ product choice than secondary information. In addition, results show that demographics had little influence on respondents‟ expectations and performance judgement of food labels. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations can be made to regulators and manufacturers on how consumer satisfaction with existing food labels can be improved. Recommendations include the improvement of the overall readability, understandability, credibility as well as adequacy of food labels. Especially primary information and the way it gets portrayed should be considered for improvement to increase consumer satisfaction. / Thesis (M. Consumer Science)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011

Food labels are imperative in consumers‟ decision-making process of packaged food products as they communicate important information such as expiry dates, nutrition information and information about allergies to the consumer. Especially during a first-time purchase, consumers rely on food labels to assist them in making their product choice easier. In the heterogeneous context of South Africa, consumers‟ product needs vary and one may assume that consumer needs in terms of food label information differ. Although food labelling is regulated in South Africa, it is still important that consumers are satisfied with labels due to their significant communicative function. However, to the knowledge of the author, little previous research exists on South African consumers‟ satisfaction with food labels. Therefore, this study aimed to explore and describe consumers‟ satisfaction with food labels based on a typical in-store encounter. The confirmation/disconfirmation paradigm had been used as theoretical foundation in this study and consumers‟ expectations and performance judgement of food labels were therefore explored and compared within the confirmation/disconfirmation paradigm. This study furthermore aimed to explore the influence of food labels on consumers‟ product choice as well as to determine the influence of demographic characteristics on consumers‟ expectations and performance judgement of food labels. Lastly, this study aimed to make recommendations to food regulators and manufacturers on how existing food labels could be improved in order to enhance consumer satisfaction. Based on the literature, satisfaction with food labels might be influenced by the information on food labels such as ingredient lists, expiry dates and nutrition information as well as attributes of food labels such as the readability, understandability, credibility and adequacy. Exploratory factor analysis used in the present study indicated that the information on food labels can be classified as either primary (ingredient list, expiry date, health and nutrition information, information about allergies and quality guarantee) or secondary (name of manufacturer, well-known logos or symbols, country of origin or geographical region, usage instructions and number of servings). A quantitative research method by means of a survey approach was used in this study over a period of three weeks. A total of 400 self-administered questionnaires were distributed at office buildings and business premises in the urban Gauteng Province in September 2010 by means of a non-probability sampling method. A total of 279 useful questionnaires were retrieved and data analysis was performed by Statistical Consultations Services of the North-West University using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). Results show that respondents were only partially satisfied with food labels as they were satisfied with secondary information, but dissatisfied with primary information as well as with label attributes. The results furthermore show that primary information tended to be more likely to influence respondents‟ product choice than secondary information. In addition, results show that demographics had little influence on respondents‟ expectations and performance judgement of food labels. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations can be made to regulators and manufacturers on how consumer satisfaction with existing food labels can be improved. Recommendations include the improvement of the overall readability, understandability, credibility as well as adequacy of food labels. Especially primary information and the way it gets portrayed should be considered for improvement to increase consumer satisfaction. / Thesis (M. Consumer Science)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011

South Africa has undergone profound political and social transformations since 1990. These changes influenced the perceptions of individuals in Generations X and Y. In South Africa, the members of Generation X experienced their formative years during the transitional years of South Africa’s young democracy during the 1990s, while the members of Generation Y were born during the last decade of apartheid. For the purpose of this study Generation X was classified as those consumers who were born in the period of 1961 to 1981, while Generation Y was born in the period of 1982 to 1994. Generation Y would recall the release of Nelson Mandela from prison and the political transition in the country. The study focused on generational cohorts instead of generations. Generational cohorts are distinct from generations as they are defined according to their transition from childhood to adulthood. A generation on the other hand is defined by its year of birth. This study investigated possible differences in the brand equity perceptions of South African consumers in Generations X and Y. It generated insights regarding generational differences in consumers’ perceptions of four specific brand equity dimensions, namely brand awareness, brand associations, perceived quality and brand loyalty. Equally important was a comprehensive understanding of how consumers in Generations X and Y differed with regard to the aforementioned four consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) dimensions when making a purchase decision regarding electronic consumer goods, particularly a television set. Consequently, this study extended the existing knowledge of consumer behaviour and CBBE by investigating pertinent perceptual differences between Generations X and Y. A mall intercept survey using a self-completion questionnaire was used to gather quantitative data from 223 respondents in Generations X and Y who purchased or were exposed to television sets. A demographic profile of the respondents who participated in the study indicates that 67 of the 114 respondents in Generation X (i.e., 53.2%) were males, compared to 59 of 108 respondents in Generation Y (i.e., 46.8%). The majority of respondents in both Generations X and Y had a diploma as their highest qualification. The Generation X sample contained a higher proportion of African respondents (i.e.,59.5%) compared to the Generation Y sample (i.e., 40.5%). The income profile suggested that there were distinct differences in terms of net monthly household income between respondents from the two generations. Serveral exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were conducted in which the Likert scale statements in question 3 to 6 (see Appendix A p.170-174) measuring different subdimensions of consumer-based brand equity dimensions were subjected to a principal components analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation. The results of the final EFA analysis involved 17 Likert scale items. The PCA revealed four factors (components). These components were brand associations in terms of product quality and value, brand awareness, brand loyalty and brand associations in terms of product manufacturer. Further statistical analysis was conducted based on the four components to test for significant mean differences. The non-parametric test, Mann-Whitney U Test, was conducted. The results confirmed the alternative hypothesis that, there are significant differences between Generation X and Y with regard to their perceptions of brand loyalty. The implications of the findings of the study, to marketing practitioners and brand managers is that they need to understand the type of association Generation X and Y have regarding their brands for effective and strategic planning in order to remain competitive. In addition to that, Generation X’s perception of quality does not differ significantly to that of Generation Y, thus it will be beneficial for practitioners to develop unique quality features. Consequently, they must intensify awareness around their brands. / Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / gm2014 / Marketing Management / unrestricted

