Journal of Consumer Sciences

Consumer Studies educators’ digital technology use: A case in North West, South Africa

2024-08-13T14:39:12+00:00

Digital technologies have the potential to significantly promote education. Current generations of school learners are digital natives and will especially benefit from its incorporation into their educational processes. Incorporating digital technologies into education contributes toward preparing learners for life and the world of work. Increasingly, research reports on the use of digital technologies to support education in various school subjects. However, no such research could be uncovered for Consumer Studies (CS) – a valuable and meaningful South African school curriculum subject. As CS teachers have repeatedly reported a dearth of resources to foster education in the subject, digital technologies could contribute to ameliorating this problem. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to report on a study that explored CS teachers’ use of digital technologies to support teaching-learning in this valuable subject. The overarching goal of the research was to understand if and how CS teachers are utilising digital technologies for teaching-learning purposes and to develop recommendations for enhancing its use to buttress CS education in South Africa. An exploratory qualitative case study was conducted using purposive convenience sampling in the North West province. Twenty CS teachers voluntarily and anonymously completed an online questionnaire. The questionnaire’s items aimed to explore if and how these teachers utilise digital technologies in enacting the CS curriculum. Inductive data analysis was employed. The findings indicate that several CS teachers embrace digital technologies but with a limited range of educational intentions. Informed by these findings, recommendations are made to enhance the use of digital technologies as a teaching-learning resource in CS and support these educators in enacting the curriculum of this valuable subject.

Understanding, response and support regarding the health promotion levy among urban consumers employed at primary and secondary schools in Pietermaritzburg, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

2024-10-18T14:43:14+00:00

Obesity can be highly attributed to the excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). The Health Promotion Levy (HPL) was introduced in South Africa (SA) in April 2018, increasing the price of SSBs with the aim to reduce consumption of SSBs. The current study aimed to assess the understanding, response and support regarding the HPL among urban consumers employed at primary and secondary schools in Pietermaritzburg (PMB), KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The objectives were to determine (i) consumer demographics (ii) awareness, knowledge, and perceptions of the HPL, (iii) responses to the HPL in terms of purchasing behaviour, (iv) whether the national corona virus disease (COVID-19) level four to five lockdown contributed to increased sugar intake from SSBs, (v) perceptions and attitudes regarding obesity and its causes and (vi) which obesity preventative strategies were believed to complement the HPL. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 13 schools where the consumers answered a self-administered consumer questionnaire (SACQ). Almost all consumed SSBs, however, less than half were aware of the HPL. Consumers have not changed their SSB purchasing behaviours since the HPL implementation and did not increase their SSB consumption during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Consumers were aware that obesity is a serious condition and perceived the HPL positively.

A systematic literature review on social media marketing and consumer behaviour

2024-10-29T05:48:58+00:00

In this digital era, social media (SM) has radically transformed consumer behavior, serving as a platform where consumers discover products, compare prices, and evaluate merchandise through reviews and opinions. SM enables brands to connect with consumers in a personalized manner, creating a sense of interaction as though the brand is speaking directly to them. This systematic review explored the Social Media Marketing Activities (SMMA) employed by businesses to engage consumers, build trust, and drive purchase intentions. The study analyzed 41 scholarly articles published between 2019 and 2024, uncovering how SMMA strategies, such as influencer marketing, personalized content, and augmented reality, shape consumer-brand relationships. The findings highlighted that effective SMMA not only enhances brand loyalty but also significantly impacts consumer purchase intentions. Moreover, SMMA has become a vital tool for developing robust marketing strategies, bridging businesses and consumers through interactive and engaging approaches. It was concluded that the consumer-brand relationship positively and significantly influences purchasing decisions through SM. By addressing challenges such as privacy concerns and content saturation, brands can optimize their SMMA strategies to foster trust and ensure long-term engagement, making SM an indispensable part of modern marketing.