As part of a semester-long project, students on the ‘International Management and Psychology’ Master’s programme at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences in Kamp-Lintfort investigated consumer behaviour in relation to dairy products.
Kleve/Kamp-Lintfort, 26 March 2015: As part of a semester-long project, 22 first- and second-semester students on the ‘International Management and Psychology’ Master’s programme at the Faculty of Communication and Environment at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences analysed consumer behaviour in relation to butter and spreadable fats.
In collaboration with the company ‘Irish Dairy Board (IDB) Deutschland GmbH’, the students investigated the range of psychological and socio-cultural factors influencing consumer behaviour. Alongside motivational factors, cultural dimensions of consumer behaviour – such as consumption rituals – played a significant role. “A thorough analysis of psychological and socio-cultural influencing factors is an important first step towards a fundamental understanding of consumers’ purchasing decisions. Findings from such studies often form an important basis for strategic decisions in marketing,” explains Prof. Dr Thomas Heun, Professor of Consumer Behaviour and Market Research at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences.
The study also highlighted the great importance of values such as ‘naturalness’ and ‘health’ in the consumption of butter and spreads, even amongst young consumer groups in North Rhine-Westphalia. Furthermore, the critical attitude of ‘Generation Y’ towards overly promotional product claims was confirmed.
“The quality of the results and the professionalism of the approach came as a pleasant surprise to us as the client. We will use the findings of the research to take the relevant steps in the coming weeks and hopefully improve our performance,” says Manuel Rodriguez-Eicke, Head of Marketing at IDB Deutschland GmbH.
IDB Deutschland GmbH is a subsidiary of IDB in Dublin, a marketing organisation for the Irish dairy industry. At the company’s site in Neukirchen-Vluyn, Irish Kerrygold butter is packaged and distributed, alongside other dairy products, in Germany and Eastern Europe.
