Journal of Islamic Marketing

Is religiosity an important consideration in Muslim consumer behavior: Exploratory

study in the context of western imported food in Pakistan
Syed Faheem Hasan Bukhari, Frances M. Woodside, Rumman Hassan, Ayesha Latif Shaikh, Saima
Hussain, Waqas Mazhar,
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Marketing, https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-01-2018-0006
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Muslim
Is religiosity an important consumer
consideration in Muslim behavior

consumer behavior
Exploratory study in the context of western
imported food in Pakistan Received 9 January 2018
Revised 21 December 2018
Syed Faheem Hasan Bukhari, Frances M. Woodside and Accepted 17 January 2019

Rumman Hassan
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School of Management and Enterprise, University of Southern Queensland,

Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, and
Ayesha Latif Shaikh, Saima Hussain and Waqas Mazhar
Department of Management Sciences, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Institute of Science and Technology, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract
Purpose – This study aims to explore whether religiosity influences consumer purchase behavior among
Muslim consumers in Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach – An in-depth, semi-structured interview protocol was developed and
administered to a sample of 90 participants, both male and female, across eight metropolitan cities of
Pakistan. Professionals, university students and housewives were part of the sample. NVivo Version 11 was
used for data analysis to answer the research questions raised in this study. Moreover, the purposive
sampling method has been used in this research.
Findings – The behavior of consumers was found to vary with the degree of involvement and the degree of
religiosity. Study findings are divided into three themes. Firstly, a high level of religiosity makes Muslim
consumers follow the Islamic principles of food consumption, by evaluating the product ingredients, spending
moderately and verifying a halal logo at the time of purchase. Secondly, a major theme is the view that
religiosity has no influence on food consumption; it is more about individuals’ needs and priorities. Finally,
the consumers’ overall perception of quality, product value, purity and health consciousness over-powers the
concept of religiosity.
Research limitations/implications – Because of its qualitative and exploratory nature, the
generalizability of this paper is limited. In addition to that, this research is just focused on one Muslim
country.
Practical implications – This study suggests that western food exporters may use religiosity and other
factors as probable segmentation variables to effectively position their brands. Religious images and other
factors may be highlighted in product packaging and communication campaigns by marketers to gain
recognition and usage of western food and consumption among religious, Pakistani Muslim consumers. The
output of this research may support prospective entrants into the food business; those interested in exploring
the Asian consumer market. Findings from this study may also be helpful for those in the west interested in
exploring Pakistan as an emerging consumer market.
Social implications – The presence of western imported food may improve the quality of life by having
more opportunities and healthier options for the nation. Western food products can also bring cultural
convergence whereby the underdeveloped nation feels upgraded and modern. Moreover, if the western food Journal of Islamic Marketing
products are certified halal, the product has a fair chance of adoption and penetration in the society. Also, the © Emerald Publishing Limited
1759-0833
food products coming from the western world induces mindfulness, people are more aware about innovative DOI 10.1108/JIMA-01-2018-0006
 JIMA and useful ingredients that can satisfy their taste buds, improve their health, increase their life expectancy
and contented approach toward life.
Originality/value – Thus far, limited research has analyzed religiosity of an overwhelmingly Muslim
population and its impact on consumer behavior. This study is a preliminary effort to provide a basic
understanding of the behavior of Pakistani Muslims, who have been insufficiently investigated by marketing
and consumer researchers. The intriguing results are to remind marketers that there are several factors that
govern religiosity and lead to a purchase decision.
Keywords Consumer behaviour, Islam, Muslim consumers, Religiosity, Western imported food
Paper type Research paper

