Search

• We examined panic buying and hoarding at the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak. • Perceived scarcity was the strongest predictor of panic buying. • Intolerance of uncertainty was the strongest predictor of hoarding. • Buying restrictions imposed by retailers may reduce panic buying. The COVID-19 pandemic led to panic buying in many countries across the globe, preventing vulnerable groups from accessing important necessities. Some reports inaccurately referred to the panic buying as hoarding. Although hoarding is a separate issue characterised by extreme saving behaviour, the two problems may be influenced by similar factors. Participants from Australia and the United States (final N = 359) completed online self-report measures of panic buying, hoarding, shopping patterns, perceived scarcity, COVID-19 illness anxiety, selfishness, and intolerance of uncertainty. Our findings showed that panic buying was related to hoarding symptoms (r 's =.23 -.36), and yet, both were uniquely associated with different psychological factors. Whilst panic buying was most strongly related to greater perceived scarcity (r 's =.38 -.60), hoarding was most related to a general intolerance of uncertainty (r 's =.24 -.57). Based on our findings, future strategies to prevent panic buying should focus on reducing perceived scarcity cues in the community, as this seems to be the primary driver of panic buying. Another preventative strategy to reduce excessive acquiring and saving may be to implement educational programs to increase people's ability to tolerate distress and uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voltage rise caused by high levels of distributed generation is manifesting as voltage regulation challenges for many electricity network service providers. In this environment it would be ideal to reduce supply voltage magnitudes, however, many network operators are hesitant to do so due to concerns related to consumer appliance performance at reduced supply voltage magnitudes. Voltage regulation requirements are defined by network standards and network service providers must ensure voltages remain within specified limits. Through an evaluation of domestic appliance performance when supplied at various voltage magnitudes, this paper examines the impact of varying voltage levels on residential appliances. Equipment energy demand, operation and actuation were monitored for each applied voltage magnitude. While no equipment failures were recorded, appliance behaviour varied significantly with applied voltage magnitude. Individual appliance conservation voltage reduction (CVR) factors have also been established. The results highlight the importance of good voltage regulation and provide substantiated appliance performance figures for future studies. The outcomes of this paper allow electricity network service providers to understand the implications of supply voltage magnitude on domestic appliance performance, whether it be understating of the impact of higher voltage magnitudes caused by distributed generation or implications of reducing voltage magnitudes to provide headroom for distributed generation integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To identify factors influencing Australian consumer decision-making and attitudes towards non-prescription medicine (NPM) purchases, pharmacy's role in providing these medications and views around sources of evidence for effectiveness of these products., Methods: Cross-sectional survey of a general population sample of 1731 adults using an Australian online consumer panel stratified by gender, age and location (State/Territory). Beliefs about NPM purchases and evidence of their efficacy were assessed using a 5-point Likert scale (strongly disagree-strongly agree). Non-parametric measures (Ridit analysis and Mann-Whitney U-test) were used to explore associations between responses and previous experience with medicines., Key Findings: The most important factors when purchasing NPMs were effectiveness and safety. However, personal experience was the most common method of determining effectiveness. Most respondents believed buying NPMs in pharmacies gave access to advice, but were less likely to agree that pharmacies were associated with safe and effective treatments. Around half the respondents agreed that it is wrong to sell treatments lacking scientific evidence; many also agreed that it is up to consumers to decide what they want even without scientific evidence. Individuals experiencing an ineffective NPM were less likely to trust scientific evidence of efficacy as the sole source of effectiveness information; regular prescription medicine users often agreed that scientific evidence is needed to support effectiveness., Conclusions: Consumers have conflicting views regarding the need for scientific evidence and the desire for patient autonomy in NPM purchases. This presents a challenge for pharmacists wishing to maintain professional obligations to provide evidence-based treatments to consumers., (© 2019 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.)

Objective(s): The aim of this paper was to report on qualitative survey responses provided by older Australian adults regarding their preferences for Internet-based services and content., Methods: Two qualitative questions ('What type of Internet-based mental health and well-being (1) services, and (2) content would be of most interest to you?') from a broader survey investigating the mental and physical health of older Australians were thematically analysed for commonly occurring themes. Eighty-nine participants aged 65 years or older (mean age = 71 years, SD = 5.30) responded to at least one qualitative question. Participants were primarily female (60%, n = 53), born in Australia (65%, n = 58), in a relationship (58%, n = 52), living in the community (79%, n = 70) and relatively well educated, with the majority having completed a university degree (38%, n = 34)., Results: Themes indicated that participants were most interested in Facebook-style services (n = 17), chat groups (n = 16) and email-based services (n = 4) designed specifically for older adults (n = 14). However, some concerns were raised regarding the trustworthiness of Internet-based services, with the largest proportion of participants (n = 22) noting that they were unlikely to use Internet- or social media-based services. The primary content-related themes were mental fitness (n = 34), grief and loss (n = 20), health information (n = 13), socialisation (n = 11) and physical fitness (n = 10)., Conclusions: Participants indicated interest in tailor-made Facebook-style services for older adults that allow them to communicate with their peers and create new social networks and incorporate content relating to strategies for working on mental and physical fitness, information on coping with grief and loss, as well as health information. These findings can be used by organisations to develop Internet-based services and content for older Australian adults., (© 2023 The Authors. Australasian Journal on Ageing published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of AJA Inc’.)

Purpose of Review: The value of nutrition and health claims (N&HC) depends on how consumers use them and the regulatory framework that enables them. This paper aims to explore the impact of claims on consumer behaviour and identify evolving regulatory challenges, using the Australian experience as a reference point., Recent Findings: N&HC can influence consumer food purchasing and consumption, but how consumers interpret and act on specific claims is less well understood, and regulatory frameworks are evolving. In the last 10 years, changes to the Australian regulatory framework have exposed greater opportunities for promoting foods, albeit with challenges regarding self-substantiation of claims. N&HC can play a significant role in driving consumer choices towards a healthier food supply. The Australian experience demonstrates how N&HC can continue to evolve, reflecting developments in methodologies and a fundamental appreciation of the relationship between food and health., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine online purchase behaviours amongst young consumers in Australia and the USA. It also aims to develop and test a theoretical framework of young consumers' online purchase behaviour. