Consumer Attitudes Affecting Consumer Values

Consumer attitudes may be described as a learned inclination to act consistently in a certain way to a specific thing. The attitudes vary in strength depending on the matter, and they reflect consumer’s values. They are composed of beliefs, feelings and behavioural intentions, which are interdependent. Consumer attitudes will change constantly for many reasons; it may even be part of the marketing strategy of the company. An example of this is by using classical conditioning by trying to associate the product with a stimulus so that the customer will change belief and hence attitude.

As discussed in the MINTEL report and as seen by statistical studies, alcohol consumption is declining and is expected to fall even more, especially in the

For example, strict Muslims due to the Qur’an forbid alcohol consumption and any consumption of intoxicants. The choice of alcohol is a key indicator of social status - drinks that are imported have a higher social status than local ones. For example, in Poland, wine is considered as a high and middle class drink whereas beers and vodkas as working class drinks. Nonetheless preference fro a certain beverage may be due to likings rather than a contemplation of the position in the social hierarchy. The consumption of alcohol is general greater when it comes to men compared with women in all

This psychological involvement is due to the consumer’s perception of the product and the existence of the self-concept. This helps to clarify and predict different sides of consumer behaviour, as it indirectly influences satisfaction levels of the consumer. Self-image congruence can be both positive and negative in the eyes of a brand. This all depends on the consumer’s perception. It can affect a consumer negatively by; the impossible/desired self – when the actual differs from the ideal and therefore creating disillusion and dissatisfaction in the mind of the consumer. When it comes to alcohol consumption, the negative impact is what generally stimulates the consumer to buy alcohol. Alcohol is generally consumed when the consumer is in a bad place and wants to make himself feel better. With the impact of the impossible self, the consumer will go to a mental place that creates the need for him to consume alcohol, in order to try to reduce this impact. By consuming alcohol the affects of the impossible self would not have been removed, but just for that time the alcohol would be in his/her system. In this way, the customer would be satisfied with the product, as it would have achieved its