Economics

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics, around twenty-two million Australian consumers spent $1 trillion worth of goods and services each year. The $1 trillion mostly spent from food, alcohol, clothing, housing, communication, education and health (Armstrong, Adam, Denize & Kotler, 2012). These goods and services purchased by consumers are strongly influenced by cultural, social, personal and psychological characteristics that marketers cannot control into account.

Cultural factors heavily influence on consumer’s buying behaviour such as the nationality, religion, social class, reference groups and geographical area (Armstrong, Adam, Denize & Kotler, 2012). Culture is a set of basic values, perceptions and behaviours each of the consumer possessed. Culture prescribes the way a consumer should live and they purchase goods or services (Andorfer & Liebe, 2013). For example, in Australia, women can often be seen wearing miniskirts and shorts. However, if you are a woman in Syria wearing a short instead of burgas, you could face death or bodily harm (Bashar, Ahmad & Wasiq, 2013). While in Saudi Arabia, women must wear an abaya or known as long black garment. Abayas can come into different styles, cuts and fabrics and cost very expensive (Bashar, Ahmad & Wasiq, 2013). Thus, abayas have become a big trend in the market business due to increased number of Muslims flocking into Australia.

Fast food restaurants such as Mcdonalds also respond to different cultural factors that each market inherent in order to adapt its product and its marketing strategy (Andorfer & Liebe, 2013). Mcdonalds adapt different food products from different cultures to meet the consumer’s needs and wants. For example, a Prawn Tempura Burger in Japan, Chicken Paneer Burger in India or you might have a McBaguette Burger in France. Mcdonalds’ ingredients used in Middle East and other arab countries are certified halal. Kofta wrap being offered in Dubai is an example of a halal food product...