Low-income Consumers Research Articles

საქართველოს ფრინველის ხორცის ბაზრის სტრუქტურული გაუმჯობესების მარკეტინგულ ღონისძიებათა შესახებ

. In the article - " Marketing activities to improve the structure of the Georgian poultry meat market" - This issue is discussed in the context of two groups of users. These are: the economically affluent consumer group and the low and middle income consumer group. Consumers of the first group shop in supermarkets, and consumers of the second group shop in "two-step" chain stores. The first group makes a choice based on the criteria of quality and assortment of goods, and the second - on the basis of low price. Naturally, these consumer groups have different needs for both other products and poultry meat. Economically affluent consumers demand further expansion of the range of poultry by including turkey, duck, quail meat, while less affluent people demand labeling of genetically modified meat and its other parts in the range of chicken meat and its other parts in the range of chicken meat - head and neck, legs, half chicken, etc. Sh. turn on. Therefore, he expresses the opinion that the marketers of the meat-oriented poultry factories of Georgia should convince the managers of the factories that they need to develop two types of commodity policy - one for the welloff strata of the population, the other for the low and average affluent strata.

U.S. Approaches to Regulating Digital Assets

Approximately 50% of the world's largest financial technology companies were created and successfully operate in the United States, many of which conduct transactions with digital assets. Meanwhile, about 7 million Americans do not have a bank account, another 24 million rely on costly non-bank services, such as check cashing and money transfers. Those with traditional bank accounts face prohibitively slow and expensive financial transactions, especially for cross-border payments. The Executive Office, the Legislature, and the financial regulatory agencies in the United States all agree that the digital economy must work to the benefit of all Americans. In other words, it is necessary to develop financial services that are safe, secure, affordable and accessible to all, providing convenience for low-income consumers and minimizing the risks of predatory financial policies. Regulators are concerned about the volatility of prices for digital assets, the actions of sellers who mislead consumers about expected profits and do not comply with the law, the growing volume of thefts in digital asset markets, the characteristics of cryptocurrency exchanges, where there is no central governing body with which regulators can interact, instead there are pseudonymous nodes distributed throughout the world. At the same time, the relationship between traditional finance and digital assets is strengthening, along with the crisis transmission channels.

Barriers and bridges: contributions of mobile farmers markets to fresh food access for low-income and minority consumers

ABSTRACT Farmers markets and public health organisations aim to improve access to fresh produce for low-income consumers. While recent efforts to expand the use of food assistance benefits at farmers markets support this goal, persistent barriers related to transportation, convenience, price, exclusivity, and administrative burden still limit low-income participation at these venues. Mobile farmers markets, which bring produce directly to the customer, aim to address these barriers. But research on the effectiveness of mobile markets, especially from the customer perspective, is limited. Our project, a partnership with a local non-profit, explores if and how a mobile farmers market in the Rust Belt Midwest reduces barriers to farmers market access for low-income and minority consumers. Our data demonstrates a strong tie between market activities and customer wellbeing. Staff and customer interviews and participant observation show that the mobile market effectively alleviates many entrenched barriers to farmers market access for low-income and minority customers. Like many venues, though, this market also still struggles with the logistics of administering food assistance benefits. Our findings illuminate strategies for improving fresh food access for low-income and minority consumers that are relevant for other programmes and contexts.

Can Corporate Social Responsibility Shift Consumer Behavior? Insights from Scenario-Based Experiment in the Fast Fashion Industry

This study investigates the interplay between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) engagement and pricing strategies in shaping consumer purchase intentions in the fast fashion industry. Using a scenario-based experimental design with 267 participants, this research explores how different levels of CSR and two distinct price points influence purchasing behavior. Additionally, the moderating effects of individual differences, such as consumer wealth, motivations for sustainable behavior, and income, are examined. The findings indicate that higher levels of CSR engagement significantly enhance purchase intentions, particularly when combined with higher price points, perhaps due to consumer perceptions of CSR programs associated with more expensive brands as more authentic. However, price remains a critical factor for lower-income consumers, revealing an “ethical consumption gap” where affordability outweighs ethical concerns. Extrinsic motivations, such as social pressure, strongly influence wealthier consumers’ decisions, while intrinsic motivations show a more complex relationship with purchasing behavior. The findings provide practical insights for fast fashion brands, suggesting that aligning CSR with competitive pricing and authentic messaging is crucial for appealing to both price-sensitive and ethically conscious consumers.