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected through online surveys targeting young online shoppers in Australia and the USA. A multi-group structural equation modelling was used to test the proposed structural model and hypotheses. Findings: The model shows a good fit with the data. Young consumers in Australia and the USA have positive attitude towards online shopping that significantly affects their online purchase intentions. Social motive negatively impacts online purchase intentions in the Australian sample. Escapism and value motives positively affect Australian and American young shoppers' online purchase intentions. Young consumers in Australia and the USA are very familiar with the online shopping process. The familiarity strongly triggers their information search behaviour that leads to online purchase intentions. Practical implications: The results of this paper assist the marketers and policy makers to target and appeal to this young segment, based on their unique motivations, values and characteristics. Originality/value: Using the generational cohort theory, this paper contributes to the extant literature by providing insights on the Australian and American young generation's unique values and characteristics that influence their online purchase behaviours. This research also contributes insights for the marketers and policy makers to improve their marketing efforts and services and appeal to this young segment, based on their unique values and characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflation leads individuals to work harder to spend and not carry their money holdings. Two alternative margins have been used to model this effect: the extensive margin (the frequency of shopping per period) and the intensive margin (the average shopping time per trip). This paper investigates how inflation affects these two margins. It deviates from the previous literature by allowing individuals to vary both margins simultaneously. The analysis reveals that the impact of inflation on these two margins is determined by the interaction between the opportunity cost of carrying money and direct search costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent work in Melbourne, including the papers in this volume, has shed new light on the archaeology of this major nineteenth-century urban center. But how does Melbourne compare to other important contemporary cities, particularly those outside the British Empire? This paper compares “Marvellous Melbourne” against the “Paris of South America,” Buenos Aires, with a focus on exploring consumer behavior and transnational trade. Two case studies are considered, Casselden Place (Melbourne) and La Casa Peña (Buenos Aires) and while some differences are encountered, the overall similarity in results points to the interconnectedness of the world during the period under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the differences in consumers' risk perception when intending to purchase travel online across Millennials and Baby Boomers. The proposed research model was tested using structural equation modeling. The results show that perceived financial risk, perceived risk privacy, and psychological risk are significant for both Millennials and Baby Boomers. Overall risk was found to have a stronger negative impact on consumers' intention to purchase travel online. Results from this study will be helpful to travel businesses to determine which cohorts are averse to different types of risk and reduce consumers' risk perception and increase online purchase intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coproduction has become synonymous with innovative approaches to public service delivery in European Union countries as well as in Australia. Coproduction has the potential to bring together individuals, communities, and organisations in a process to collaboratively develop new models and services which improve public services. Yet, Australian policy makers and practitioners who would like to deploy coproduction within the context of older adult social care can only draw on a handful of papers and reports that could guide implementation. This paper fills this gap by reporting on the implementation of a multi-stakeholder coproduction approach to the development of a consumer directed care model for older people with complex health issues. The paper describes and critically highlights methodological challenges encountered during the 12 month-long participatory action research phase of a larger project involving older people with complex care needs, their carers, and government and non-government stakeholders. The paper outlines key considerations regarding (1) the involvement of older people with complex needs, (2) collaboration with industry partners, (3) engagement of government representatives, and (4) reflects on implementing participatory research projects within a context of outsourcing and interlinked supply chains. While not all challenges encountered could be resolved, the coproduction approach was successful in bringing together a wide range of stakeholders with competing agendas in an iterative process geared to resolve a plethora of concerns raised by older people, carers and services providers. This paper provides an example for others seeking to use coproduction and participatory methods to provide person-centred care services for older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated whether a single Hormonal Growth Promotant (HGP) adjustment in the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) beef grading model adequately predicted consumer eating quality of beef from cattle treated with different HGP formulations. This paper used consumer sensory data from two experiments. In experiment one, a total of 300 steers were allocated to three treatments; control (CON-100-F), 100 day oestradiol only HGP (OES-100-F), or a combination of trenbolone acetate and oestradiol HGP (TBA+OES-100-F) and finished in a feedlot for 73 days. In experiment two, a total of 200 steers were allocated either control or 400 day oestradiol only HGP treatments and finished on pasture for 389 days. Steers were slaughtered by finishing regime and carcass traits recorded. The anterior and posterior portions of the m. longissimus lumborum (LL-A and LL-P, respectively) and m. gluteus medius (GM) were collected and aged for five or 35 days. Grilled meat samples were scored for tenderness, juiciness, liking of flavour and overall acceptability using untrained consumers. Sensory scores were weighted by 0.3. 0.1, 0.3 and 0.3, respectively and summed to calculate a meat quality (MQ4) score. Residual MQ4 scores were calculated (observed MQ4 minus the predicted MQ4 score). The MSA model accounts for varied impacts of different HGPs on eating quality through a single HGP adjustment, and indirect impacts on carcass traits. For the majority of the HGP treatment samples, the residual MQ4 scores were not different to zero (5/18), or were positive i.e. the MSA model under-predicted these samples (11/18). Under-prediction was predominately for 35 day aged (7/9) and GM HGP treatment samples (6/6) and was considered low, with the majority less than ±5 MQ4 units. Under-prediction could be considered as advantageous through providing an additional safeguard to protect the interests of the consumers, rather than if the model had over-predicted and resulted in a more negative eating quality experience than expected. Some over-prediction was observed in the CON-100-F and TBA+OES-100-F treatment samples, which may be due to factors such as genetic variation and/or production environment. Minimal bias was observed when residual MQ4 was regressed against predicted MQ4 for the range of feeding regimes, muscles, ageing periods and treatment groups. This study showed that a single HGP adjustment in the MSA beef grading model, combined with the indirect effects of the different HGP formulations on carcass traits, provided a reasonable prediction of meat eating quality for different HGP formulations., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The paper reports findings of research into the dynamics of customer satisfaction formation amongst fruit producers and their distribution channel(s), within the economically important northern Victorian (Australia)fruit industry. The paper suggests reasons why previous approaches to the issue of satisfaction in channel member relationships, which typically utilize constructs of `economic' and `non-economic' satisfaction, may usefully be supplemented by application of the `disconfirmation of expectations' model. The research actually tests a modification of the traditional disconfirmation model that incorporates dimensions of `outcome' and `process' at the levels of expectations, performance and disconfirmation-a `dualistic' model. This had previously been tested only in a radically different business-to business context, that of advertising creative services. The findings suggest that satisfactory measurement of growers' expectations can be achieved They also suggest that the discomfirmation model does appear to apply in this previously untested service context, whether unitary measures of expectations and performance, or the dualistic interpretation of