Consumerism in Serbia and comparison with other countries in the region (2008)

8/14/2019 Consumerism in Serbia and comparison with other countries in the region (2008)

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Jnos Plinks (HUN)TGI Specialist and Regional Sales Coordinator, Mediana Adria

Consumerism in Serbiaand comparison with other countries

in the region

Belgrade, 14th October 2008

atSEEMAR conference


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What is consumerism?


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3Definition of consumerism

What are we talking about?

Consumerism is the equation of personalhappiness with the purchase of materialpossessions and consumption.

(Wikipedia: Consumerism)

Consumerism is the promotion of theconsumer's interests or alternately the

theory that an increasing consumption ofgoods is economically desirable.

(Webster's dictionary: Consumerism)


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4Definition of consumerism

Consumerism was also called "conspicuous consumption" at

the turn of the 20th century in the writings ofThorstein Veblen,

a well-known sociologist and economist. The term describes

an apparently irrational and confounding form of economic

behaviour. Veblen's scathing proposal that this unnecessary

consumption is a form of status display is made in darkly

humorous observations like the following:

Source: Wikipedia: Consumerism

"It is true of dress in even a higher degree than of most otheritems of consumption, that people will undergo a very

considerable degree of privation in the comforts or thenecessaries of life in order to afford what is considered a decent

amount of wasteful consumption; so that it is by no means anuncommon occurrence, in an inclement climate, for people to goill clad in order to appear well dressed."

(Thorstein Veblen: The Theory of the Leisure Class, 1899).


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5

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/files/images/image_13.gif


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How to measure consumerism?


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7How can we measure it?

We always face the same problems when we try

to measure something: what is what?

Consumerism is quite a flexible term, so it is a

question how can we measure it?

Isnt our lifestyle reflected in ourconsumption?

You are what and how you think, do

and consume this is your lifestyle.


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8Lifestyle and Consumption

Serbian TGI database contains 250 attitude statements,

some of them can be applied to this phenomenon.

So we chose lifestyle attitudes to measure consumerism,

we selected some variables related to the high evaluation of

consumption as a value.

MediaMediaProductsProducts DemosDemos LifestyleLifestyle

14 sectors

280

categories3000+brands

TV

RadioInternet

Print

Cinema

Outdoor

31 demographicvariables

16 categories

250

statements


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9Lifestyle statements in TGI methodology

Methodology: We ask people to decide their level of

agreement on a 5-point scale.

Hereunder when we use these lifestyle statements we focus

on people who generally (definitelyortend to) agree with

the statement.


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Results


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11Statements related to consumerism 1.

47%

44%

43%

39%

29%

29%

23%

23%

21%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

I love to buy new gadgets

and appliances

I really enjoy buying things

When I see a new product I

often buy one

I think that well-known

brands are better

Once I find a brand I like I

tend to stick to it

I sometimes purchase things

than I don't need

When I can choose I buy

foreign products

I like to follow fashion

trends

I buy new products before

most of my friends

Source: TGI Serbia 2007/2nd half

2008/1st half database


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12Statements related to consumerism 2.

19%

18%

18%

16%

13%

13%

9%

8%

5%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20%

Money is the best measure of success

I like a car that distinguishes itself

My car should express my personality

I often buy a product because of its nice packaging

I am tempted to buy advertised products immediately

I spend a lot of money for personal cosmetics

The brand influences the image of consumer

I wear clothes designed by famous designers

Celebrities influence my purchase decisions

Source: TGI Serbia 2007/2nd half

2008/1st half database


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13Results

In which target groups can we see generallya

higher level of consumerism and why there?

High status people: they are the people who can afford

to be a good consumerist. They have the money.

Younger generations: They are socialized in a capitalistenvironment and they have a better consumption power

than elder generations. Single people: They can rather focus on

theirpersonalconsumption.