Consumers’ Attitudes Towards Prawn Consumption in Bangladesh: An Investigation on Perceived Value and Willingness-to-Pay

This study assessed consumer preferences and consumption patterns for prawns in Bangladesh, underscoring the economic and nutritional significance of prawns in the local diet. A total of 120 respondents were interviewed following a random sampling technique from four districts. The data analysis employed descriptive statistics alongside mathematical and statistical methods. The findings indicate a strong preference for fresh and large-sized prawns among the consumers. Income level substantially influenced the prawn purchases, with the high-income consumers more likely to buy premium prawn products, while the low-income consumers showed sensitivity to price changes. The primary concerns that significantly influenced the consumers’ purchasing decisions were found to be size, freshness, taste, price, market availability, and income. Additionally, the consumers’ perceived value and willingness-to-pay for prawns were significantly driven by size, freshness, environmental sustainability, and income levels. Policy recommendations include promoting sustainable prawn farming and improving accessibility for low-income consumers to enhance both nutritional intake and economic resilience. This research offers valuable insights for stakeholders in the prawn industry, facilitating the development of targeted marketing strategies and informed policymaking for sustainable industry growth.

Socioeconomic Backgrounds and the Relationship with Food Consumption Patterns and Food Adequacy Level among Low-Income Consumers in Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia

Socioeconomic Backgrounds and the Relationship with Food Consumption Patterns and Food Adequacy Level among Low-Income Consumers in Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia

Consumption responses to sweetened beverage taxes by household income in four U.S. cities.

Taxes on sweetened beverages have become an important policy response to growing obesity rates and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the U.S. and other nations. Since 2015, eight U.S. cities have implemented these taxes, but so far direct evidence of their impacts on household purchasing behavior is scarce. Of particular interest to many researchers and policy makers is the response of lower-income consumers to these taxes, both because they have higher sweetened beverage consumption on average and because of concerns that sweetened beverage taxes are regressive. This project investigates the income-stratified household response to SSB taxes using a data set containing the purchasing behavior of approximately 400 households in the cities of Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland, and Philadelphia, all of which have recently introduced beverage taxes. Using doubly-robust estimation of dynamic and heterogeneous treatment effects relative to a propensity-matched set of households in three comparison cities, we find that households in taxed cities experience increased prices and reduce their purchases of those beverages, with no evidence of cross-border shopping. We further find differential tax impacts by income level, with lower-income households (households with income <200% of the federal poverty line for their size) reducing their purchases of taxed beverages by nearly 50% - more than double the 18% reduction found in higher-income households (households with income >400% of the federal poverty line for their size). Our finding that lower-income households decrease their consumption more than twice as much as higher-income households suggests that these taxes may reduce health disparities and promote population health.

A MATLAB platform for production planning in batch processing firms producing items that are jointly replenished

Rising levels of poverty have prompted manufacturers of non-durable consumer goods to explore opportunities at the lower end of the wealth spectrum. To enhance affordability for low-income consumers, these goods are often packaged in various sizes, including single-serve sachets. While numerous models and algorithms have been developed to determine the optimal frequency of manufacturing runs and packaging setups for the simultaneous replenishment of different pack sizes, there is a notable lack of literature addressing their implementation by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in this sector. This gap may be attributed to the absence of accessible source codes, a shortage of model experts, and the complexity involved in manual calculations. To address this issue, we developed a user-friendly MATLAB software platform based on Goyal’s algorithm, tailored specifically for SMEs. The software prioritizes simplicity, interactivity, and flexible visual displays. It was validated against examples from existing literature and through randomly generated scenarios. Users can easily compute the optimal number of manufacturing setups, packaging frequencies for each pack size, and the associated costs by inputting relevant data such as manufacturing setup, inventory holding and packaging setup costs, and demand for each pack size. Importantly, users do not need expertise in modeling to operate the software. However, it is designed for single-product deterministic environments; future research should explore multi-product and stochastic modeling scenarios.

