Consumer Literacy Research Articles

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF STATE REGULATION OF THE FOOD INDUSTRY IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

The article is devoted to researching the international experience of state regulation of the food industry in the conditions of digital transformation and determining ways of its adaptation to Ukrainian realities. The experience of the EU, the USA, China, Canada, Australia and India in the application of digital transformation technologies and innovations in the state regulation of food business was studied. The key factors for the successful implementation of digital technologies in the regulatory mechanisms of the food industry have been identified, including: the creation of a legal framework, investment in the development of digital infrastructure, increasing the digital literacy of employees and consumers, as well as cooperation between state bodies. The results of the conducted research emphasize the need for an integrated approach combining technological innovation, cooperation between governments, industry and scientific institutions, as well as strict quality standards. The integration of advanced technologies and partnerships between the government and the private sector are key elements for the sustainable development of the food industry.

Digital Inclusion Strategy in Modern Cultural Industries through the Prism of Digital Divide

The purpose of the article is to reveal the features of digital inclusion in modern cultural industries of Ukraine and to outline promising strategies for overcoming the digital divide. Research methodology. The analytical method, the method of analysis and synthesis, the dialogical method, the typological method, the systematic method, the method of comparative analysis and the method of scientific generalisation are applied. Scientific novelty. The problem of digital inclusion in the cultural industry has been studied; the theory of digital inclusion in foreign scientific works is considered; the peculiarities of digital inclusion in modern cultural industries of Ukraine were revealed; promising measures on which the strategy for overcoming the digital divide should be based are outlined. Conclusions. The strategy of digital inclusion of cultural industries in Ukraine should be based on a set of measures aimed at overcoming the digital divide, which includes, first of all: providing high-speed Internet to as large a part of the population as possible; all kinds of assistance in the process of improving the digital literacy of potential consumers of a cultural product / service; provision of high-quality technical support; creation of specialised applications and online content, according to the specifics of the activities covered by each cultural industry. Potential forward-looking steps include providing ongoing support to users, reducing professional jargon and offering interpretive resources, and ensuring that technology and training are offered to all users on an equal basis, not just those confident enough to seek help. The study revealed that at the current stage in Ukraine, only libraries not only offer the Internet, but also provide a range of training services from basic digital literacy to the skills needed to use certain services (audio/video streaming service, file sharing services, online platforms), devices and applications that are currently actively used in the system of cultural industries (for example, applications of augmented reality in museum, exhibition activities, performing arts).

Analisis Strategi Pengembangan Infrastruktur Asuransi Syariah Terintegrasi Di Era Digital

This study aims to analyze the strategies required by Islamic insurance companies to enhance their infrastructure in the digital era. The primary issue identified is the inadequate development of infrastructure, which hinders the companies' ability to compete effectively in an increasingly competitive market. A qualitative approach employing the Multi-Factor Evaluation Process (MFEP) was used to evaluate and identify the most relevant strategies to address the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities presented by the digital era. The findings reveal that Islamic insurance companies require a set of integrated infrastructure development strategies. The recommended strategies include, (1) Developing differentiated products tailored to market needs, which can expand the customer base and enhance product appeal, (2) Enhancing human resource professionalism through continuous training and competency development to strengthen internal capabilities and respond to market dynamics, (3) Optimizing corporate governance by implementing advanced digital technologies to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance service quality and (4) Intensifying product promotion efforts and increasing consumer literacy, including more aggressive education about the benefits of Islamic insurance to raise public awareness and understanding. In conclusion, the implementation of these strategies is crucial for supporting the long-term growth of Islamic insurance companies. An integrated infrastructure that is responsive to technological changes will strengthen the companies' competitive position, enabling them to be more adaptive to the evolving market needs and fully leverage the opportunities offered by the digital era. This approach will also enhance consumer trust and expand the market reach of Islamic insurance.

