Effects of personal dispositions, familiarity and consumption situation on Western brands’ packaging

Abstract

Purpose Supermarket scans in the contextual non-Western markets (Pakistan and China) revealed that the majority Western consumer products are available in both global (English) and the vernacular language (Urdu, Chinese) packaging. The availability of two different packaging raises a question – which is more effective and under what situation. This study aims to address this question by investigating the roles of an internal-oriented disposition (concern for quality) and an external-oriented disposition (social consciousness) on packaging choice, under different consumption situations (conspicuous versus inconspicuous). The conceptual model tested concern for quality as a mediator on the influence of social consciousness on packaging choice, under the moderating effects of conspicuous versus inconspicuous consumption situation. Design/methodology/approach Two in-store choice experiments were conducted in Pakistan and China. Shoppers who agreed to participate were first primed to either of the two conditions (conspicuous and inconspicuous). They were then shown two packaging types (global versus local language) on store shelves and asked to pick the preferred packaging. Finally, the participants completed a paper-based questionnaire containing the scale items and demographics variables. Findings Participants with high social consciousness preferred the global (English) packaging. The interaction effect of social consciousness and consumption situation moderated the choice. Concern for quality mediated the influence of social consciousness on global packaging preference. Originality/value This study extends the research into packaging by considering the mediating relationship and conceptualisation between external-oriented personal antecedent (social consciousness) and internal-oriented disposition (concern for quality), under different consumption (conspicuous versus inconspicuous) situation. The findings will inform brand managers’ packaging strategies in non-Western markets.

The efficacy of marketing skills and market responsiveness in marketing performance of emerging market exporting firms in advanced markets: The moderating role of competitive intensity

“…The questionnaire was presented entirely in English language. This is because Pakistan was a British colony, hence this language is widely spoken and written in the country specially in the corporate and education sectors (Khan, 2019;Khan, & Lee, 2020a, 2020b). The questionnaire included information regarding participation and an assurance regarding the confidentiality of their responses.…”

The role of trust and algorithms in consumers’ front-of-pack labels acceptance: a cross-country investigation

“…To this end, as packaging has emerged as an important element of brand management, in which many elements must be taken into account, such as the language adopted (Khan, 2019; Khan and Lee, 2020) and the appearance of standard versus local indications (Khan et al , 2015, 2017), an increasing number of countries are adopting front-of-pack labels (FOPLs). FOPLs are labels on the front of the packaging of pre-packaged foods (van der Bend and Lissner, 2019) that advise consumers on the composition of products, with the aim of promoting more informed and healthier habits.…”

An examination of relationship between cognitive biases and customer satisfaction: empirical evidence from Thailand

“…Customers normally buy products they can relate to emotionally. Thus, there is an underlying assumption that customers are drawn to products they regard highly, as they tend to consume products they are more familiar with or comfortable (Khan, 2019;Nacef et al, 2019). Yan and Bao (2018) found that, on average, endowment effect increased a household's satisfaction rate.…”