expectations/performance, are utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panic buying emerged as a significant phenomenon during the COVID‐19 pandemic. This study draws on the scarcity principle, crowd psychology and contagion theory to investigate the antecedents and consequences of panic buying. The antecedents included in this study are government measures, media and peer influence and the fear of missing out. The consequences are founded on a sense of security and guilt. Retailer intervention is included as a moderator to the proposed main effects. Data were collected from 341 consumers who engaged in panic buying and were residents of the United States and Australia during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Structural equation modelling was employed to test the proposed model. The results show that the proposed antecedents (except fear of missing out) were significantly related to panic buying, which in turn had a significant influence on panic buyers' psychological outcomes. The moderating effects of retailer intervention varied across different product categories. Discussion and implications of these findings are provided for policy makers, customers and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Household norms have been shown to influence energy efficiency behaviors, but little is known about the relative influence of household norms when compared to other established drivers of household efficiency behaviors, such as comfort‐seeking, environmental concern and cost sensitivity. This paper unpacks the nature of the influence of household norms on household efficiency behaviors, whether as antecedents, mediating the influence of other drivers or a direct influence on efficiency behaviors. Responses from 775 households in regional Australia were analyzed to test six hypotheses. Results suggest that household norms are among the most important variables influencing household efficiency behaviors. They have a strong and significant influence on curtailment and investment behaviors, mediate the relationship between established drivers of efficiency and efficiency behaviors and influence the drivers of efficiency. These findings demonstrate the importance of household norms for improving the energy efficiency of households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer trust in the modern food system is essential given its complexity. Contexts vary across countries with regard to food incidents, regulation and systems. It is therefore of interest to compare how key actors in different countries might approach (re)building consumer trust in the food system; and particularly relevant to understanding how food systems in different regions might learn from one another. The purpose of this paper is to explore differences between strategies for (re)building trust in food systems, as identified in two separate empirical studies, one conducted in Australia, New Zealand and the UK (Study 1) and another on the Island of Ireland (Study 2). Interviews were conducted with media, food industry and food regulatory actors across the two studies (n = 105 Study 1; n = 50 Study 2). Data were coded into strategy statements, strategies describing actions to (re)build consumer trust. Strategy statements were compared between Studies 1 and 2 and similarities and differences were noted. The strategy statements identified in Study 1 to (re)build consumer trust in the food system were shown to be applicable in Study 2, however, there were notable differences in the contextual factors that shaped the means by which strategies were implemented. As such, the transfer of such approaches across regions is not an appropriate means to addressing breaches in consumer trust. Notwithstanding, our data suggest that there is still capacity to learn between countries when considering strategies for (re)building trust in the food system but caution must be exercised in the transfer of approaches., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: One prominent barrier faced by healthcare consumers when accessing health services is a common requirement to complete repetitive, inefficient paper-based documentation at multiple registration sites. Digital innovation has a potential role to reduce the burden in this area, through the collection and sharing of data between healthcare providers. While there is growing evidence for digital innovations to potentially improve the effectiveness and efficiency of health systems, there is less information on the willingness of healthcare consumers to embrace and utilise technology to provide data., Aim: The study aims to improve understanding of consumers' preference for utilising a digital health administration mobile app., Methods: The online study used a stated preference experiment design to explore aspects of consumers' preference for a mobile health administration app and its impact on the likelihood of using the app. The survey was answered by a representative sample (by age and gender) of Australian adults, and sociodemographic factors were also recorded for analysis. Each participant answered eight choice sets in which a hypothetical app (defined by a set of dimensions and levels) was presented and the respondent was asked if they would be willing to provide data using that app. Analysis was conducted using bivariate logistic regression., Results: For the average respondent, the two most important dimensions were the time it took to register on the app and the electronic governance arrangements around their personal information. Willingness to use any app was found to differ based on respondent characteristics: people with higher education, and women, were relatively more willing to utilise the mobile health app., Conclusion: This study investigated consumers' willingness to utilise a digital health administration mobile app. The identification of key characteristics of more acceptable apps provide valuable insight and recommendations for developers of similar digital health administration technologies. This would increase the likelihood of achieving successful acceptance and utilisation by consumers. The results from this study provide evidence-based recommendations for future research and policy development, planning and implementation of digital health administration mobile applications in Australia., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Abstract: This study examines the role of stakeholders in the context of the retail industry, specifically the Australian supermarket industry. Through the lens of stakeholder theory, it is argued that suppliers to the Australian supermarket duopoly (Coles and Woolworths) might be considered “diminished” stakeholders, that is, they lack in urgency, legitimacy, and power. Using a case study methodology, this study analyses two separate cases of Coles and Woolworths' treatment of suppliers during the period 2011 and 2014. In the two cases, Australian Federal Court proceedings were brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission against both supermarkets for “unconscionable” behaviour towards their suppliers. The study also examines the impact of the relationship between Coles and Woolworths and their suppliers on consumers as the end‐user in the chain of consumption. The paper argues that the ethical treatment of suppliers by supermarkets will lead to better outcomes for both suppliers and consumers and contribute to the long‐term sustainability of the firm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societies often respond to a crisis by attributing blame to some groups while constructing others as victims and heroes. While it has received scant sociological attention, 'panic buying' is a critical indicator of such public sentiment at the onset of a crisis, and thus a crucial site for analysis. This article traces dynamics of blame in news media representations of an extreme period of panic buying during COVID-19 in Australia. Analysis reveals that lower socio-economic and ethnically diverse consumers were blamed disproportionately. Unlike wealthier consumers who bulk-bought online, shoppers filling trollies in-store were depicted as selfish and shameful, described using dehumanising language, and portrayed as 'villains' who threatened social order. Supermarkets were cast simultaneously as 'victims' of consumer aggression and 'heroes' for their moral leadership, trustworthiness and problem-solving. This portrayal misunderstands the socio-emotional drivers of panic buying, exacerbates stigma towards already disadvantaged groups, and veils the corporate profiteering that encourages stockpiling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial products are an essential part of living in developed countries such as Australia, facilitating financial transactions and asset ownership. However, for