Stakeholders Alignment in CSR Implementation in Southeast Asian Agro-industry

This article focuses on the broader misalignment of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs by multi-national corporations in Southeast Asia, particularly in the agricultural sector. It explains the likely causes of such impact through the lens of the Stakeholder Theory. The paper aims to illustrate how corporations present and strategize their CSR initiatives, emphasizing that the proposed solutions may only sometimes align with the actual needs of the recipients. Using Freeman's perspective/ This paper argues that an intrinsic disparity exists between the intentions and execution of CSR programs, particularly those initiated by multi-national companies, and the divergence of expectations between corporations acting as implementers and the recipients of these programs. Despite the clear articulation of these requests by most affected locals, multi-national corporations often need help to meet these demands. As a result, the lack of accessible information and limited consumer literacy, coupled with political and commercial branding by ASEAN, creates a conducive environment for CSR misalignments.Keywords: CSR; Southeast Asia; agriculture; stakeholder theory

The Need for Consumer Literacy Education among Children in India

Children in countries like India are experiencing obesity as a disease during their childhood, due to the intake of processed foods in a large quantity. The role of marketing plays a vital part in persuading children towards such food habits and leads to greater consequences both physical and mental wellbeing. The term consumer literacy is the needed antidote for children to cultivate within them during their childhood so that, they can safeguard themselves from the marketing tactics of businesses. This study focuses on the attributes that determine the consumer literacy knowledge of children and differentiates the attributes that need improvement among children before they get influenced by the marketing efforts targeted towards them. The results show that children were finding it difficult to critically understand advertisements and tend to believe blindly to it. And also, they were more allowed to do impulse buying during shopping. Parents, teachers and government should teach and educate children about the marketing nuances so that the forthcoming generation can develop wise consumption habit and contributes towards sustainable future. Keywords: consumer literacy, Children, wise shopping, literate consumers, advertisements.

Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches: The Impact of AI Design on Consumer Perception and Buying Behavior in the FMCG Sector

The motivation behind this examination is to explore the relationship between AI designs, consumer perception, consumer buying behaviour, and consumer literacy in Pakistan's fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). To apply ethnography to research the consumer’s buying behaviour in the context of AI designs in the FMCG Sector. This study used the mixed-method approach, a quantitative exploration plan and utilised a survey method to collect data from 250 FMCG sector consumers in Lahore via an online self-administered survey. The paper applied SEM to examine the hypotheses and analyze the data. The qualitative portion used eight in-depth semi-structured interviews for data collection. The paper found that AI designs affected consumer perception (CP), consumer perception (CP) affected by consumer buying behaviour (CBB), and CP intervened in the impact of AI designs on CBB. Consumer literacy (CL) is moderated between consumer perception (CP) and consumer buying behaviour (CBB). The findings also reveal the positive impact of AI on consumer buying behaviour, through individual perspectives. The study adds to the works on the link between AI designs, CP, CBB, and CL in the FMCG business. It gives experimental proof to help the hypotheses that AI designs influence CP, CP influences CBB, and CP explains the impact of AI designs on CBB, CL moderated between CP and CBB. AI designs can enhance consumer perception and buying behaviour of FMCG products, leading to higher market performance and customer satisfaction. FMCG companies can use AI to innovate, customize, and educate their products and services for different consumer segments. The research aims to identify the association between AI designs, CP, CBB and CL in the FMCG industry. It offers an original viewpoint on how AI designs can improve CP, how CP can prompt CBB, and how consumer literacy is moderated between CP and CBB in the fast-moving consumer goods business.