Introduction
Culture and subculture are the overwhelming topics that are identified with consumer
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behavior. Thompson and Tambyah (1998), Shaw and Clarke (1998) and Schouten and
McAlexander (1995) considered culture to be the most significant factor defining individual
consumption behavior. The degree of the influence of culture on people’s lives is such that it
even affects the motives and choices at the time of purchase (Chang and Chuang, 2005). In
the research conducted by Ott (1989), the author clarified that culture is characterized by the
beliefs and knowledge that people have and it originated from the past cohort. It
encompasses behaviors, learned responses, essential conventions, customs and usual
practices that need to be measured, felt and implemented (Shweder, 1991). Culture,
subculture and social class are the three fragments of culture. Though culture is a basic
defining aspect of human desire and behavior, it is fundamentally religious groups that form
subcultures, which affect consumer behavior. Essentially, subculture can be based on four
units, namely, nationality groups, religious groups, racial groups and geographical regions.
Out of all, religion is an important influencing factor of human consumption behavior
(Kotler and Armstrong, 2010).
Religion is a vital cultural factor, considering that it is one of the supports of a society’s
foundation. These foundational pillars have an important impact on the thought-process,
characteristics and behaviors at both individual and group level. Religiosity is a mutual
attitude of principles and practices in consecrated things or routine life and it encourages the
comprehension of one’s association and duty to one another when one lives in a group
(Mukhtar and Mohsin Butt, 2012). As per Kotler (2000), religion is a part of culture that can
determine the individual’s actions. This portrays that individuals who follow a faith have
definite thoughts that can affect their choices.
Religious commitment or religiosity is the degree to which views in explicit religious
values and ideals are seized on and practiced by an individual. This outlook is a key aspect
of this research by looking into the influence of religion on consumer buying behavior. On
the other hand, “shopping behavior” represents a cognitive and affective facet of consumer
behavior and it is connected with numerous personality traits. In core, sociologists have
recommended that personality traits are one of the over-all factors that have a note-worthy
impact on numerous human actions (Sproles and Sproles, 1990).
Lately, there has been a rising interest in Muslim markets from international marketers
of major product categories. The reason is that Islam is the second largest religion and one
of the fastest developing religions on the planet, because of the growing number of Muslims
(more than 235 per cent over the past 50 years). In addition, Muslims account for 24 per cent
of the total world population (1,800 million). Nevertheless, in the next four decades, Islam
will grow faster than other religions in the world, rising from 1.8 to 2.76 billion Muslims by
2050 (Alkhasawneh, 2015). Similarly, by 2050, both Christians and Muslims will account for
nearly half of the total population. Also, by 2050, both Christians and Muslims will make up
 closely equal portions of the world’s population, whereby Christians would be 31.4 per cent Muslim
and Muslims would be 29.7 per cent. While Islam is the second largest religion in the world consumer
today (after Christianity), it is the religion that is developing fastest. If you follow the current
statistical patterns, it is anticipated that the number of Muslims will surpass the number of
behavior
Christians before the end of this century. A large proportion of Muslims around the world
(62 per cent) reside in the Asia-Pacific region and have big populaces in Indonesia, India,
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran and Turkey (Pew Research Forum, 2017).
From a marketing perspective, the phenomenon of religion affects consumer behavior
and is included as a consideration in marketing plans (Delener, 1990). The way in which
consumer behavior is influenced by the religiosity aspects is an essential consideration for
the performance of companies, particularly, those catering to a nation that is dominated by
Muslims, such as Pakistan.
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Due to the fact that sellers can practice a uniform method by concentrating on basic
needs for all consumers, they appear to undervalue the profound consequence of religious
variances between shoppers on their spending activities. The benefits of this convenience
tactic are diminished, particularly, if consumers with diverse cultural and religious
upbringings are not largely influenced by identical marketing efforts because of their
religious differences (Bailey and Sood, 1993). Hence, for marketers to develop an effective
marketing plan for a certain sub-culture, an in-depth comprehension of how spending
behavior of consumers is continually affected by their religious commitment is seemingly
necessary (Mokhlis, 2006).
Consumers in an Islamic society are ruled by Islamic norms that provide direction in
their everyday life. The notion of moderation is emphasized and aids as guidance for
Muslims in spending money. This is because Muslims are commanded to base their
consumption on strict adherence to the practice of moderation (Ramli and Mirza, 2010). The
national religion of Pakistan is Islam, practiced by about 97 per cent of its total population of
207,774,000. Pakistani Muslims spend 42 per cent of their income on food-specific items and
Pakistani middle and upper socio-economic classes consume western imported food. As
there is a demand and spend on western imported food in Pakistan, the western part of the
world, such as North America and other western regions, shares a total import value of PKR
678,401.34m. This makes a 26.54 per cent contribution of western food in Pakistan (Pakistan
Bureau of Statistics, 2017). Further, consumers in urban areas as compared to rural areas of
the country have a greater tendency to use western imported food. The main import of
Pakistan in food items are mostly beverages and fruit juices, ice cream, baby food, vegetable
oils, dairy products, sugar, wheat flour, dry fruits and spices (Ahmed et al., 2012).
Pakistan, with its Muslim-dominated population, has different religious beliefs compared
to the dominant religious beliefs in the western part of the world, and yet, despite Islamic
guidelines on moderate spending and food consumption, the consumption and money spent
on western imported food has been increasing in Pakistan. This research inspects the
influence of religiosity or religious commitment on buyer behavior. It is built on the
proposition that devotion to a particular religious faith considerably impacts buyer
purchase behavior among the Pakistani Muslim consumers. Alternatively, there may be
other factors that overshadow religiosity and influence Muslim consumer purchase
behavior. By ascertaining the stated factors and gauging their importance in the target
consumers, companies can define the suitable offering for an explicit market (Hawes and
Baker, 1994). Thus, to cope with the varying customer perceptions, food manufacturers are
becoming quite concerned about a number of factors and these are often continuous in
nature (Vishwanathan and Childers, 1999). Although the Pakistani consumer market is
favoring western imported food, there is a need to study the aspect of religiosity or any other
 JIMA factors affecting Muslim purchase behavior. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore
the Muslim religious commitment and any other factors that impact consumer purchase
decisions in this product category. The outcomes will assist marketers to implement an
effective and suitable product strategy for food related products, which might benefit to
improve brand knowledge, preference and loyalty.