Muslims, the Islamic prohibition of interest potentially rules out the consumption of conventional (non-Islamic) financial products. Instead, Muslims are encouraged to participate in Islamic financial products that share profits, vis-à-vis interest. Existing literature suggests that while some Muslim consumers may consume non-Islamic financial products despite religious imperatives, others may simply abstain, leading to financial and possibly social exclusion. Aiming to enhance understanding of how Muslims in Australia fulfil financial needs, this paper presents a preliminary conceptual model that identifies social and psychological factors that drive Muslims' intention and behavior towards Islamic and non-Islamic financial products. The study seeks to contribute intelligence on the need for distinct marketing strategies when targeting Muslims' consumption of non-Islamic and Islamic financial products in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper was to examine the origins of the use of the line-in-the-sand approach in utility pricing in the Australian context. In Australia, this method has only been used in the water and wastewater industry and only to government-owned water companies in a regulatory context. The object of using the line-in-the-sand method by regulators has been to help create a smooth, but longer, transition, from political to commercially established prices, and to do so with the least community opposition. This has meant consumers initially enjoyed lower prices than may otherwise have been the case; however, prices rose as water and wastewater companies undertook extensive capital expenditure programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which inertia is distinct from calculative commitment and to extend the knowledge on these constructs in the corporate financial services context in Australia. The study proposes and empirically analyses a research model that considers switching costs as an antecedent to inertia and calculative commitment. Design/methodology/approach -- An e-mail URL-embedded web questionnaire was used to collect data online from responding organisations. The psychometric properties of the measures were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis, and the hypothesised relationships among the latent constructs were estimated using structural equation modelling. Findings -- The variance-extracted test established discriminant validity between inertia and calculative commitment. Switching costs affected both inertia and calculative commitment differently. Research limitations/implications -- The measurement scales should be subjected to further assessment before drawing conclusions on their construct validity. The findings support the contention that inertia occurs from high search and learning costs associated with transaction account products, and that calculative commitment is caused by the existence of sunk costs. Practical implications -- Managers should be cautious in employing barriers as mechanisms for customer retention, because calculatively committed customers might be behaviourally loyal only for as long as it is instrumentally rewarding to be so. However, dissatisfied customers often can become involved in inert buying patterns. Originality/value -- This paper is an important initial step in highlighting the extent to which inertia is distinct from calculative commitment, in addition to providing a measure of inertia. Paper type Research paper [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose - The purpose of this research is to investigate the influence of the corporate brand on attitudinal and behavioural consumer loyalty. This paper empirically demonstrates a significant relationship between consumer-perceived corporate brand and consumer attitudinal and behavioural loyalty. Design/methodology/approach - The research is based on a sample of 285 consumers of an automobile manufacturer in Australia. Cronbach alpha and Structural Equation Modelling were used to establish psychometric properties of the corporate brand constructs. Findings - This paper establishes two groups of corporate brand attributes: corporate and marketing-level. Corporate-level dimensions include corporate activities, corporate associations, organizational values, and corporate personality. Marketing-level dimensions comprise functional, emotional and symbolic brand benefits. The results reveal that corporate values, corporate brand personality and functional consumer benefits are the most critical and consistent predictors of both attitudinal and behavioural loyalty. Practical implications - Through the comprehensive measurement of the corporate brand impact on both attitudinal and behavioural loyalty, this paper offers insights for designing corporate branding strategies and generating consumer loyalty. Originality/value - This paper provides empirical validation of the relationship between consumer corporate brand perceptions and consumer loyalty and demonstrates that the influence of each particular corporate brand attribute may be different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic waste policy in Australia has a strong focus on kerbside recycling. In this paper mixed logit choice modelling is used to estimate the willingness to pay of households in Brisbane, Australia, for kerbside waste collection services including recycling. Respondents were found to have a positive willingness to pay for the fortnightly kerbside recycling and would be willing to pay an additional amount to increase the frequency of this service to weekly. The utility of respondents was, however, found to decline if general waste collection increased from weekly to twice a week. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine if high versus low ethnocentric consumers differ in their attitudes toward buying domestic and foreign brands of underwear that are made domestically or in foreign countries. Design/methodology/approach – Australian residents recruited through a mall intercept participated in this study through a self-completed questionnaire. Fishbein's Multi-Attribute model was used as the measure, along with repeated-measures ANOVA and t-tests, to examine whether the groups differed in their attitudes toward buying underwear with "Made in Australia", "Made in the USA", and "Made in China" labels. Findings – The findings generally indicated that there is no significant difference between high and low ethnocentric consumers in attitude towards underwear that are made in Australia and the USA. On the other hand, high ethnocentric consumers viewed domestically made and branded underwear as more durable, easier to care for, better priced, more colourful, more attractive, more fashionable, of stronger brand name, more appropriate for occasions, and more choices of styles. Domestically-made but foreign-branded underwear is viewed as easier to care for and better priced. Practical implications – The study suggests that China should improve its country image as compared to such developed nations as Australia and the USA in terms of production and manufacturing standards. The study also purports that American underwear brands with strong presence in the global fashion world that have not already established operation in Australia can consider entering the market. Originality/value – The paper fills the gap in the ethnocentrism literature by validating the study in Australia and focusing on the attitudes of high ethnocentric (and low ethnocentric) consumers. It also examines underwear, which is a common product category in apparels but inherently deficient in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the importance of functional, hedonistic and ethical attributes of denim jeans attributes and the trade-offs young adult Australian consumers made within these attributes when making a purchase decision. Design/methodology/approach – A two-stage mixed-method approach was used to explore the importance of denim jeans attributes and the trade-offs made within these attributes. First, focus groups were used to identify attributes that were important to young Australian adult consumers. In the second stage, conjoint analysis was used to estimate the relative importance of the product and ethical attributes that were identified in the focus groups and the trade-offs made within this attribute set. Findings – Focus group participants identified style, price, brand, country of origin and ethics as attributes that they used to evaluate denim jeans. In the conjoint analysis respondents identified price as having the highest relative importance, followed by brand, country of origin, style and ethical attributes. It was clear multiple attributes were valued and, although the ethical attributes that were included were not as important as garment attributes, respondents