Influence of health food literacy on willingness to pay for healthier foods: focus on food insecurity

Abstract Background The repercussions of food insecurity are widely recognized to negatively impact overall health and are influenced by a complex interplay of physiological, psychological, social, and environmental factors. Methods This study examined the disparities in food consumption and literacy between among food security households and food insecurity households using data from the Korea Rural Economic Institute’s 2022 Consumer Behavior Survey for Food, which involved 3,321 respondents. Results Food security households had a greater understanding of and better attitude toward healthier food choices than food insecurity households. Economic ability was identified as having the most significant association with food purchasing behavior, with food security households spending more on average than food insecurity households. Structural equation modeling demonstrated the association of knowledge and attitude with dietary implementation and underscored the significance of consumer literacy as a factor related to willingness to pay for healthier foods. Conclusions This study underscores the intertwined relationships among financial capacity, knowledge, and health-conscious dietary choices. It also suggests the need for targeted interventions addressing economic and educational gaps to foster healthier food consumption patterns across different socioeconomic contexts.

Measuring the advertising value of personalised ads in smartphones based on consumer literacy and privacy concerns

Because of the widespread use of smartphones in everyday life and advances in data analysis technology, brands are increasingly focusing on advertising via smartphone while collecting customer data. Advertisements are made to reach customers through two types of data collection: the first is using customer online behaviour to show personalised ads, which is known as online behavioural advertising (OBA), and the second is hearing out customer media usage and providing personalised ads, which is known as synced advertising (SA). The question here is whether personalised ads are useful and project a positive image to customers, which are reliable. The purpose of this paper is to provide a knowledge of how OBA and SA work and why it is vital to address personalised adverts in smartphones that are powered by AI algorithms due to privacy concerns. The purpose of this empirical investigation is to determine is purchase intention is accelerated based on the advertising value of personalised adverts, their literacy, and privacy concerns and to test the effect of personalised advertisement value on purchase intention.

A COGNITIVE ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER LITERACY TRAINING AND FINANCIAL CAPABILITY IMPROVEMENT AMONG SOUTH AFRICANS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

By using quantitative and descriptive research approach via a cognitive analysis, this article investigated the influence of consumer literacy training as a tool to improve financial capability among South Africans. Data was gathered from 10300 consumer literacy trainees from Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa and purposively and conveniently sampled. The use of pre- and post-test questionnaire surveys, employing a Likert scale, was identified as crucial for gathering data on cognitive improvement. The collected data underwent analysis through descriptive statistics and regression analysis. To ensure the reliability of the results, robustness analysis was conducted using SPSS version 28 and STATA. Empirical findings from this research study have statistically demonstrated that consumers enhanced their knowledge and skills related to financial capability after receiving consumer financial capability training. This study contributes significantly to the existing literature by addressing a critical gap and substantially enhancing the knowledge of financial capability among the study’s participants. These results carry potential implications for various stakeholders, including donors, consumers, policymakers, financial literacy educators, and finance practitioners, all of whom can play a pivotal role in promoting consumer financial education, particularly in the South African context. The study suggests that the theoretical models developed thus far have primarily focused on the driving forces behind consumer financial capability success. However, these findings also hold substantial promise for academia, policymakers, banks, and other key players in the field of consumer financial capability training, including short courses within South Africa. Furthermore, this study provides a solid foundation for future research aimed at enhancing consumer protection and shedding light on the various factors that may hinder low-income individuals from achieving their financial goals through financial institutions.

Consumer Literacy in Virtual Brand Communities: Dimension Exploration and Scale Development

Virtual brand communities are one of the most important ways for companies to strengthen ties with consumers and cultivate brand loyalty. Consumers, as the main participants of virtual brand communities, play an important role in their own literacy for the healthy and sustainable development of the communities. This study explores the connotation and structure of consumer literacy in virtual brand communities from the perspective of consumers, and develops and tests a scale. First, based on relevant literature, case studies, and semi-structured in-depth interviews with 38 consumers who have browsed virtual brand communities, the study defined the concept of consumer literacy and qualitatively summarized the potential dimensions. The study then used the SPSS26.0 and AMOS24.0 software to analyze the data obtained from the questionnaire survey, and combined the methods of exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and nomological validity analysis to identify the three dimensions of consumer literacy in the virtual brand community, including brand knowledge, engagement skills, and conceptual knowledge, and obtained a scale with good reliability and validity. The results provide a measurement tool for the study of consumer literacy in virtual brand communities and a scientific basis for further improving the management of the communities.