Review of literature
According to Kotler (2000), there is an effect of religion on the purchase behavior, but did not
expand on how much religion might impact the purchase behavior, as it is a part of culture.
Incidentally, in Islam, religion is not termed as culture but a lifestyle that could form a
behavioral agreement called “Islamic.” As all good educational institutions in the public
sphere, religion transmits to its followers a number of qualities to live by, and so the
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followers will be heavily influenced by the religion to have confidence in their everyday
activities (Bowen, 2008).
Religiosity is an integrated arrangement of principles and practices comparative to holy
or transcendent things. Also, it influences a comprehension of one’s association and
obligation to others when living together in a community (Mukhtar and Mohsin Butt, 2012).
At the centre of religion is religious obligation, often termed as religiosity and defined as:
“the degree to which a person uses or adheres to his or her religious values, beliefs and
practices and uses them in daily living” (Worthington et al., 2003, p. 85). There is a likelihood
that a highly-religious individual will gauge the world through religious rules and thus will
incorporate his or her religion into much of his or her life (Jamaludin, 2013; Worthington
et al., 2003). In addition, Johnson and Romanello (2005) describes religion as “the extent to
which a person concentrates on religion, the goals and lessons of it, for example, mental
states and the person's practices reflect that commitment.” In this way, religiousness is the
religious responsibility that is attached to the religion supporting or subscribing to
practices, beliefs, dispositions or guesses related to an organized community of faith (Baetz
et al., 2004).

Relationship between religiosity and buying behavior

Over the past couple of years, there has been substantial research around creating a
connection between cultural values and facets of consumer purchase behavior. Though,
religion as a powerful socio-cultural and godly value has attained diminutive consideration
from consumer researchers. It is partially an outcome of an earlier supposition by a small
sum of buyer behavior authors. They uphold that the effects of religious belief on
consumption behavior are secondary and that the subject of religion had no position in
philosophies of buyer behavior (Jamaludin, 2013). In the research conducted by Cleveland
et al. (2013), they stated that differences in consumption procedures connected to religious
association were more diligently linked to social class or ethnic dissimilarities than to
religion.
In the past research studies, there have been numerous inquiries with regard to the
association between religiosity and consumer behavior, with the overall inference, that there
is an actual connection. In a pragmatic research on religiosity and consumer behavior
between 602 typically Protestant consumers, Yousaf and Shaukat Malik (2013) came to an
important deduction that religiosity impacts numerous facets of a buyer’s routine that
ultimately may affect choices and/or behavior. When age, earnings and sex were controlled,
the investigators established that individuals with a larger gradation of religious obligation
were inclined to be happier with their living, had an extra traditional sex-role positioning
and were more expected to be opinion leaders. Though further results were not empirically
 significant, outcomes from their study also established signs that shoppers with more Muslim
religious obligation were less likely to engage in credit and expected to favor local brands. consumer
Razzaque and Chaudhry (2013) led a study amongst a sample of both Muslims and non-
Muslims residing in Singapore, to examine whether the aims of the consumer and ways to
behavior
attain them, are as implicit in Islam. The results stated that the Muslims residing in
Singapore are generally modest in spending, showing that self-control, one main notion of
the Islamic consumption model is being implemented. The study was conducted in an area
where the mainstreams are from other religions, comprising 85 per cent of the populace of
Singapore. The research only focused on products that gratify physical necessities, such as
foodstuff and attire, henceforth, concentrating only on non-durable goods. Gayatri et al.
(2005), in their research, established that a Muslim’s Islamic social values affect the
individuals’ valuation benchmarks for the service quality of restaurants, hotels and airlines,
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and in turn, the use of these services. Religiosity has been revealed to effect individual’s life
routine, search for new information, buying risk aversion, perception toward advertising,
buying behavior of key durables and particular aspects of retail store patronage behavior.
Hence, there is sufficient proof to establish the claim of religiosity in clarifying consumer
behavior.