appeared to make trade-offs between garment and ethical attributes when purchasing denim jeans. Originality/value – The paper identifies attributes of denim jeans that are valued by young Australian adult consumers. That product attributes were more important than ethical attributes suggests a focus on ethical credentials may not be effective. Denim jeans are more likely to be purchased by young Australian adults if they are reasonably priced, made in Italy and have a designer brand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore situational influences on customers' actual choice between self-service and personal service and to examine the impact of past experiences on self-service technology (SST) attitudes and behavior. Design/methodology/approach – A supermarket self-checkout machine is the SST under investigation. A mixed qualitative research design was used and a total of 209 observations and 47 interviews were obtained from customers in five supermarket stores in Australia. Findings – Perceived waiting time, perceived task complexity, and companion influence are the three situational factors that impact on a customer's actual choice between self-service and personal service. Past experiences influence SST attitudes and behavior in a more complex manner than SST characteristics and other individual difference variables. Research limitations/implications – The findings may not be generalizable to internet- or telephone-based SST contexts. Practical implications – By understanding what factors affect a customer's choice, better strategies can be developed to manage and coordinate multiple service delivery options. The findings also highlight the importance of preventing frequent failure and providing speedy recovery in the SST context. Originality/value – This paper goes beyond SST attitudes/intentions and focuses on the moderating effect of situational factors on a customer's actual SST behavior. It also examines the impact of focal product and product-norm experiences on SST attitudes and behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The primary objective of this paper is to investigate the attitudes, feelings and perceptions of Australian consumers towards service frontline employees with accents that differ from Standard Australian English, taking into consideration service-country image and customer emotions. Design/methodology/approach – This paper reports on a qualitative study designed to uncover the attitudes and perceptions of Australians towards service personnel with foreign accents. Findings – The findings revealed that hearing a service provider with a foreign accent, particularly in services encounters without face-to-face contacts, often evokes a negative predisposition to certain accents, reduces the customers' level of tolerance and increases the perception of the service provider's lack of understanding. This negative stereotype bias seems to be moderated by the accent (a proxy of ethnicity) and service-country image and influenced by customer emotions in the service interaction. Research limitations/implications – Future studies could also use a controlled experimental design where accent could be used as a sensory cue to further test the validity and reliability of the current findings while controlling for factors such as ethnic background, employment, education and age. Further research should also take service types and service outcomes into consideration in examining the effect of accents on customer service evaluation. Practical implications – Accent as a service employee attribute influences customers' evaluation of the service encounter because of the stereotype customers have. Training in language skills, cross-cultural interpersonal skills and authority to deviate from the script should be given to minimise the negative effect of service employee accent. Service firms also need to develop strategies to manage customer emotions and reactions. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the service literature about service employee attributes and is particularly relevant to economies such as the USA, Canada, the UK, New Zealand and Australia where immigrants are a large part of the service workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the Generation Y segment in Australia perceive athletes as role models, and if so, do they engage in positive word-of-mouth (POWM) recommendation behaviour. This paper also explores the influence of gender and English language enculturation on PWOM recommendation behaviours of Generation Y. Design/methodology/approach – Interviewer administered questionnaires were conducted on members of Generation Y in Melbourne, Australia. A series of correlation and OLS regression analyses were performed on a sample of 221 Generation Y consumers. Findings – This study found that Generation Y generally perceives athletes as role models and this influenced the Generation Y segment to engage in POWM recommendation behaviours for products/services/brands endorsed by the athlete role model. The results indicate that gender does not play a significant role in this process. However non-English language enculturated members of Generation Y were found to be more likely to engage in POWM recommendation behaviours for endorsed products/services/brands. Practical implications – Athlete endorsement strategies are expected to be effective in reaching and communicating with the lucrative Generation Y population. As a result, firms and marketing practitioners should strongly consider utilising favourite athletes of Generation Y to endorse products/services/brands to this consumer segment. Originality/value – Past studies suggest that gender is a common differentiator in Generation Y's willingness to engage in POWM recommendation behaviour about endorsed products/services/brands by their favourite athlete. This study suggests that English language enculturation may be more effective in differentiating such behaviour, particularly in an Australian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; The purpose of this paper is to present the views and challenges from a range of accounting professionals, regulators and preparers with the introduction of a standardised approach to accounting for customer loyalty programmes (CLPs). It aims to highlight the ambiguities of the classification of commercial transactions, particularly the nature and timing of revenue recognition. Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; Comment letters in response to the exposure draft D20 CLPs are analysed together with an exposition of the effect of International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (IFRIC) 13 on an early adopter, Qantas airlines. Findings |!|#8211; Despite limited support for the consensus view advocated in D20, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has upheld the deferred revenue approach consistent with the anticipated outcome of the IASB and Financial Accounting Standards Board revenue recognition project. Research limitations/implications |!|#8211; The paper analyses the characteristics and views of lobbyists using the IFRIC process. The use of other discourse methodologies may present issues of power within this process. Practical implications |!|#8211; The paper highlights how the implementation of IFRIC interpretations has the potential to alter reported financial results. Originality/value |!|#8211; The paper highlights the lobbying process and interpretation process at an international level. It also illustrates how companies can engage accounting interpretations to manage earnings, particularly in times of economic challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- This paper aims to identify and test the key motivators and inhibitors for consumer acceptance of mobile phone banking (M-banking), particularly those that affect the consumer's attitude towards, and intention to use, this self-service banking technology. Design/methodology/approach -- A web-based survey was undertaken where respondents completed a questionnaire about their perceptions of M-banking's ease of use, usefulness, cost, risk, compatibility with their lifestyle, and their need for interaction with personnel. Correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analysis, with Sobel tests, were used to determine whether these factors influenced consumers' attitude and intention to use M-banking. Findings -- Perceived usefulness, perceived risk, cost and compatibility were found to affect consumer acceptance of M-banking. The results also support a mediation model, whereby attitude transfers the affects of the consumers' perceptions to their intention to use M-banking. Research limitations/implications - The sample used in this study contained a skew toward younger male consumers, affecting the generalisability of