Low-Income Fish Consumers’ Subsidies to the Fish Reduction Industry: The Case of Forage Fish

Low-Income Fish Consumers’ Subsidies to the Fish Reduction Industry: The Case of Forage Fish

Potential response of Mexican consumers to a Ban on genetically modified Maize imports

Mexico enacted a decree to ban the sale of genetically modified (GM) maize seed and maize for human consumption. Maize is particularly important to the average diet in Mexico as it is the main feed for the primary source of protein (poultry) and the main ingredient for the primary source of calories (corn tortillas). This study aimed to assess consumer awareness of the decree, support for the decree, and sensitivity of support given possible economic outcomes related to the decree. Additionally, we estimate the premiums consumers were willing to pay (WTP) for non-GM products relative to GM products (i.e., chicken meat, eggs, and corn tortillas). Results show that 54% of the Mexicans were unaware of the ban and that 77% of those aware supported the ban. Many consumers were willing to pay premiums to cover potential price increases due to the ban; however, not all low-income consumers would pay the potential premiums. Focusing on low-income consumers is particularly important, given they will likely be affected disproportionately more by the burden of increased food prices.

Low-Income Consumer Behavior: A Literature Review

Low-Income Consumer Behavior: A Literature Review

Interactive effects of trust in government information and perceived value on Chinese consumers' actual purchasing behavior toward contaminated seafood

Previous studies have separately examined the roles of trust in government information and perceived value in consumer food choices; however, the interactive effects of trust in government information and perceived value remain unknown. Therefore, this study explores the joint effects of trust in government information and perceived value on shaping consumers' actual food purchase behavior after food contamination. A logit model was used to estimate the interactive effects. The results from a sample of 710 Chinese consumers indicated that a lack of trust continues to make consumers concerned about the safety of seafood, which, together with the spread of internet rumors, leads to the fact that trust in government information does not directly affect consumers' actual purchase behavior. However, it can also indirectly influence purchase behavior through perceived risks and benefits. Specifically, trust in government information reduces risk perception among low-income consumers and enhances benefit perception among low-risk city consumers, thus enhancing purchasing behavior. Moreover, we find city heterogeneity in its impact on consumer purchasing behavior. Specifically, in low-risk cities, it significantly promotes consumer purchasing behavior, however, in high-risk cities, it does not directly affect consumer purchasing behavior. Overall, trust in government information does not directly affect consumer purchasing behavior. Perceived value is a key factor affecting consumer purchasing behavior. An interactive effect exists between trust in government information and perceived value on consumer purchasing behaviors. These results highlight the role of perceived value in amplifying the effects of trust in government information. These findings have significant implications for seafood producers and policymakers. Effective strategies should encompass both the provision of perceived value and the cultivation of trust in government information to promote consumer choices of contaminated food.

Low-income consumers’ informal and formal financial service experiences: perceptions of access, inclusion, and social dependence

Purpose Low-income consumers’ perceptions of access and inclusion in financial services, remain underresearched. To fill this gap, the purpose of this study, is to investigate elements of low-income consumers’ informal and formal financial service experiences, from their personal experience. Design/methodology/approach Mixed methods using data collected from low-income consumers in Latin America, reveal a spectrum of consumer perceptions making up access, inclusion and social dependence within financial service experiences. Scales, grounded in the consumer experience, are developed, validated and used to test a model of consumers’ service inclusivity perceptions. Findings Service costs, information and documentation difficulty, convenience and social dynamics influence low-income consumers’ perceptions of financial service inclusivity. Research limitations/implications Analysis reveals differentiation in the impact of aspects of low-income consumers’ experiences between formal and informal financial services. Working directly with this unique population exposes the nuance of their financial service experiences. Practical implications This research provides a more holistic perspective on low-income consumers’ financial service experience and provides contextually relevant scales with robust psychometric properties. Services marketers can use this research to inform design and evaluation of financial service offerings for low-income consumers. Originality/value This research contributes to study of the wellbeing of low-income consumers by providing understanding of their financial service experiences from their point-of-view and providing contextually-relevant, empirically validated tools for future inquiry.