Effect of Muslim religiosity on buying behavior

There is a strong association between religiosity in Islamic republics and consumer
behavior that repeatedly impacts their buying choices (Al-Hyari et al., 2012). Muslim buyers
show concerns about Islamic obedience when assessing attributes of a product before
selection (Mukhtar and Mohsin Butt, 2012). Countries with dominant Muslim populaces
have accepted Islamic law, which endeavor to execute Islamic doctrines and principles in
daily personal and professional dealings. Muslim consumers in general request products
and services that must observe Islamic laws requirements (Borzooei and Asgari, 2013).
Muslims residing in multi-religious cultures are measured as quite conscious of the
acceptability of products by Islam. Also, the mainstream of halal research in the non-
financial sector has been led in multi-ethnic cultures (Mukhtar and Mohsin Butt, 2012).
Muslim customers’ religiosity also has an effect on new product adoption, as their spiritual
views sway what brands they would accept and how (Rehman and Shahbaz Shabbir, 2010;
Baig and Baig, 2016). Spiritual Muslims consider Islam as their basis of submission and they
spend moderately. Religiosity executes as an intervening element in the connotation among
relative and contextual variables and Muslim buyers’ buying actions (Alam et al., 2011).
Therefore, to date, there have only been minimal efforts made to discover if religiosity is an
imperative element in shopper buying behavior. Due to the lack of studies and literature
relating to religiosity on consumer buying behavior, this research endeavors to explore if
religiosity influences consumer buying behavior or are there any other factors, which
control religiosity and influence Muslim consumer buying behavior.
There is a strong rationale for conducting this research in a country where the religious
majority is of Muslims and where Islamic conservatism is explicit. Although Pakistan is by
and large a Muslim country but there is very little awareness regarding halal in imported
western food brands, unlike other Muslim states such as Indonesia and Malaysia (Salman
and Siddiqui, 2011).
Furthermore, a research conducted in Pakistan empirically proved that religiosity has a
negative relationship with purchase of non-local products, which varies based on the
strength of religious conviction (Azar et al., 2014). These are alarming findings from
consumer rights perspective and imported brand marketers perspective; thus,
 JIMA substantiating the need for such studies to crystallize the ground realities for future
consumption and branding decisions.
The above discussion leads to the development of the following three major research
questions: firstly, inquiring the influence of religiosity on Muslim consumer buying
behavior (Jamaludin, 2013); secondly, interrogating the relationship of religiosity with
western food products (Wilson and Liu, 2010, 2011); and finally, exploring factors, which
contribute to Muslim buying behavior (Sprotles and Kendall, 1986).

RQ1. What is the influence of religiosity on Muslim consumer purchasing behavior in

the context of western imported food in Pakistan?
RQ2. Is there any association between religiosity and Muslim consumer buying
behavior in the context of western imported food in Pakistan?
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RQ3. Are there other factors, which contribute the Muslim consumer buying behavior
in the context of western imported food in Pakistan?

