While the concept of brand loyalty is well-researched, qualitative studies pertaining specifically to generational transfer of brand loyalty in a South African fast-moving consumer goods context are few and far between. This study used the dishwashing liquid product category in the Western Cape Province of South Africa to analyse generational transfer of brand loyalty. Following a qualitative research methodology, using in-person interviews across two generations - children and parents/guardians - raw data was obtained. Participants were asked to provide information relating to their preferred brand of dishwashing liquid, as well as their reasons for using the brand, their loyalty towards the brand, as well as their likelihood of brand switching. The data underwent a thorough thematic data analysis. Codes, categories, and themes were identified, with the researcher continually seeking to identify patterns in responses. A number of findings were laid out, offering insights into the concept of generational transfer of brand loyalty, as well as a foundation for future research into the topic. The study established that, in the dishwashing liquid product category in the Western Cape, there is a strong degree of generational transfer of brand loyalty, and at times, the transfer has taken place across three generations. Aspects such as consumers’ use of a brand out of habit and brand associations also appear to transfer generationally at times. There is also a strong occurrence of brand loyalty in the product category - mostly towards Unilever’s Sunlight brand. Brand switching across generations is uncommon in this sector, prevented by factors including enthusiastic brand loyalty and budgetary limitations. When switching does occur, it is driven mainly by a desire to discover whether a better brand exists, and changes in price and availability. Price and effectiveness frequently combine to form assessments of value during consumers’ purchase decision process in this product category. This study provides insight into the phenomenon of generational transfer of brand loyalty, within the context of the FMCG industry in the Western Cape. The findings within may prove useful both to brand marketers as well as researchers seeking a foundation upon which to conduct further studies in this area. The implications of this study, and recommendations for future, related studies, have been discussed in this report.

Ce travail s’intègre dans le cadre du programme européen COMET (7ième PCRD EURATOM) et vise à évaluer les réponses épigénétiques (particulièrement la méthylation de l’ADN), lors d’expositions chroniques à de faibles niveaux de substances radioactives.Lors d’une première expérience, les poissons zèbres (Danio rerio) ont été exposés au laboratoire à des concentrations environnementales d’uranium appauvri : 2 et 20 µg L-1. Cette expérimentation a révélé un impact sur la méthylation de l’ADN génomique, majoritairement chez les mâles exposés, croissant avec la durée et le niveau d’exposition. Lors d’une seconde expérience, nous avons observé un impact sur les profils de méthylation de la descendance issue de parents exposés, ainsi qu’une perturbation du statut transcriptomique et des dommages histologiques dans le muscle squelettique des larves issues de parents exposés.Les outils développés ont pu être appliqués à la problématique d’étude des effets biologiques induits par les radionucléides émis lors de l’accident de la centrale nucléaire de Fukushima Daiichi. Les analyses réalisées sur la grenouille arboricole Japonaise (Hyla japonica) ont révélé une corrélation positive entre la dose totale de radioactivité absorbée par ces grenouilles, l’hyperméthylation de l’ADN génomique et l’augmentation des dommages à l’ADN mitochondrial.L’ensemble de ces travaux a permis de mettre en évidence la sensibilité des réponses épigénétiques chez différents organismes soumis à de faibles doses de radionucléides, qui pourraient ainsi permettre de mieux caractériser les mécanismes d’adaptation et les potentiels effets transgénérationnels induits par les radionucléides. / This work integrates within the general framework of the European program COMET (7th Framework Programme EURATOM) and aims to assess the epigenetic responses (particularly DNA methylation), during chronic exposure to low levels of radioactive materials. During a first experiment, zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed in laboratory controlled conditions to environmentally relevant concentrations of depleted uranium: 2 and 20 µg L-1. This experiment allowed an impact on the genomic DNA methylation to be demonstrated, mainly in exposed males, which increased with the duration and level of exposure. In a second experiment, we observed an impact on DNA methylation patterns in the progeny of exposed parents, as well as a perturbation of transcriptomic, and histological damage in larvae skeletal muscle from exposed parents.The methods developed were applied to the second context focusing on the study of biological effects induced by radionuclides emitted following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. The analyses performed on the Japanese tree frog (Hyla japonica) revealed a positive correlation between the total dose of radiation absorbed by these frogs, hypermethylation of genomic DNA as well as increasing damage to mitochondrial DNA.This work highlighted the sensitivity of epigenetic responses in different biological models exposed to low levels of radionuclides, and could be used to further characterize adaptation mechanisms and potential transgenerational effects induced by radionuclides.