The study explores South African respondents’ attitudes toward game meat and finds the differences between the attitudes of consumer and non-consumer respondents of game meat toward the following attributes of game meat: sensory characteristics; health benefits; game meat production ethics; animal welfare; safety for human consumption; availability; price; promotion; and preparation. This quantitative study determined the attitudes of 1096 consumers and 310 non-consumers of game meat with an online survey using questionnaires. Recruitment was done through social media and e-mail forwarding. The differences in attitudes between consumer and non-consumer respondents were determined using Fishbein’s attitude-toward-the-object model. Based on attitudes toward individual attributes, respondents classified some product attributes as important in their decision to consume, or not to consume, game meat. Respondents indicated that the availability, sensory characteristics, game meat production ethics and health benefits are considered to be important in their consumption of game meat. To market game meat purposefully, the industry should focus on these attributes. / Life and Consumer Sciences / MCS (Life and Consumer Sciences)

Although South African consumers are reflecting increased green purchasing intentions, the factors that will lead to their intended behaviour to select green hotels have yet to be researched. Accordingly, the research proposes to explore the predictive ability of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and then further modify and develop extended model structures surrounding the TPB, to identify and confirm an independent theoretical model that will effectively and comprehensively be able to predict South African consumers’ intended behaviour towards selecting green hotels. To answer the aim and objectives set, the research positioned itself within a non-experimental quantitative paradigm. An online questionnaire was distributed to South African consumers that stayed at a hotel at least once within a 12-month period. A total of 402 completed and error-free responses were used for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to assess, derive and understand the demographic profile of the respondents and determine the respondent’s characteristics as South Africans who intend to stay at or visit hotels. Structural equation modelling (SEM) revealed that Azjen (1991)’s original TPB is a strong predictor of behavioural intention, indicating its applicability to the domain of South African consumers’ behavioural intention towards selecting green hotels. In addition, it was found that South African consumers’ intended behaviour towards selecting green hotels can statistically be best explained by expanding on the original TPB model to include emotive and non-cognitive predictor variables, namely anticipated regret (AR) and perceived moral obligation (PMO), as direct constructs to behavioural intention as well as by including environmental knowledge (EK) as a direct predictor variable to attitude (ATT). Furthermore, it found that the relationship between behavioural intention and perceived behavioural control (PBC) was the strongest and most significant, followed by subjective norm (SN), ATT, PMO and AR. Lastly, the findings revealed that PBC, ATT, SN, PMO and AR can all act as positive and highly significant intermediaries between EK and behavioural intention. The study contributed towards theory by identifying and assessing the psychographic factors that will best explain the consumer decision-making processes leading to behavioural intention in context to green hotel selection. The study further extends its contribution by adding value to environmental sustainable literature in context to an emerging economy, namely South Africa. Although South African consumers are reflecting increased green purchasing intentions, the psychological factors that will lead to the intended behaviour towards selecting green hotels have not received much attention in research. It was, therefore, important and theoretically valuable to not only investigate the predictive ability of the original TPB, but to also modify, develop and extend model variations surrounding the TPB to thoroughly explore the predictive ability for South African consumers’ intention to select green hotels. / Life and Consumer Sciences / M. Sc.