Research methodology
This is an exploratory study to investigate if religiosity is a major influencing factor on
purchasing western imported food in Pakistan. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were
used to collect the data. Individual face-to-face interviews allows the participants to express
their views and experiences in a better way; thus, providing detailed information to the
interviewer (Mangan et al., 2004). This method assisted the researcher to comprehend the
consumer mindset by capturing their lived experiences on the subject matter (Saunders
et al., 2009). In this regard, exploring the element of religiosity and other related factors in
purchasing western imported food is the leading objective of the study, and henceforth, in-
depth, semi-structured interviews were found to be quite suitable for this research.
Purposive sampling method has been used in this research. This sampling method
principally demands an effort to find a good connection between research questions and
sampling (Bryman, 2004).
The researcher developed the interview protocols before collecting the final data and five
pilot interviews were carried to highlight any issues or discrepancy in the interview
questions. The participants for the pilot study consisted of individuals from different
professions, housewives and university students (both undergraduate and post graduate).
According to research conducted by Yin (2015), the procedure of a pilot study allows the
interviewee to express sentiments and feelings connected to the interview questions and
permits the researcher to report any issues with the phrasing of the questions. Data
collection took place in the month of December 2016; and January and February 2017. The
researcher covered eight metropolitan cities of Pakistan, namely, Karachi, Lahore,
Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Larkana, Hyderabad and Faisalabad; these cities’ populations
represented the target respondents for this study. The main reason for selecting eight
metropolitan cities of Pakistan was to ensure the sample represented the key Pakistani
urban cities with diversified socio-economic classes and having the awareness and usage of
western imported food ensuring the generalizability of the research outcome (Gobo, 2008).
The total number of interviews was 90 from the above-mentioned cities wherein 44 of the
respondents were male, and 46 were female. Respondents from various occupations,
educational backgrounds and socio-economic status were interviewed. The diversity of
participants furnished the interviewer with diverse viewpoints and mindsets of the
consumers. The average interview time spent during each interview was approximately 25-
30 min. Participants in each city were interviewed until a conjunction of opinions began to
 appear. Saturation is reached within each city when the researcher gathers data to the point Muslim
of diminishing returns, when nothing different is being added in the discussion (Bowen, consumer
2008). Hence, participants were interviewed until a convergence of opinions started to
appear. Based on the research conducted by Guest et al. (2006), they stated that a sample size
behavior
of 15 is the smallest satisfactory number to gather, record and examine data within a
specified time period. A study by Sandelowski (1995) proposes that the sample size of
qualitative studies is mostly a matter of choice and understanding in measuring the
significance of information collected.
Samples for qualitative studies are generally much smaller than those used in
quantitative studies (Ritchie et al., 2013). There is a point of diminishing return to a
qualitative sample; as the study goes on, more data does not necessarily lead to more
information. Qualitative research is very labor-intensive, analyzing a large sample can be
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time-consuming and often simply impractical (Crouch and McKenzie, 2006). Within any
research area, different participants can have diverse opinions. Qualitative samples must be
large enough to assure that most or all of the perceptions that might be important are
uncovered, but at the same time, if the sample is too large then data becomes repetitive, and
eventually, superfluous. If a researcher remains faithful to the principles of qualitative
research, sample size in the majority of qualitative studies should generally follow the
concept of saturation when the collection of new data does not shed any further light on the
issue under investigation (Glaser and Strauss, 2017). While there are other factors that affect
sample size in qualitative studies, researchers generally use saturation as a guiding
principle during their data collection.
The researcher opted for maximum variation sampling and identified common patterns
that emerged from core experiences of prodigious variations. Cleary et al. (2014) suggests
that if a research has constrained resources for in-depth data collection then the researcher
ought to select maximum diversity within a sample size, which helps devise detailed
description of each case and unearths shared pattern across cases that can establish the
concepts’ significance in heterogeneity.
For this study, the sample comprised of Pakistani Muslim consumers residing in four
regions, namely, Sindh, Punjab, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, covering eight
metropolitan cities, namely, Karachi, Larkana, Hyderabad, Islamabad, Lahore, Faisalabad,
Quetta and Peshawar. The foremost purpose for selecting these four regions was to ensure
the sample represented the key cities, ensuring the generalizability of the research outcome
and at the same time comparison can be drawn from the participant’s findings. Hence, to
ensure the generalizability of the results, researcher selected eight metropolitan cities of
Pakistan and the final participants’ number was based on the saturation point reached in
each city. Therefore, the researcher remains faithful to the principles of qualitative research
and followed the concept of saturation when the collection of new data does not shed any
further information on the issue under exploration (Glaser and Strauss, 2017). Furthermore,
the focus of the study was not to identify or explore any distinct ethnic origins such as
Punjabis, Sindhis, Pakhtoons, Biharis, Baluchis, etc., as this is out of the study’s scope. The
study focused on the exploration of information from professionals, housewives and
university going students, a heterogeneous population residing in stated eight cities of
Pakistan irrespective of anyone’s ethnic origin.
As discussed by Minichiello et al. (2004), interviews must follow a peaceful style rather
than a destructive style. The key aim of the investigator was to encourage respondents to
disclose their insights to enhance the reliability of the interview process and the importance
of the data result. Regardless of the relaxed style, semi-structured questions permit the
researcher to uphold emphasis on the subject at a suitable pace during the course of the
 JIMA interview discussions (Hassan and Valenzuela, 2016). All interviews were recorded using a
cell phone recorder. After the end of each interview, researcher transferred these interviews
on a computer hard drive, ensuring the safety of data. The investigator took thorough
minutes throughout each interview, which were then referred to during data exploration.
Participants found no trouble while responding the interview questions and were fairly
involved in expressing their experiences in detail. Before evaluating the data, the researcher
transcribed the interviews verbatim. Each interview was heard cautiously to understand the
provided information in detail. When the transcriptions were finished, the researcher used
NVivo Version 11, a robust qualitative text analysis software, to support in the analysis of
the data. Additionally, the researcher also read transcripts of the interviews numerous times
to comprehend the information before beginning the coding task.
The analysis completed at this stage was quite thorough and was subject to inductive
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reasoning (Lincoln and Guba, 1986). Each transcript interview was extracted from MS
Excel. Separate sections were created for each question. Once this was completed, each
answer was scrutinized using inductive reasoning (Lincoln and Guba, 1986), for the
existence of central and at times not so dominant themes. Replies to some questions were
consistent across most of the participants, others were distinct. Each reply was categorized
and coded; hence, similar themes were grouped. Afterward, similar responses were
combined to give a frequency to replies that could be classified as being similar. This
provided the researcher a rich comprehension of the different orientations made to permit a
presentation of responses in a tabular design.