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14Consumerism in status level comparison

44

43

16

47

48

50

16

55

45

44

17

52

45

44

16

48

41

41

15

42

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

I really enjoy any kind ofshopping

When I see new product I

often buy one

I often buy a product

because of its nice

packaging

I love to buy new

gadgets and appliances

15-69 year old population Status: Level 1 (Top 10%) Status: Level 2 (Next 20%)

Status: Level 3 (Next 30%) Status: Level 4 (Next 40%)


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15Consumerism in status level comparison

21

13

29

23

15

31

23

13

30

20

14

30

20

12

27

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

I buy new productsbefore most of my

friends

I am tempted to buy

advertised products

immediately

I sometimes purchase

things than I don't

need

15-69 year old population Status: Level 1 (Top 10%) Status: Level 2 (Next 20%)

Status: Level 3 (Next 30%) Status: Level 4 (Next 40%)


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16Consumerism in age comparison

44

43

16

47

44

48

18

47

46

46

16

51

46

43

15

48

43

42

16

45

40

39

14

44

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

I really enjoy any kindof shopping

When I see new

product I often buy

one


because of its nice

packaging

I love to buy new

gadgets and

appliances

15-69 year old population 15 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55 - 69


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17Consumerism in age comparison

21

13

29

25

17

33

24

15

31

19

12

28

18

11

27

19

12

26

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

I buy new products

before most of my

friends

I am tempted to buy

advertised productsimmediately


things than I don't

need

15-69 year old population 15 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55 - 69


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18Consumerism in marital status comparison

44

43

16

47

42

46

17

48

45

43

16

47

42

42

14

44

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

I really enjoy any kindof shopping

When I see new

product I often buy

one


because of its nice

packaging

I love to buy new

gadgets and

appliances

15-69 year old population Single

Married Separated / Divorced / Widowed


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19Consumerism in marital status comparison

21

13

29

25

15

32

20

13

28

17

13

27

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

I buy new productsbefore most of my

friends

I am tempted to buy

advertised products

immediately


things than I don't need

15-69 year old population Single

Married Separated / Divorced / Widowed


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Comparative perspective


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21Comparative perspective

TGI is the most significant international syndicated consumer research in the world.

59 countries in 12 regions

700.000+ respondents per annum

Poland

China

N. IrelandRep of Ireland

USA

Mexico India

Japan

Canada

Sweden

GB

FranceGermany

SpainItaly

Greece

Israel

Bulgaria

Slovakia

Czech RepRussia

Turkey

Kazakhstan

SaudiArabia

Colombia

Chile

Argentina

Venezuela

BrazilPeru

Puerto Rico

South Africa

Iran

Indonesia

Ukraine

Malaysia

Ecuador

Thailand

Hong Kong

Taiwan

Singapore

Philippines

Australia

UAE

KenyaUganda

Tanzania

LebanonKuwait

Azerbaijan

Egypt

New Zealand

Korea

Portugal

Macedonia

CroatiaSlovenia Serbia

Montenegro

Albania

Hungary

Population covered: Serbia: 15-69 Croatia: 15-75 Slovenia: 15-75 Hungary: 14-69


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22Consumerism in regional perspective

43

15

7

9

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

When I see new

product I often buyone

Serbia Croatia Slovenia Hungary


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44

49

28

32

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

I really enjoy buyingthings



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29

13

7

0 10 20 30 40 50 60


things than I don'tneed

Serbia Croatia Slovenia


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16

12

9

0 10 20 30 40 50 60


because of its nicepackaging

Serbia Croatia Slovenia


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21

11

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

I buy new products

before most of myfriends

Serbia Hungary


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13

19

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

I am tempted to buy

advertised productsimmediately

Serbia Hungary


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47

31

38

40

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

I love to buy new

gadgets andappliances



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29What can we expect?

Consumerism is the product of consumer-based

societies and economies. As Serbia is becomingmore and more integrated part of the world andEurope, further international trends and brands willappear on this market it will have an influence onconsumerism.

But in which direction? Will it emerge or decline? Foreign investments raise economic growth,

therefore we can expect a higher level ofconsumption consumerism as well.

On the other hand if you can afford to buy anythingbecause it is available, you dont want to do itanymore.


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30What can we expect?

Consumerism is also the product of transition

markets where consumption becomes a

value. In changing environments valuesystems also change.

This question is too complex to answer with a

simple analysis like this.


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http://www.thesourkrauts.com/category/consumerism/


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Thank you for your attention!www.mediana.co.yu

www.mediana.hr

www.mediana.si

www.tgisurveys.com

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Documents

Consumerism in Serbia and comparison with other countries in the region (2008)