Factors Influencing the Consumption of Health Supplement Products among Those Concerned with Slimness - Research Paper Example

An exploratory study of factors influencing the consumption of health supplement products among those concerned with skin and slimness: a case study of Thai consumers 1. Introduction Background to the study This researcher was influenced by the existence of a clearer growth pattern of the consumption of health supplement products by those consumers concerned with skin and slimness in Thailand. An increasing number of Thais have been consuming health supplement products such as concentrated vitamins, minerals and oils in the dubious hope of improving the skin glow and becoming slim with little or no attention paid to the health-related outcomes. This aspect of health consciousness needs an in-depth analysis to delineate the causal factors for such behavior in a systematic way. Modern Thai society has acquired food habits which are typical of the fast-paced modern lifestyles of many developed countries. Problem statement A considerable amount of attention is focused on what root causes underlie the type of peculiar behavior among an increasing number of Thais, both young and old, to purchase and use costlier health supplement products; why do they behave in this manner; how do they get hooked on these products; in which context, when and where do they find them to be necessary in addition to their daily intake of meals; and who are these consumers, i.e. consumer typology? In other words what theoretical constructs and empirical evidence would be required to build up the contingency model for the study of this behavioral tendency among Thais, including their socio-economic and cultural backdrop? (Roitner-Schobesberger, Darnhofer, Somsook and Vogl, 2008). Hypothesis of the study The primacy and immediacy of modern lifestyles in the developed world in particular and the developing world in general are basically determined by a series of endogenous and exogenous factors. Thai society has not been an exception to this rule. Among endogenous factors attitudes and family life occupy a very important place while exogenous factors include social, economic and cultural transformation. Thai society as it is with intricate social, economic and cultural interlinks acquires a modern dimension in food habits and health consciousness among an ever-rising influential middle class. It’s against this backdrop that the current study would focus attention on the primacy and immediacy of lifestyles and associated concerns about health. The psychological dimension of the study would focus on the attitudinal perspectives of Thais nowadays on the need to look healthy. Healthy lifestyles are not necessarily determined through a priori behavioral patterns (www.austrafde.gov.au). Neither do they occur as a result of predetermined individual choices. In fact they are the outcomes of contingency living, i.e. a random emergent process of evolution in lifestyles and health consciousness. In fact it’s the inevitable response to extraneous socio-economic pressures. Health supplement products come handy in this complex situation to those Thais who desire a healthy glow to their skin and a slim figure (www.piribo.com). Significance of the study The significance of this study is based on three factors. In the first place there is very little or no substantial research has been carried out on the subject so far. In this backdrop this study would seek to fill an existing gap in the literature. Secondly, this study is a reflection on a very critical transformation period in Thailand concerning self-conscious behavior in making health-related choices. Thirdly it’s a contextual study of individual consumer choices on health supplement products among Thais. These three factors along with its research potential make it amply clear why this study is going to be significant in Thailand (Kulbupar, 2005, www.epubl.luth.se). Purpose of the study The purpose of this study is many faceted and its theoretical and practical impact is intended to shed light on the existing behavioral patterns among Thais in respect of consumption of health supplement products. The study would explain in detail the correlations and regressions among endogenous and exogenous variables of consumer behavior with reference to demand patterns for health supplements (Jansson, 2002). It would seek to establish these negative and positive correlations among a host of variables in order to shed light on the existing consumer preferences for health supplement products. Finally the purpose of the study is to show how significant these correlations are in a socio-economic context of attitudinal transformation among Thais who regard health supplement products to have a positive impact on their physical well being. It will also shed light on the hidden motives behind the preference for a slimmer look among the Thai youth. 2. Literature review Integrity in terms of legality The existing literature on the subject of manufacturing (or alternatively importing) and marketing health supplement products in Thailand barely identifies and addresses the legal issues associated with the genuineness of claims and quality of these products. Product labeling and packaging technologies have gone a long way to camouflage the defects of products so that legal action against manufacturers/importers and marketers of these products seems to be almost impossible. While there are very few consumer laws in Thailand to protect potential consumers of health supplement products against counterfeit products, there is still much less protection against negative side effects arising from the consumption of them. In the first place misleading marketing tactics of sellers have not been exposed in legal literature on the subject. Health food supplement industry is not regulated in Thailand to the extent that is found in the West. As a result there is very little legality attached to these health supplement products. Despite consumer sovereignty there is very little by way of a legal system to prosecute those who sell supplements without valid proof of quality (John and Sahasakmontri, 1998). In the absence of a code of ethics for manufacturers and sellers, there is always the threat of marketing ploys adopted by manufacturers and sellers to increase sales so that profit margins would rise. The lack of a proper regulatory mechanism or framework for the quality improvement is attributed to the very intricacies of the subject. Legal frameworks for regulation require essential intelligence and