Demographic and behavioral findings

A total of 90 interviews were conducted to investigate the influence of religiosity on
consumer purchase behavior. These interviews were conducted in eight metro cities of
Pakistan, namely, Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta and
Faisalabad. Respondents were interviewed at their respective university, workplace or at
their homes. The key criterion used in selecting respondents was that they were buyers of
western imported food.
As per Table I, of the 90 respondents interviewed, 44 were male and 46 were female
representing a good balance of both genders. The age group among 25 and 34 years of age
was the largest age group with over half of the respondents (47.7 per cent) belonging to this
age group. Just over half (65.7 per cent) of the respondents had a monthly income between
PKR 65,000-250,000 (equivalent to US$600-2,300). With regard to academic qualification
majority of the respondents falls under bachelor’s degree (44.1 per cent). A majority of the
respondents (47.7 per cent) were single and (33.3 per cent) of the respondents were married.

Element Characteristics No of respondents (%) of sample

Gender Male 44 39.6

Female 46 41.4
Age 25-34 53 47.7
Per month income in PKR 65,000-250,000 73 65.7
Academic qualification Bachelor’s 49 44.1
Table I. Marital status Single 53 47.7
Demographics Married 37 33.3
characteristics of
respondents Source: Developed by the author from interviews finding
 In Table II, participants’ uncovered categories such as chocolates, ice creams, juices and Muslim
beverages, baby products, dairy products, cereals, coffee, vegetable oil, canned fish, biscuits, consumer
honey and processed food purchased are mainly consumed across the eight metropolitan
cities of Pakistani. It was noted that 49 per cent of the participants purchase chocolates, 16
behavior
per cent purchase dairy products, 23 per cent purchase fresh juices, 20 per cent purchase
cereal, 11 per cent purchase vegetable oil and 10 per cent consume ice creams. Therefore, the
predominant category is chocolates.
Table III also enlists the place of purchase of western imported food in Pakistan. It was
observed that 72 per cent of respondents shop at supermarkets, followed by convenience
stores, at 13 per cent, along with general stores, which comprise 12 per cent of such purchase
locations mentioned. It is clear from the stated information that, supermarkets are the key
place for purchasing these food products.
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Interview findings
The participants’ responses could be classified in three dimensions emerging from the
interviews. Each dimension is connected to a research question developed in this study.
What follows is the discussion of key themes that arose from the interviews.
The significance of halal ingredients and halal logo is measured in this section and
participants are given questions on the importance of halal logo, halal ingredients and their
religious knowledge are discussed in this section substantiated with participants’ quotes.
The concept of religiosity serves as an important aspect of this research. Exploring Muslim
consumers’ level of religiosity and its influence on buying behavior is one of the key areas of
investigation in this research. The study reveals some important findings related to religiosity.
Around 63.5 per cent of participants stated that halal ingredients, halal logo and their religious
knowledge about food consumption are their first priority when it comes to western imported
food and as a Muslim, enquiring about the presence of halal ingredients is mandatory at the
time of purchase. The endorsement of halal ingredients authenticates that the product is halal
and in a usable condition. Research conducted by Essoussi and Zahaf (2008) reported that

Key categories (%) of response

Chocolates 49
Fresh juices 23
Cereals 20
Dairy products 16
Vegetable oil 11
Ice-creams 10 Table II.
Western Imported
Source: Developed by the author from interviews finding food categories

Place of purchase (%) of response

Super market 72
Convenience store 13
General store 12
Table III.
Source: Developed by the author from interviews finding Place of purchase
 JIMA trust is the key factor when consumer deals with certification on food product. Certification
may affect consumers to feel better and safer. The notion of halal and haram (prohibited)
cannot be detached from Islam as a way of life. In addition to halal, there is a strong emphasize
on cleanliness, particularly, in the perspective of food products. Wan Hassan and Hall (2003)
stated that Muslims are sensitive with the food they eat, which must be clean and prepared in
a right way and they must avoid any prohibited items. Quran has stressed that eating halal
food will keep Muslims faithfully clean and pure.
Interview participants further added that the halal logo or stamp gives certainty of the
product being halal and it signifies food safety. It means that to have food in good quality, it
needs to confirm that it is safe and has no negative side effects to a person’s health. It is also
reinforced by Giusti et al. (2008) that food safety is concentrated on the prevention of toxic
compounds usually contained in foods, contaminants, mycotoxins, pathogens and toxigenic
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microorganisms. As stated by Zakaria (2008), the halal logo is the label that the Muslim’s
can rely on in determining the halal status of the product and whether it is fit for
consumption according to Islamic jurisprudence.
Food traceability has been explored as another main attribute to halal logo. It is the
responsibility of a Muslim to identify the resources and ingredients contained in the halal food
and drink that goes into their mouth. This notion is further supported by Zailani et al. (2011)
that traceability signifies the capability to recognize what is exactly happening to the food
products at any stage in the supply chain cycle starting from the farm where it is grown until
transforming it to the end phase of the finished products and delivering it to final consumers.
The following responses express the participants’ sentiments pertaining to the influence
of religiosity on Muslim consumer buying behavior considering:

