Table Of ContentReligion and Consumer Behaviour
Religion is an important part of individual lives, playing a major role in our decision
making and puchasing. Understanding the influence of religion on consumer behaviour
is therefore an essential practice for business. The COVID- 19 pandemic has especially
enhanced the influence of consumers’ religiosity on their consumption decisions. This
book concentrates on understanding the relationship of religiosity with various aspects
of consumption and consumer behaviour to improve policy and build on an under
represented topic.
In this edited collection, expert contributors, academicians and researchers discuss
the influence of religion on consumer behaviour in depth including the “dark side” of
religion on consumers’ consumption behaviour and religious cults. The chapters also
explore the ethical issues surrounding consumption and the role of religion on branding
and sustainable practices. With a broad perspective, the book draws on examples of
practices from Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.
This book will be a particularly valuable resource for scholars and upper level
students of marketing, consumer behaviour and consumer psychology. The interdiscip-
linary perspectives will also appeal to those studying sociology and globalization.
Gaurav Gupta is currently Assistant Professor in Marketing at Amity University, Uttar
Pradesh, India. He earned his Doctorate and Masters in Business Administration degree
with a concentration in Marketing from Punjabi University, Patiala. He also studied
marketing at the prestigious Wilkes University, Pennsylvania, USA, and is a recipient of
Erasmus+ , IIM- Bangalore Fellowship(s).
Mandakini Paruthi is currently Assistant Professor in Marketing at School of
Management, Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology, Gandipet, Hyderabad. She
earned her Doctorate and Masters in Business Administration degree with a special-
ization in Marketing from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, and Lovely
Professional University, Punjab respectively. She is a recipient of Junior Research
Fellowship grant from University Grants Commission.
Shivinder Nijjer, PhD in HRM analytics, is currently serving as Professor of Practice
in Business Analytics at Chitkara University, Punjab, India. She has authored books and
research articles with eminent publication groups like Taylor & Francis, Emerald, and
Springer, among others. She is supervising four doctoral research candidates and has
filed numerous utility patents with Indian Patent Office.
Routledge Studies in Marketing
This series welcomes proposals for original research projects that are either
single or multi- authored or an edited collection from both established and
emerging scholars working on any aspect of marketing theory and practice
and provides an outlet for studies dealing with elements of marketing theory,
thought, pedagogy and practice.
It aims to reflect the evolving role of marketing and bring together the
most innovative work across all aspects of the marketing ‘mix’ – from product
development, consumer behaviour, marketing analysis, branding, and customer
relationships, to sustainability, ethics and the new opportunities and challenges
presented by digital and online marketing.
26. European Consumers in the Digital Era
Implications of Technology, Media and Culture on Consumer Behavior
Edited by Małgorzata Bartosik- Purgat and Nela Filimon
27. Artificial Intelligence for Marketing Management
Edited by Park Thaichon and Sara Quach
28. Sustainable Marketing and Customer Value
Edited by Subrata Chattopadhyay, Sundeep Singh Sondhi and Arunava Dalal
29. Religion and Consumer Behaviour
Influence of Religiosity and Culture on Consumption
Edited by Gaurav Gupta, Mandakini Paruthi, and Shivinder Nijjer
30. Corporate Social Responsibility and Marketing Ethics
The Effects of Value- Based Marketing on Consumer Behaviour
Honorata Howaniec
For more information about this series, please visit: www.routle dge.com/
Routle dge- Stud ies- in- Market ing/ book- ser ies/ RMKT
Religion and Consumer
Behaviour
Influence of Religiosity and Culture on
Consumption
Edited by Gaurav Gupta,
Mandakini Paruthi, and
Shivinder Nijjer
First published 2023
by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 selection and editorial matter, Gaurav Gupta, Mandakini Paruthi, and
Shivinder Nijjer; individual chapters, the contributors
The right of Gaurav Gupta, Mandakini Paruthi, and Shivinder Nijjer to be identified
as the authors of the editorial material, and of the authors for their individual chapters,
has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs
and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised
in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or
hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks,
and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing- in- Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978- 1- 032- 26500- 1 (hbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 032- 26501- 8 (pbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 003- 28855- 8 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/ 9781003288558
