TY - JOUR
T1 - Consumption dynamics during recession and recovery
T2 - a learning journey
AU - Sarmento, Maria
AU - Marques, Susana
AU - Galan - Ladero, Mercedes
N1 - Maria Sarmento is grateful to Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal (Ref. no SFRH/BPD/ 107886/2015); Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (UID/ECO/00124/2013 and Social Sciences DataLab, Project 22209), POR Lisboa (LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-007722 and Social Sciences DataLab, Project 22209) and POR Norte (Social Sciences DataLab, Project 22209).
PY - 2019/9/1
Y1 - 2019/9/1
N2 - This paper original contribution builds on examining consumer attitudes in periods of recession and post-recession, providing new insights concerning consumer decision-making, new logics of spending and saving behavior and also opening new paths for research on the psychology of choice in contexts of recession and the immediate stage of recovery. The study used a longitudinal qualitative approach comprising twenty-two semi-structured interviews with eleven Portuguese consumers. The research was conducted in two moments in time: 2014 and 2018, corresponding to periods of Portuguese recession and recovery. The results show that, during recessions, consumers look for economic level-headedness, adopting and assuming new behaviors that allow them to accommodate the reduced income, which also translates into increased social responsibility. Besides switching to cheaper options, namely looking for private labels and national brand promotions, consumers revealed new strategies and new habits, such as i) more organization and planned behavior; ii) going shopping more frequently; iii) reducing stocking behavior, and iv) avoiding wasting. The study expands the comprehension of consumer behavior during recessions and recovery, bringing the idea of crises as ‘learning journeys’ and transformational opportunities.
AB - This paper original contribution builds on examining consumer attitudes in periods of recession and post-recession, providing new insights concerning consumer decision-making, new logics of spending and saving behavior and also opening new paths for research on the psychology of choice in contexts of recession and the immediate stage of recovery. The study used a longitudinal qualitative approach comprising twenty-two semi-structured interviews with eleven Portuguese consumers. The research was conducted in two moments in time: 2014 and 2018, corresponding to periods of Portuguese recession and recovery. The results show that, during recessions, consumers look for economic level-headedness, adopting and assuming new behaviors that allow them to accommodate the reduced income, which also translates into increased social responsibility. Besides switching to cheaper options, namely looking for private labels and national brand promotions, consumers revealed new strategies and new habits, such as i) more organization and planned behavior; ii) going shopping more frequently; iii) reducing stocking behavior, and iv) avoiding wasting. The study expands the comprehension of consumer behavior during recessions and recovery, bringing the idea of crises as ‘learning journeys’ and transformational opportunities.
KW - Consumer behavior
KW - Consumption
KW - Economic crisis
KW - Longitudinal
KW - Recession
KW - Recovery
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85066142660&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.04.021
DO - 10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.04.021
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85066142660
SN - 0969-6989
VL - 50
SP - 226
EP - 234
JO - Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services
JF - Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services
ER -