Correct ingredients
As a Muslim we check the ingredients and it is the first priority and as Muslim we have to eat
halal food products. Checking the right ingredient is must and without any question as there is no
compromise on ingredients. (Respondent # 23)
When purchasing the western imported food products, halal and haram ingredients comes in
mind and this helps me in taking the purchase decision. Ingredients are really important and the
guiding aspect towards the buying of western imported food. (Respondent # 20)

Halal logo
If halal is written on the product then I will not go into details as this is government responsibility
to ensure and check the halal certification of imported food products in Pakistan. I truly believe
that the government does follow these principles and provide the authentic products to its Muslim
consumers. (Respondent # 41)
Halal logo or stamp gives us the surety that the product is halal and the producer has followed the
principle of producing the halal products. This gives us confidence to prefer the western imported
food. (Respondent # 16)

Islamic way of life

From the childhood there is a strict faith of eating halal food and it is fabricated in our decision
and there is no possibility to deviate from such child hood practise, local or imported the
confirmation of halal logo is the first criterion. (Respondent # 70)
I personally believe that five time prayers does influence the purchase decision especially when
you are engaged in buying the western imported food, so prayers do effect my decision to
purchase the western imported food. (Respondent # 61).
 I follow the moderation as advised by Islam, I don’t over spend on food items, and I see the price Muslim
and then go for the purchase decision. Over spending in food item does not make any sense.
(Respondent # 31) consumer
behavior
Religiosity and its association with food products
The findings further showed that 29.5 per cent respondents strongly stated they do not see
any relationship between religious commitment and their western imported food buying
behavior. The responses obtained from the interviewees suggested that religion has nothing
to do with their food consumption pattern. Following of religious commitments and food
consumption are taken as two different aspects. They also believed that if an individual can
afford to purchase western food then why compromise on quality. Following are some of the
quotes that reflect this finding:
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I don’t see any relationship between moderate spending and Islam and one must not complicate
things. (Respondent # 53)

Religiosity has no influence on craving and food consumption, if I feel like eating something I will
go for it without having a second thought and in this case I won’t follow any Islamic principles.
(Respondent # 27)

I don’t see any relationship between buying a food product and religion, these are two different
things, its better that we set aside the religion from our consumption pattern to avoid any
confusion. (Respondent # 43)

Islam doesn’t stop us to eat good then why compromise on quality, I am a quality conscious
person and when it comes to food, there is no compromise. (Respondent # 38)

Factors dominating religiosity’s impact on Muslim buying behavior

The participants of the study revealed some interesting findings about factors, which
supersede the concept of religiosity. Around 39.5 per cent of respondents stated that buying
western imported food products is purely based on their need and willingness to purchase.
Some were of the view that Islam does not stop them from eating healthily, so why
compromise on quality? Product satisfaction and utility were reported as important deciding
factors. The element of need was also highlighted during the interview process. The element
of quality was one of the factors, which persuaded the consumers to buy western imported
food. Willingness, value for money, healthiness and overall perception of quality were the
key deciding factors. These findings were grounded on a study lead by Blackwell et al.
(2006). They validated that consumer purchase decisions and the degree of showing
consideration for the chosen product is centered on in-built desires, product significance,
attentiveness, personal choice and inclination.
Following are some of the responses that form as evidence of findings:
I buy western imported food as per my need, if there is a need I will purchase it. So my need is my
top priority. (Respondent # 11)

If I am willing then I will purchase it, at the end of the day it’s my will and decision and no one
can dictate my decision. (Respondent # 81)

If the product is worth a price no matter how expensive it would be I will definitely buy it. I
believe that price is one of the strongest indicator of quality. (Respondent # 55)
 JIMA If the product has the desired value or benefits I will go for it as this is not moderation. It is about
the end benefit you are driving from a food product and western imported food offers added value
to its customers. (Respondent # 19)

I don’t compromise on health and western imported food products are healthier with quality. So,
it’s a complete package, health and quality. (Respondent # 67)

