Choices that Matter: Research Insights on Marketing and Consumers

Consumer Behavior in the 21st century is undergoing a rapid transformation, shaped by rising awareness, government interventions, digital media, health consciousness, and sustainability considerations. The topics presented in this volume reflect pressing issues at the intersection of marketing, policy, and society, offering valuable insights for both academics and practitioners. For management students, these studies are particularly relevant as they combine theoretical understanding with real-world applicability, helping them prepare for decision-making in complex and evolving markets.

The first set of topics—Awareness among consumers regarding central government schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana—highlights the role of government initiatives in shaping inclusive financial and healthcare landscapes. Understanding how consumers perceive and adopt these schemes helps future managers appreciate the significance of public policy in influencing consumption patterns, welfare distribution, and trust in institutions.

Closely linked to consumer rights is the study on Awareness and Challenges in Resolving Consumer Complaints in Ahmedabad. It emphasizes the gap between policy frameworks and consumer experiences, offering management students a chance to explore service recovery, grievance redressal, and the role of technology in creating consumer-centric ecosystems.

Moving into the domain of marketing communications, the topic of Celebrity endorsements and consumer buying behaviour for food and beverages explores how cultural icons and influencers drive consumption. It serves as a reminder for students to critically evaluate the ethical, psychological, and commercial implications of celebrity-driven campaigns. Complementing this is a study on the role of Social Media in shaping consumer awareness and buying behavior of personal care products, which underscores how digital platforms amplify both opportunities and risks for brands.

The increasing health consciousness of consumers is addressed in multiple contributions. Consumer awareness of the health implications of excessive sugar, salt, and fat consumption examines how knowledge and perceptions influence dietary choices, while understanding consumer decision-making for healthy choices in ready-to-eat packaged foods provides practical insights into convenience-driven but health-conscious purchase decisions. These discussions are highly relevant in an era where lifestyle diseases are on the rise and where managers must balance profitability with public health concerns. Similarly, Key factors influencing consumer buying decisions for snacks—advertising, pricing, convenience, and health claims reveal how marketing mix elements interact with consumer psychology.

On the sustainability front, Greenwashing and consumer decisions: The role of awareness in shaping purchase decisions critically evaluates how deceptive practices erode consumer trust, urging future managers to adopt ethical and transparent marketing strategies. Alongside this, the Impact of certification and labels on consumer choices of packaged foods shows how third-party validation can empower buyers and differentiate products in competitive markets. Finally, the theme of sustainability extends to the motivators and barriers for consumers in adopting energy-efficient applications and practices, offering a lens into behavioural economics, technology adoption, and green marketing.

For management students, these topics not only enrich their academic foundation but also prepare them to respond to emerging consumer trends with sensitivity, responsibility, and innovation. By engaging with these studies, students will gain a nuanced understanding of how awareness, trust, ethics, and policy intersect with consumer decision-making—skills essential for building sustainable, customer-centric businesses in the future.

This volume also reflects the dedication of the editor in shaping these diverse themes into a cohesive framework. The guidance offered to the contributing writers has helped them refine their research ideas, connect them to broader management implications, and ensure academic rigor. The collaborative effort between the editor and authors has resulted in a collection of studies that are not only informative but also thought-provoking. Readers, particularly management students, will benefit from this synthesis of perspectives, as it bridges classroom learning with contemporary market realities.