“Are All Low-Income Consumers are Stereotype in Respect of Their Consumption Expendituere on Various Items?” A Comparative Study

“Are All Low-Income Consumers are Stereotype in Respect of Their Consumption Expendituere on Various Items?” A Comparative Study

Priority of Low-Income Consumer Behaviour in Visiting Market Places

Priority of Low-Income Consumer Behaviour in Visiting Market Places

Understanding Factors Affecting UPI Adoption among Low-Income Consumers in India

Understanding Factors Affecting UPI Adoption among Low-Income Consumers in India

Fruta Feia cooperative: Examining the influence of income on sustainability value and agency among alternative food network consumers

Alternative Food Networks gain increasing importance in sustainability transitions of food production, retail, and consumption. This paper explores the role of AFN consumers as critical food sustainability change agents, with a special focus on low-income consumers. It challenges preconceived notions that associate sustainable living exclusively with affluent communities, highlighting the substantial influence of economically disadvantaged individuals in shaping sustainable food consumption patterns. Based on a survey of the Portuguese Fruta Feia cooperative, the paper examines how perceived income affects sustainable food values, decisions, and practices. Results highlight low-income consumers' significant, yet often overlooked, role in driving changes towards environmentally responsible food systems and practices. This research shifts the focus of sustainability change agency, underscoring the critical role of diverse, particularly financially disadvantaged, consumer groups in championing sustainability in the food sector. It also confirms the importance of AFNs and their members as critical transition stakeholders.

Addressing low-quality electricity service for low-income consumers: Empirical evidence from Brazil

This article addresses the issue of low energy quality for low-income consumers, exploring whether the quality of electricity supplied to the low-income population is inferior to other residential consumers. The analysis is built by comparing various electricity service quality indicators among different groups of consumers. The study used different specifications of linear and nonlinear panel data, with disaggregated information in more than 300 million observations of consumer units served by Enel-GO (Goiás, Brazil) between 2014 and 2017. The results corroborate the study hypothesis, with consumers classified as low-income receiving lower-quality electricity than other consumers.

The impact of terminating cost-sharing reductions payments on health insurance plan choices.

The Trump administration terminated cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) payments to health insurers in 2017, while still required insurers to provide CSRs to eligible enrollees in the Marketplace. Marketplace administration data reveals that, in response to this termination, insurers raised premiums to compensate for their loss. Consequently, premium increases led to more advanced premium tax credits for enrollees in the Marketplace. To investigate the impact of CSRs payment termination on low-income consumer insurance plan choices, I leverage variations in state price regulations and employed a difference-in-differences design. In a robustness analysis, I utilized differences in county income distributions to examine the effects of the termination on insurance choices. The results indicate that after the termination, more low-income enrollees opted for cheaper bronze plans, and fewer chose silver plans. These results suggest that alterations in subsidy channels may inadvertently encourage low-income individuals to purchase less expensive health insurance plans, highlighting an unintended consequence of the termination of cost-sharing subsidies.

Producing Green or Brown? A Game of Green Innovation in an Asymmetric Oligopoly

As consensus grows for low-carbon development, innovation becomes vital for green growth, given the substantial technology adoption needed for long-term environmental targets. This paper explores market-driven incentives for green product innovation in an asymmetric duopoly using a game theory approach without relying on direct government intervention. The roles that market dynamics and rivalry have on the supply of green or brown products are explored in simultaneous and sequential scenarios, considering technology costs, demand-creating effects, rivalry gains, and information availability. Results reveal that a fully green market is contingent on low innovation costs, depending especially on the magnitude of demand creation effects. Notably, product differentiation occurs only under extreme cost asymmetry. Recommendations underscore the importance of incentivising low-cost innovations, assessing the impact of product differentiation and diversity, especially concerning lower-income consumers, and proposing measures to improve the transparency of firms’ strategic choices.