Problem Posing and Problem Solving in Primary School: Opportunities for the Development of Different Literacies

Problem posing and problem solving, involving significant situations for students, encourage effective learning, mathematical reasoning, communication, and connections in/with mathematics, enhancing the emergence of different literacies. Although problem solving is more frequently present in teaching practices, the ability to formulate them must also be developed, since it requires other skills, such as writing a problem statement, establishing connections between reality and mathematical knowledge, and creating and idealizing problematic situations, among others. Financial Literacy and Consumer Literacy promote contexts related to the student’s daily life and are promising in the development of problem posing. These literacies are also relevant to the development of a healthy, balanced, and responsible relationship with money and to raising awareness of the student regarding the importance of their actions in society, the economy, and the environment. This text presents part of a qualitative, descriptive, and interpretive research, developed by a teacher of children in the third year of a Portuguese primary school, involving problem posing and problem solving in Financial and Consumer Education contexts, with the following research question: How does posing and solving problems, in contexts close to the students’ reality, influence the development of different literacies? The results point out the mobilization of different mathematical concepts, in articulation with other areas of knowledge, and the development of skills and knowledge innate to different literacies, namely Mathematical Literacy, Financial Literacy and Consumer Literacy.

Educating Brands? How Integrating Behavioural Insights, Influential Marketing and Consumer Decision-Making Can Elevate Consumer Literacy in Fashion Branding.

This study delves into the influence of behavioural insights and marketing techniques on fashion consumer decision-making. It strategically identifies core behavioural elements, assesses their application in marketing, and examines consumer perceptions. Understanding and leveraging these insights enables businesses to effectively tailor their marketing efforts to resonate with their target audience. The reviewed literature provides a comprehensive integration of research from marketing, psychology, and behavioural science. The research methodology involves a qualitative survey encompassing 197 fashion consumers, as well as interviews with a psychologist and a digital merchandiser. Through this approach, the study sheds light on the impact of emotional factors, cognitive biases, social influence, and personality on decision-making. These findings illustrate how marketing strategies utilize these insights to influence consumer perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours. The study highlights the utilization of AI technology to target consumers based on behavioural data, with potential implications for transforming market research. Furthermore, it emphasizes the necessity of an interdisciplinary approach to comprehensively understand fashion consumer behaviour, given that self-reported data may not fully represent actual behaviours. The outcomes of this study not only validate existing research but also contribute to a more holistic understanding of fashion consumer behaviour. Future research initiatives could explore demographic variables, levels of fashion involvement, and cross-cultural comparisons. Moreover, combining self-reported data with objective measures promises to provide deeper insights into the subconscious factors that influence decision-making.

ЦИФРОВА ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЯ БАНКІВСЬКОГО БІЗНЕСУ: СЬОГОДЕННЯ ТА МАЙБУТНЄ

This article delves into the nuances of digital transformation within the realm of banking, prompted by the pervasive global digitization of economies. This phenomenon has profoundly shaped the trajectory of financial technologies, giving rise to innovative banking products. The primary objective of this study is to elucidate the essence of digital transformation and assess its efficacy in shaping the development of the banking sector.The digitization of banking involves the transformation of all associated processes and information. Consequently, the integration of digital technologies into the banking domain necessitates a comprehensive consideration of the needs of three key stakeholders: the consumer, the investor, and the bank itself. The authors conducted an analysis of the regulatory and legal landscape accompanying the digital transformation of the banking sector. The study concludes that the contemporary legal framework governing the use of digital technologies in banking is aligning with current global trends.The digital transformation of the banking industry is observed to manifest in several dimensions, encompassing remote and Internet banking, electronic payments, FinTech and innovation, blockchain and cryptocurrencies, cyber security systems, electronic identification and document circulation, as well as interoperability.The domestic banking system has exhibited noteworthy progress in digitalization in recent times. However, external factors, notably the incursion into Ukraine, have introduced certain adjustments. These include the outflow of intellectual human capital abroad, diminished financial literacy due to population migration, and the closure of bank outlets, particularly affecting territorial communities, especially rural areas, resulting in a loss of connectivity with banks.In light of these observations, it is asserted that future digital transformational endeavours in the banking sector should prioritize enhancing the financial literacy of consumers of banking services. Additionally, there is a need to fortify regulatory frameworks governing the cryptocurrency market in Ukraine and establish unified standards for the regulation and supervision of banks and FinTech companies providing digital financial services.