Typeset in Bembo
by Newgen Publishing UK
Contents
List of figures vii
List of tables ix
List of annexures xi
List of contributors xii
Preface xvii
1 Sustainability and religion: Consumption insights from a
Western vs. Eastern comparison 1
ELIZABETH MINTON
2 The impact of religion on consumer decision- making 20
ANIRUDDHA PANGARKAR
3 Consumers’ doubts and marketers’ dilemmas:
Navigating the cross- currents of religious taboos
in consumer behaviour 34
SACHIN SINHA, DEEPTI SINHA, AND PRADEEPTA KUMAR SARANGI
4 Theorizing on religiosity and frugal buying behavior:
A literature review 48
SATINDER KUMAR, ANISHA PURI, SUPREET KAUR, AND
MEENAL SHARMA JAGTAP
5 Awakening the might of heaven: contextualization of
religious values, social identity, and purchase intention in
selected nations 74
VINEET GUPTA, GARIMA MADAAN DUA, AND PRAVIN JADHAV
6 Religion, culture, ethnicity and consumption 94
SUMIR MATHUR
vi Contents
7 Religion across cultures/ subcultures and consumer
behavior 110
DOHA SALEH ALMUTAWAA
8 Can religious conflicts impact religious consumption
choices? A game- theoretic approach 124
RIPUDAMAN BHARDWAJ AND OINDRILA DEY
9 The emergence of consumer spirituality with an increase
of religiosity influencing their purchase intention amidst
Covid- 19 146
PUSHKAR DUBEY, KAILASH KUMAR SAHU, AND PARUL DUBEY
10 An empirical investigation of impact of religion and
cultural values on sustainable consumption 163
HARSANDALDEEP KAUR, MANPREET KAUR, AND
PRANIKA SHARMA
11 A conceptual debate on why religious consumers
engage in ethical/ unethical behavior: The role of
moral disengagement 188
SYED MASROOR HASSAN, ZILLUR RAHMAN, AND
JAMID UL ISLAM
12 Impact of religion on food consumption in India 209
PALLAVI SOOD AND SANDHIR SHARMA
13 Halal as a religious cult and its impact on consumption
and livelihood 232
PANKAJ DHAUNDIYAL AND ILA MEHROTRA ANAND
Index 247
Figures
1.1 Interview themes: general views of sustainability 10
1.2 Interview themes: consumers’ sustainability practices 12
1.3 Interview themes: religion’s influence on consumers’
sustainability practices 13
2.1 Factors leading to consumer decision- making for religious
consumers 29
4.1 Number of studies in different countries 51
4.2 Number of studied per year 51
4.3 Research model 66
6.1 Proposed conceptual model 104
7.1 The interrelationship between religious affiliation, religiosity,
and consumption behavior 115
8.1 The timeline of Ayodhya dispute 129
8.2 Extensive form representation of dynamic game between
Hindu Mahasabha and Waqf Board, when Hindu Mahasabha
moves first 132
8.3 Extensive form representation of dynamic game between
Hindu Mahasabha and Waqf Board, when Waqf Board
moves first 133
8.4 Extensive form representation of dynamic game of incomplete
information between Hindu Mahasabha and Waqf Board 135
8.5 The impact of the verdict of religious conflict on equilibrium
of religious goods market 139
9.1 Conceptual model 150
9.2 CFA results of incorporated variables 153
9.3 Effect of religiosity on consumer spirituality 155
9.4 Effect of religiosity on purchase intention 155
9.5 Effect of consumer spirituality on purchase intention 156
9.6 Consumer spirituality as mediator between religiosity and
purchase intention 157
10.1 Theoretical model 170
10.2 Importance – performance map analysis (IPMA) results 174
11.1 Proposed conceptual 195
viii List of figures
12.1 Mind map highlighting the broad themes extracted out of
interviews 216
12.2 Word cloud revealing most frequently used words by the
respondents 218
12.3 Text search query ‘food’ 219
12.4 Text search query ‘religion’ 220
Tables
4.1 Number of research papers regarding the journal 52
4.2 Relevant review of literature 53
7.1 Differentiation between religious affiliation and religiosity 114
8.1 Normal form (tabular form) representation of simultaneous
game of complete information 131
9.1 Demographic description 151
9.2 Theoretical constructs and measurement items 152
9.3 Measurement results using confirmatory factor
analysis (CFA) 152
9.4 Discriminant validity 154
9.5 Mediating effect of consumer spirituality between religiosity
and purchase intention 156
10.1 Demographic data 171
10.2 Importance- performance map analysis (IMPA) results 175
12.1 Demographic characteristics of the respondents interviewed 217
12.2 Demographic profile of survey respondents 221
12.3 Descriptive statistics 221
12.4 Mean difference analysis of perception of individuals on
impact of religion on daily food choices with respect to
demographic variables 222
12.5 Mean difference analysis of perception of individuals on
impact of religion on food choices during festivals with
respect to demographic variables 223
12.6 Mean difference analysis of perception of individuals on
impact of religion on fasting with respect to demographic
variables 224
12.7 Mean difference analysis of perception of individuals on
consuming/ abstaining from some particular food items due to
religious affinity with respect to demographic variables 225
12.8 Mean difference analysis of perception of individuals on eating
in a restaurant that serves both vegetarian and non- vegetarian
food items with respect to demographic variables 225