the results. Practical implications -- Developing marketing programs that focus on creating a positive attitude toward M-banking should attract consumers to this emerging electronic banking channel. Specifically, marketers should emphasise M-banking's usefulness and compatibility with consumers' lifestyle, in addition to designing M-banking systems that minimise risk and cost to the consumer. Originality/value - This paper validates and further develops an existing attitudinal model in the M-banking context, answering the call for additional research to generalise and improve the explanatory power of self-service technology acceptance models to other groups and countries. Paper type Research paper [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to present findings from an experiment designed to test the impact of crowding perceptions (both human and spatial), emotions (positive and negative) and shopping values (utilitarian and hedonic) on shopper satisfaction. Culture is explored as a moderating variable with the expectation that it systematically affects perceptions and values, which, in turn, influence the shopper's experience with the store. Design/methodology/approach -- Data were collected via a 2 x 2 x 2 full factorial between subjects design with two variables, one manipulated and one measured. The two manipulated variables were spatial density (high versus low) and human density (high versus low). The measured variable was country of origin, where subjects were coded as either American or Australian. Findings -- Culture moderates the effects of perceived spatial crowding as well as both hedonic and utilitarian shopping values on shopper satisfaction. Specifically, the adverse effect of perceived spatial crowding on shopper satisfaction is less pronounced for Australians than is the case for Americans. With respect to both utilitarian and hedonic shopping values, the positive relationship between shopping values and shopper satisfaction is greater for Australians than for Americans. Originality/value -- Shopping has been generally described by Rintamaki et al. as "relativistic, because it involves preferences among objects, it varies among people, and it is specific to the context". This paper demonstrates that culture clearly affects shopper's perceptions and shopping values, which in turn affect shopper satisfaction. It is reasonable to speculate that these effects would be even more pronounced had countries with greater cultural distance been examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the shadow of the global financial crisis, the issue of the marketing of credit has become an increasing concern in the past 12 months. Outstanding personal debt in the UK currently stands at £1479 billion and is rising by £1 million every 10.6 min. In Australia, there is currently $44.6 billion worth of outstanding credit card debt, and in the US, $2596 billion was owed on credit cards in 2008. At present, the banking sector utilizes sophisticated research methods to profile consumers, including those who might be considered financially vulnerable. However, the policy frameworks in most industrialized countries do not account for this form of target marketing when considering how to protect vulnerable groups. This paper is an initial attempt to examine the different methods by which profiling is conducted and the policy implications of this sophisticated form of segmentation and targeting. We argue that current consumer policies are inadequate in protecting vulnerable consumers from these marketing techniques, and recent recommendations from the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States, and the Australian Law Reform Commission to allow banks and lenders to ‘pre-screen’ potential customers will exacerbate personal debt levels, rather than reducing them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past half century, consumers in Australia have increasingly been confronted with a plethora of health food products. This paper focuses on health food that encourages consumption through the promise of health benefits. In this context, media representation of such food serves as a lens to explore the spread of consumer culture in Australia. Using a historical perspective, this paper asserts that in promoting such foods, food “experts” form an advisory nexus in an increasing context of “gastro-anomy” that Fischler (1980) speaks of. Fifty years of advertising, editorial content and articles are examined from the Australian Women's Weekly. Warde's (1997) antinomies of tastes are used as a starting point to show how the anxiety and risks associated with food consumption are built up and allayed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This purpose of this paper is to respond to calls for further research into consumer pre-purchase decision-making, and investigate the factors that cause a customer to make a decision to save for retirement. Design/methodology/approach - Exploratory research using eight focus groups was undertaken in Sydney, Australia with a total of 55 participants. The data were analysed using the approach suggested by Cresswell and includes coding into chunks, development of themes, interpreting, and validating findings. Findings - Three key findings emerged from the research. First, there are certain internal, external, and risk factors that have a major impact on propensity to save for retirement. These are: involvement level, motivation, needs and wants, family influence, marketer influence, competitive options, financial risk, functional risk, and psychological risk. Second, no clear and universal gender differences in the pre-purchase decision-making process emerged during the focus group discussions. Finally, alternative options for spending and addressing risk negatively influence pre-purchase decision-making and therefore the desire or ability to save. Research limitations/implications - This study is constrained by its exploratory nature. Consequently, future research could utilise quantitative methodology to confirm findings and allow generalisation of results. Also, a study incorporating ethnicity would add breadth to the findings. Practical implications - Managers and policy makers benefit from understanding that marriage and turning 40 years old are highly influential to a consumer's likelihood to save for their retirement. This information is particularly useful for the development of marketing and communication campaigns. Originality/value - This is the first exploratory study of pre-purchase decision-making which researches the triggers for buying complex financial services associated with saving for retirement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the widely accepted consequences of globalization is the development of individual outlooks, behaviours and feelings that transcend local and national boundaries. This has encouraged a re-assessment of important assumptions about the nature of community, personal attachment and belonging in the face of unprecedented opportunities for culture, identities and politics to shape, and be shaped by, global events and processes. Recently, the upsurge of interest in the concept of cosmopolitanism has provided a promising new framework for understanding the nexus between cosmopolitan dispositions and global interconnectedness across cultural, political and economic realms. Using data from a representative social survey of Australians this paper investigates the negotiation of belonging under the conditions of globalization. The data tap into attitudes and behaviours associated with a broad gamut of cosmopolitan traits in the domains of culture, consumption, human rights, citizenship, and international governance. They show how cosmopolitan outlooks are shaped by social structural factors, and how forms of identification with humanity and the globe are fractured by boundaries of self and others, threats and opportunities, and the value of things global and local. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper aims to understand the motivational factors that influence the purchase of mobile phone content among young Australians. Design/methodology/approach - An interpretive qualitative analysis of focus group data is used to explore the topic. Focus group participants were strategically selected from a larger sample to be representative on a broad range of demographic variables. Findings - There is considerable negativity associated with spending money on mobile content owing to the following factors: The mobile phone is perceived primarily as a communication tool. Money spent on the mobile phone for uses not related to communication is often perceived as wasted. The mobile phone is seen as an inferior channel for entertainment and information when compared to television, magazines, and the internet. Consumers are wary of deceptive advertising practices for mobile content. Many consumers are able to access "free" content. Research limitations/implications - Future research should focus on comparisons to consumers in other countries and on the relative pervasiveness of the factors identified in this study in the general population. Practical implications - Considerable negativity towards spending money on content suggests problems with revenue models relying on direct sales of content. However, "free" content is often perceived very positively. Advertiser-sponsored models and branded "value add" models may prove to be effective ways of leveraging this positive sentiment. Originality/value - The paper provides a unique examination of the link between perceptions of mobile content and the perceived role of the mobile phone in everyday life, and draws important conclusions regarding the implementation of successful revenue models. The conclusions reached are likely to be of interest to mobile application developers, content aggregators, content owners, and mobile telecommunication companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The present research aims to focus on sibling effects and birth order on preteen children's perceptions of influence in family purchase decision making. It also aims to examine the accuracy of children's perceived influence as compared to their parents. These areas have received little attention from consumer behavior researchers and, although there is research on sibling effects from broader sociological and psychological perspectives, there is very little empirical research from a marketing perspective. This research seeks to begin to fill that gap. Design/methodology/approach - A key methodological contribution of the paper is that data were collected from triads as opposed to the more common dyadic mother/child data. Surveys were used to collect the data. Subjects, which consisted of children and their parents, were recruited through an elementary school in a mid-sized city in the southeastern USA. A total of 184 triads were approached to participate and 94 completed the surveys from each member of the triad were received. Data were analyzed using SPSS and four a priori hypotheses were tested. Theoretically the paper draws from research on sibling effects. Findings - The paper finds that preteens in the study perceived they had significant influence on purchase decisions. Key results of interest include the finding that the mere presence of siblings weakened the perception of influence, yet interestingly, results indicate that later-born/only children have more influence on certain purchases than firstborns. In addition, results indicate that preteens felt they have more influence on purchases that are intended for their use as opposed to purchases that are for family use. Parents also felt that children have more influence on purchases for the child, but parents did not perceive the levels to be as high as their children did. Research limitations/implications - If later-borns and only children have more influence and as such get their way more often, does this affect their ability to be competent adult consumers? Are there more instances of compulsive shopping and other decision-making problems because they have become accustomed to getting what they want? In addition, if children overestimate influence, is it because they are not yet able to fully understand persuasion and the use of influence? From a public policy perspective there have often been concerns raised about children's ability to deal with influence, and if very subtle forms of influence are used, children may not be equipped to recognize these attempts and as a result may be more susceptible to them. Originality/value - Research examining sibling effects on children's perceived influence is virtually non-existent. According to Commuri and Gentry, who conducted a thorough review of research in family decision making, sibling influence has not been systematically examined in consumer research. Research in this area is important as marketers seek to fully understand the impact children have on family purchase decisions, the roles children play in the decision-making process, and the factors affecting children's degree of influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to compare the three-dimensional (3D) shapes of a sample of 18-30 year old Australian women, to the 3D shapes assumed by the Standards Australia (SA) garment sizing system, using the newly developed L-statistic, to suggest methods of improving current garment sizing systems. Design/methodology/approach - The L-statistic is a new method for quantifying the lack of fit between two sets of dimensions defining 3D shapes. Using the L-value, 28 measurements were calculated from 3D scans on 294 18-30 year old Australian women and compared to the SA sizing system. Each participant was assigned to a best-fit size, which was the size yielding the lowest L-value. Findings - The results showed that there is a significant mismatch between the real 3D shapes of young Australian women and the shapes assumed by the SA sizing system, and that there is a difference of more than two sizes when comparing reported dress sizes and best-fit clothing sizes. Practical implications - Results suggest a need for revision of the current system, or development of a new system. Revision of current clothing sizes, or development of new sizes would be optimised by using 3D body scanning technology. Originality/value - This paper outlines the use of the L-statistic, a new method of comparing the shape of Australian women to the SA sizing system. The L-statistic can also be used to compare any individual to any sizing system and to assess the lack-of-fit between any sizing system and a sample of scanned bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has shown that while some people favor foreign-sourced products, others prefer to purchase goods made in their own country. From the perspective of the Australian wine market, consumption of wine has been consistently increasing in recent years. While sales of Australian made wine are booming, sales of imported sources are also increasing in terms of dollar value. This paper examines the effect of consumer ethnocentrism and animosity on willingness to buy foreign wine products, in an effort to better understand the factors involved in the consumer decision making process when purchasing wine products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose ? Despite research studies indicating strong support for labelling information, uncertainty remains with respect to how labels influence consumers. This paper attempts to empirically investigate how consumers who differ in terms of environmentalism respond to labels. Design/methodology/approach ? The data were collected on an Australian sample using a structured questionnaire administered on the phone using quantum research (CATI) data collection services. A total of 155 questionnaires were completed and used for data analysis. The data were analysed using both descriptive measures and correlations between variables. Findings ? There appears to be a proportion of consumers that find product labels hard to understand. The research found that there are consumers who will buy green products even if they are lower in quality in comparison to alternative products, but would look for environmental information on labels. With respect to price sensitive green consumers, there appears to be a relationship between price sensitivity and ?always? reading labels as well as indicating that there is ?sufficient? information on product labels to make informed purchase decisions. Research limitations/implications ? It was beyond the scope of the research to account for some of the utilitarian approaches to interpretation or in-depth comprehension of label information. The sample size of 155, although selected using a probability method, may, to some extent, limit the overall accuracy of the results. Practical implications ? The research offers some important information on different green consumer segments that would alert managers on how best to position environmental labels. Findings such as ?Satisfied with labels? correlates with ?Labels are accurate?, which suggests that businesses need to provide a clear, accurate and easily legible label design to encourage satisfaction with the accuracy of content and the communication aspects of a label. Originality/value ? The paper contributes to better understanding of green customers purchase intentions and the usefulness of ecological product labels. It offers some insights and assistance to businesses in planning their green product/labelling strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose ? The paper aims to increase our