personnel. These aspects have a very important place in the literature and objective analysis of the material (www.marketresearch.com). Attitudes towards damaging impact on original brands Attitudes among Thais towards the damaging impact of counterfeit health supplement products on original brands have been varied and complex as well. The available literature suggests a marked tendency among wealthy Thai consumers to purchase original products despite the rising inflation. However among poor the consciousness about good health is growing much faster and their income levels do not permit them to buy expensive original brands (Unnevehr, Duff and Juliano, 1992). Thus the counterfeit or look-alike cheaper brands are bought daily in increasing quantities in Thailand. As in many societies wealth in Thailand too is unequally distributed and the lower middle class families have a tendency to purchase health supplements at cheaper prices in order to balance the calorie-vitamin intake on a daily basis. In Thailand calorie consumption per capita has been falling among the poor to a greater extent due to the global economic downturn. Very few Thais, if any, seem to know about the negative consequences of consuming these health supplement products. However it’s the level of income of the average Thai that determines how and why these people buy health supplement products. Original brands are constantly benchmarked and are put on the supermarket shelves with quality certification labels that assay both the quantity and the quality of the product. In the eyes of the potential consumer such products are genuine and consumption-worthy. On the other hand supplements are not backed by such quality certification labels. They are counterfeits with little to talk about product specificity (www.newmediaexplorer.org). Ethical attitudes and consumer’s perceived risk Perceived risk is associated with the quality of the product. As for ethical attitudes, there is much less importance attached to moral values than to profit margins. The risk factor associated the consumption of health supplement products is determined by a series of perceptions such as what’s risk and how the extent of risk is to be determined. For instance the risk of consuming a health supplement product is perceived by different consumers in different ways. For poor consumers the attitude towards maintaining their current consumption levels and healthy looks outweighs risk factor while the opposite is true with rich consumers (Singhapakdi, Rawaas, Marta and Ahmed, 1999). Ethical attitudes have little relevance in a highly consumerist society where health supplements are purchased and consumed with a view to maintaining a certain physical appearance. A healthy glowing skin and a slimmer physique would have the added advantage of being welcome in every nook and corner of the society. This in turn shapes the attitudes of many Thai consumers who would not hesitate to look like one of their heroes or heroines. It’s the tinsel or celluloid world that influences attitudes of many consumers. Thai consumers are not an exception to this rule. The glitter of the cinema and its universe acts like a hallucinogenic drug on the average consumer when it comes to moral attitudes. As for the seller, his conscience is subject to the weight of profits. As long as there is nothing to show in a supplement product that goes against the laws of the country, moral attitudes carry little weight with both manufacturing and purchasing decisions (Sangkhawasi and John, 2007). 3. Methodology Subjects and setting The methodology of this study would be divided into two sections as follows. (a). Primary research The primary research aspect of this paper would consist of two parts – a survey and a questionnaire. The researcher hopes to undertake a survey among Thai consumers – a selected sample of one hundred consumers – who purchase health supplement products on a regular basis. The survey would involve a part interview and a questions and answers process. The survey would be designed and planned according to the weighting given in accordance with value attached to each question and response. Value parameters of the survey would be determined by the amount of importance that each question and response takes in the context of consumers’ attitudes and purchasing habits (Elliot and Elliot, 2003). (b). Secondary research Secondary research methodology of this paper involves the researcher’s efforts to study and collate data from the existing literature such as books, articles, newspaper reports and journal research papers. This effort will also investigate a the existing theoretical literature on the subject with a view to delineating various viewpoints expressed by a variety of write4rs and researchers on the subject. This research effort would necessarily focus on the current thinking of the research outcomes. REFERENCES 1. Codex Alimentarius Meets In Thailand: Industry More Important Than Consumer Health, 2006, from, www.newmediaexplorer.org. 2. Elliott, R. and Elliott, N. J. 2003, Using ethnography in strategic consumer research, Qualitative Market Research An International Journal, Vol.6, Issue 4, pp.215-223. 3. Euromonitor International, 2007, Health and Wellness Healthcare Products in Thailand, from, www.marketresearch.com. 4. Jansson, A. 2002, The mediatisation of consumption: towards an analytical framework of image culture, Journal of Consumer Culture, Vol. 2, Issue 1, pp. 5-31. 5. Kulbupar, T. 2005, Consumer trust in Thailand Online B2C Company, from, www.epubl.luth.se 6. John, L.M. and Sahasakmontri, K. 1998, Green marketing of cosmetics and toiletries in Thailand, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol.15, Issue, 3,pp265-281. 7. Natural health products to Thailand, 2009, from, www.austrade.gov.au. 8. Roitner-Schobesberger, B., Darnhofer, I., Somsook, S., and Vogl, C.R. 2008, Consumer perceptions of organic foods in Bangkok, Thailand, Food Policy, Vol.33, Issue 2, pp.112-121. 9. Sangkhawasi, T. and John, L.M. 2007, Impact of status brand strategy on materialism in Thailand, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol.24, Issue 5, pp.275-282. 10. Singhapakdi, A., Rawwas, M.Y.A., Marta, J.K., and Ahmed, M.I. 1999, A cross-cultural study of consumer perceptions about marketing ethics, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol.16, Issue 3, pp.257-272. 11. Unnevehr, L.J., Duff, B., and Juliano, B.O. (Eds.),1992, Consumer demand for rice grain quality, Int. Rice Res. Inst, Philippines. Vitamins and Dietary Supplements in Thailand, 2008, from Read More