The development, psychometric properties and refinement of a food literacy scale for specific and general application

Food literacy continues to be a developing concept, and the need for a universal definition with agreed subconstructs and validated measuring instruments continues to be a priority. The concept describes the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to meet daily challenges in the face of growing global non-communicable diseases associated with incorrect food behaviour. This research aims to develop, refine and validate a Food Literacy Scale for context-specific and general applications. Food literacy definitions and subconstruct formulations reported elsewhere were used to guide the development of a pool of items (N = 204). This research reports on a process of refinement and validation based on a combination of CTT and Rasch modelling, using results from a middle-income database (population N = 1657, sample n = 862). The application of Rasch analysis provided credible evidence for the quality of the psychometric properties of the instrument. Pragmatic decisions were made about which items to keep or delete, based on qualitative considerations as well as comparison and contrasting of indicators derived from each statistical framework. The final instrument consisted of 95 dichotomous items grouped in six subscales, namely Procurement (11 items), Economics (9 items), Consumption (21 items), Nutrition (24 items), Food safety (17 items), and Socio-cultural aspects (13 items). The large item pool offers scope for further refinement upon implementation in different contexts. The final scale is modular, meaning that one or more subscales can be removed or replaced before implementation. Based on its excellent psychometric properties, the SAFLSTM (South African Food Literacy Scale) is suitable to measure the food literacy of middle-income consumers across many contexts.

The Problematics of Being an Ethical Consumer in the Marketplace: Unpacking the Concept of Ethical Consumer Literacy

The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals highlight the need to deal with the unprecedented environmental crisis, protect human rights, and promote equality. Therefore, it is timely and important to open a discussion about consumer literacy in relation to the social and environmental aspects of consumption, especially since previous research has emphasized the difficulties involved in being an ethical consumer. This article unpacks the concept of ethical consumer literacy, distinguishes between different levels of ethical consumer literacy, and explains the potential implications for educators and policy makers. Ethical consumer literacy refers to a consumer's ability to consume in a way that will not have a negative social, animal, or environmental impact. The data set includes the consumer diaries of 53 ethically oriented consumers, which were analyzed qualitatively. Four main dimensions linked to the notion of ethical consumer literacy emerged: (1) defining ethical consumer behavior, (2) searching for information, (3) managing information in the ethical consumer context, and (4) engaging in ethical consumer leadership. The authors identify two levels of ethical consumer literacy depending on participants’ skills in these areas: basic and advanced. Instead of placing the responsibility on individual consumers, governments should increase ethical consumer literacy.

GUARDIANS OF THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS, THEIR FUNCTIONS IN THE FORMATION OF THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE

The proposed study examines the complex and multifaceted communication process, as well as the role of the media in shaping public perception, values, and beliefs. Recognizing the power and responsibility of the mass media for percepting the environment, emphasizing the importance of media literacy and critical thinking of information consumers, we propose to comprehend the key functional of specialists who dramatically influence the media landscape development, agenda molding, as well as “information bubbles” creating that can be as favorable for the further development of the society, as inhibiting it. In our opinion guidekeepers, spin-doctors and news-ombudsmen play the key roles among communication specialists. They influence not only the control and filters of the content broadcast, but also the formation of moral principles of media workers in general and the creation of professional ethical codes. Considering, that modern media platforms serve as the means of spreading social, political, cultural ideas, as well as public discourse of various orientations, it is worth actualizing functions of the media (both individual representatives and platforms in general) such as: conscious design and dissemination of information; management of public perception in order to prevent political and economic crises; ensuring honesty, accountability and transparency between the public and representatives of the media community. Particularly these functions the mentioned media persons are able to provide, as despite the different contextual bases, they all play an important role in the process, management and development of ethical principles of communication.