understanding of an under-investigated research area of consumption, that is, cosmopolitanism as a consumer orientation. Design/methodology/approach ? About 16 informants, either Australians who had worked or studied overseas, or expatriates residing in Australia, participated in a qualitative research study. Analysis was an iterative process involving textual interpretation of interview transcripts and photographs supplied by informants. Findings ? Support is found for Thompson and Tambyah's idea that a cosmopolitan consumer orientation comprises dominant masculine and counter-veiling feminine traits. Contradicting Thompson and Tambyah, the study validates Cannon and Yaprak's idea that a cosmopolitan consumer orientation simultaneously embraces maintaining close ties to their cultural roots and seeking to consume products from other cultures. Additional aspects of cosmopolitanism are identified, including the benefits of expatriate enclaves and difficulties upon returning home. Research limitations/implications ? Theory validation arises as a consequence of finding partial support for past findings. Theory generation manifests as suggested modifications to extant theory and identification of additional aspects of cosmopolitanism as a consumer orientation. Practical implications ? Understanding cosmopolitanism as a consumer orientation has implications for understanding consumption of culturally distant products. Originality/value ? The paper offers foundations for future research into an increasingly significant aspect of consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines whether "consumer sentiment," an often neglected variable, explains consumption expenditures for Australia. Since household consumption accounts for more than 60 percent of U.S. GDP and a similar proportion in other developed economies, fluctuations in consumption may result in significant changes in the state of the economy. Therefore, we develop a theoretical model that suggests why consumer sentiment may influence consumption expenditures. Furthermore, using a carefully specified consumption function as the "test-bed," we consider empirically whether there is an independent impact of sentiment on consumption. Our results suggest that consumer sentiment does influence variations in consumption expenditure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer trust in food system actors is foundational for ensuring consumer confidence in food safety. As food labelling is a direct communication between consumers and food system actors, it may influence consumer perceptions of actor trustworthiness. This study explores the judgements formed about the trustworthiness of the food system and its actors through labelling, and the expectations these judgements are based on. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with 24 Australian consumers were conducted. Theoretical sampling focussed on shopping location, dietary requirements, rurality, gender, age and educational background. The methodological approach used (adaptive theory) enabled emerging data to be examined through the lens of a set of guiding theoretical concepts, and theory reconsidered in light of emerging data. Food labelling acted as a surrogate for personal interaction with industry and government for participants. Judgements about the trustworthiness of these actors and the broader food system were formed through interaction with food labelling and were based on expectations of both competence and goodwill. Interaction with labelling primarily reduced trust in actors within the food system, undermining trust in the system as a whole. Labelling has a role as an access point to the food system. Access points are points of vulnerability for systems, where trust can be developed, reinforced or broken down. For the participants in this study, in general labelling demonstrates food system actors lack goodwill and violate their fiduciary responsibility. This paper provides crucial insights for industry and policy actors to use this access point to build, rather than undermine, trust in food systems., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Consumer support for pro environmental food policies and food purchasing are important for the adoption of successful environmental policies. This paper examines consumers' views of food policy options as their predisposition to purchase pro environmental foods along with their likely demographic, educational and cognitive antecedents including food and environmental concerns and universalism values (relating to care for others and the environment). An online survey to assess these constructs was conducted among 2204 Australian adults in November 2011. The findings showed strong levels of support for both environmental food policies (50%-78% support) and pro environmental food purchasing (51%-69% intending to purchase pro environmental foods). Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling showed that different cognitive mediators exist along pathways between demographics and the two outcome variables. Support for food policy was positively related to food and environment concerns (std. Beta = 0.25), universalism (0.41), perceived control (0.07), and regulatory issues (0.64 but negatively with food security issues (-0.37). Environment purchasing intentions were positively linked to food and nutrition concerns (0.13), food and environment concerns (0.24), food safety concerns (0.19), food and animal welfare concerns (0.16), universalism (0.25), female gender (0.05), education (0.04), and perceived influence over the food system (0.17). In addition, health study in years 11 and 12 was positively related to the beginning of both of these pathways (0.07 for each). The results are discussed in relation to the opportunities that communications based on the mediating variables offer for the promotion of environmental food policies and purchasing., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The Australian financial planning sector has seen recent regulatory changes introduced to address misconduct. One such introduction surrounds increased levels of mandatory financial adviser education. This paper examines the Banning orders between March 2015 and March 2023 to identify relationships between levels of misconduct and education. Analysis of findings supports the validation of education requirements and outlines identifying properties assisting consumer decisions to avoid those advisers affiliated with misconduct. This research further explores avenues to develop the sector's professionalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issue addressed: Methods are needed to accurately measure and describe behaviour so that social marketers and other behaviour change researchers can gain consumer insights before designing behaviour change strategies and so, in time, they can measure the impact of strategies or interventions when implemented. This paper describes a photographic method developed to meet these needs.Methods: Direct observation and photographic methods were developed and used to capture food-selection behaviour and examine those selections according to their healthfulness. Four meals (two lunches and two dinners) were observed at a workplace buffet-style cafeteria over a 1-week period. The healthfulness of individual meals was assessed using a classification scheme developed for the present study and based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines.Results: Approximately 27% of meals (n = 168) were photographed. Agreement was high between raters classifying dishes using the scheme, as well as between researchers when coding photographs. The subset of photographs was representative of patterns observed in the entire dining room. Diners chose main dishes in line with the proportions presented, but in opposition to the proportions presented for side dishes.Conclusions: The present study developed a rigorous observational method to investigate food choice behaviour. The comprehensive food classification scheme produced consistent classifications of foods. The photographic data collection method was found to be robust and accurate. Combining the two observation methods allows researchers and/or practitioners to accurately measure and interpret food selections. Consumer insights gained suggest that, in this setting, increasing the availability of green (healthful) offerings for main dishes would assist in improving healthfulness, whereas other strategies (e.g. promotion) may be needed for side dishes.So what?: Visual observation methods that accurately measure and interpret food-selection behaviour provide both insight for those developing healthy eating interventions and a means to evaluate the effect of implemented interventions on food selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]