Consumerism in Europe: Challenges and Opportunities for Marketing Strategy

Abstract

Emphasises opportunities for positive responses to consumerist phenomena by marketing managements, despite the growing political nature of European consumerism, and that in this new, complex and dynamic environment the marketing man must learn to operate. States in the last two decades of growth markets, the number of products available to satisfy a particular consumer need has dramatically increased. Posits that, luckily for both consumer and marketer, the normal process of consumer satisfaction tends, in the long run, to shake out unviable or invalid products. Investigates consumers' perceptions of consumerism, discussing both male and female views about information, health and safety, repairs and servicing and product quality. Gives results of a survey from a consumers' hot line installed by a US Attorney General in the autumn of 1971 — there were 3,000 calls of which a random sample of 150 were used — these results are included for reference. Discusses businessmen's perception of consumerism, marketing stands, objectives and policies of consumer organisations, future trends in Europe, and marketing's response by firms who practice the marketing concept. Summarises that the time is at hand to apply, in its true meaning, the marketing concept.

Citation

Straver, W. (1978), "Consumerism in Europe: Challenges and Opportunities for Marketing Strategy", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 12 No. 4, pp. 316-325. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000004992