Application of the Exoneration Clause in Consumer Protection Judging from Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 8 of 1999 concerning Consumer Protection

This research examines the exoneration clause's application in consumer protection in Bena Village, South Amanuban District, South Central Timor Regency. The data collection methods were interviews and literature study, with data processing and analysis carried out descriptively and qualitatively. The research results show that the application of the exoneration clause occurs in mixed-type food stalls and kiosks, while it does not apply to service businesses. Factors that influence the implementation of exoneration clauses include a lack of education from the government regarding these clauses and a lack of independent consumer literacy. In conclusion, implementing the exoneration clause in consumer protection in Bena Village is not optimal, and it is recommended that there be outreach to consumers and business actors to increase awareness of consumer rights and replace unsuitable products with better ones.

Acne Vulgaris Topical Therapies: Application of Probiotics as a New Prevention Strategy

The skin microbiome is an essential barrier for preventing the invasion of pathogens and regulating the immune responses. When this barrier is disrupted, several dermatoses, including acne vulgaris, may arise. Most people will experience acne starting at the onset of puberty and continuing into adolescence; a significant percentage of those individuals continue to suffer from it into adulthood. Although common, this dermatosis usually has an enormous impact on the self-esteem and quality of life of individuals who suffer from it. An increase in consumer literacy regarding skincare leads buyers to seek out innovative products containing ingredients with proven benefits for their concerns. Probiotics have proven to be an alternative to the use of antibiotics, often associated with undesirable effects, in the treatment and prevention of dermatological disorders such as acne. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the pathophysiology, risk factors, symptoms, conventional treatment recommendations and main studies emphasizing innovative topical products for acne-prone skin based on probiotics. In addition, the potential advantages, and limitations/challenges associated with the implementation and manufacturing of these innovative skin products are also highlighted.

The Practice of Financial Consumer Rights Protection Innovation in United States and Japan And Its Enlightenment to Our Country

The research on the protection theory of financial consumers' rights and interests can not only effectively relieve the pressure brought by the epidemic on economic development, stabilize the volatile financial market, promote the healthy development of the financial industry, but also accumulate the experience of dealing with the crisis of the epidemic and prepare for the unknown future. This paper starts with the comparative analysis of the policies of China, the United States and Japan in the field of financial consumer protection, and compares and analyzes the financial legislation, financial regulation, financial consumer literacy and other fields, and finally forms the meaningful suggestions and measures for China to establish a fair, reasonable and effective financial consumer protection system.

The Influence of Brand Trust and Satisfaction towards Consumer Loyalty of a Local Cosmetic Products Brand X among Generation Z

The increasing demand for cosmetic products during the Covid-19 pandemic has encouraged companies to increase consumer trust and satisfaction so that consumers remain loyal to one brand, including a well-known local cosmetic product brand. This study aims to analyze the influence of brand trust and satisfaction towards consumer loyalty of a local cosmetic products brand X among generation Z. This study used a cross-sectional study design. Three hundred and eighteen respondents were collected by voluntary sampling. Data were collected through Google Forms online questionnaire and processed Structural Equation Modeling. The results showed that gender, age, education, and monthly income were positively and significantly related to brand trust. Age, monthly income, frequency of purchasing local cosmetic brand X, types of local cosmetic brand X products purchased, and duration of use of local cosmetic brand X products have a positive and significant relationship with consumer loyalty. The results of the SEM show that brand trust positively and significantly influences consumer satisfaction and loyalty. In addition, consumer satisfaction positively and significantly influences consumer loyalty. The lack of consumer confidence in the materials used by brand X in production indicates that consumer literacy regarding products still needs to improve.