Discussion
The key objective of this research was to discover the influence of religiosity and any other
related factors on Muslim purchase behavior of western imported food in Pakistan. This
section will stress on an understanding of the results acquired; it will validate why the
outcomes are relevant to the research and attach the results to former research carried out in
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past. With regard to research questions, three themes came to the surface throughout the
interviews: the effect of religiosity on Muslim buying behavior, relationship between
religiosity and buying behavior and other influencing factors.
Religion on the whole, and specifically Islam, forms a vital portion of values, and thus,
compels investigators to discover its part in the compass of the consumer (Bettina et al.,
2005; De Run et al., 2010). Therefore, it is significant for companies to explore and
comprehend the influence of faith on the buying behavior of their particular market
segments. Consequently, companies manufacture brands that abide by the religious and
other requirements of their patrons. Nevertheless, while exploring the part of religion, it is of
critical importance to comprehend the strength of religion at the particular person’s level.
The strength of individuals’ religious principles is called “religiosity” (Mokhlis, 2009).
The study’s findings confirm those of Mokhlis’ (2010), who stated that religious groups
with a high religiosity level strongly and strictly submit to religious guidelines and firmly
follow all the values, rules, code and ethics of their religion. For example, they worship often,
give donations and contribute in religious congregations frequently. Research conducted by
Taks and Shreim (2009) also confirms that Muslims, who strictly follows the notion of
religiosity, follow the instructions of spiritual commitment thoroughly as compared to
Muslims with a lesser inclination toward religiosity. Moreover, Alam et al. (2011) claimed in
their study that Muslims will choose to use the more favorable product, but it has to be
permissible in Islam. Products which are obviously not allowable (illegal item or haram) will
not be selected for consumption. Additionally, the study from Mukhtar and Mohsin Butt
(2012) also endorses that Muslim consumers demonstrate concern with regard to Islamic
compliance characteristics of a product when telling reason to select a brand.
As this study concerns western imported food products, the element of religiosity was
taken into account for these only. The study revealed that, in general, the Pakistani Muslim
consumer keeps core Islamic principles in mind such as checking the halal ingredients while
purchasing western imported food, thus following their religious doctrine. Further, the
Islamic concept of moderation is also followed. This includes moderation in spending and
not being engaged in overspending on food products. The concept of eating halal food is
highly endorsed in Pakistani Muslims and serves as one of the prerequisites to purchasing
western imported food. This confirms the findings of the authors Razzaque and Chaudhry
(2013), who stated that Singapore-based Muslims are usually modest payers, showing that
self-control, a key notion of the Islamic feeding model, is being exercised. Besides, a study
conducted by Gayatri et al. (2005), identified that a Muslim, who has Islamic traditional
ethics affecting their assessment benchmarks for food products, would be staunch on the
halal component, which is one of the study’s key conclusions.
 The study also explored the intensity of religiosity in different regions of the country. Muslim
This research explored eight metropolitan cities of Pakistan and found that the level of consumer
religiosity varies from city to city. Participants in cities of Karachi, Larkana, Lahore,
Faisalabad and Quetta held the highest percentage, that is, 53 per cent of religious
behavior
commitment toward western imported food. This means that consumers living in the above-
stated cities are more geared toward religious beliefs and follow their religious commitment
at the time of purchasing western imported food. Hence, the research showed some variation
of religious commitment in Pakistan (among eight metropolitan cities), which is considered
the second most populous Muslim nation after Indonesia (Huda, 2010) and dominated by a
97 per cent Muslim population (Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 2017).
Moreover, this sits well with previous research. For instance, it is entrenched that in
Muslim marketplaces, religiosity plays a vigorous part in influencing buyer behaviour and
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lifestyles as well, although, religiosity levels differ within a country and affect consumer
behaviour according to the background (Essoo and Dibb, 2004). Additionally, research
conducted by Mokhlis (2010), further endorses that the degree of religious commitment
differs within one nation, as individuals have diverse lifestyles, household values and
culture.
In contrast to the stated findings and the supporting literature, this study also uncovered
some interesting findings about people’s perception of religiosity and how it influences their
purchase behavior. The respondents claimed that their buying is based on their specific
need and that they made no compromise on food quality. If the product fulfils these
requirements, then the element of religiosity is secondary. Respondents also emphasized
that their religion, Islam, does not stop them from eating healthy food. This being the case,
the common response was, “then why compromise on quality?” If someone can afford a
specific food, then the concept of moderation in Islam is not considered mandatory. In some
cases, Pakistani Muslim consumers look at the product value and do not mix their religious
beliefs with food choice and consumption. A few participants argued that western imported
food are halal, as they are made available in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and hence,
there is no need for verification. Likewise, a major response what “if God had blessed them
with a better income then why not go for a better quality imported food product?” Some
participants stated that their personal choice in food products dictates their decision, which
has no connection with Islamic principles. It was reported that the product’s overall quality
and purity supersedes the concept of religiosity. Furthermore, a number of participants
emphasised that product quality and satisfaction are the deciding factors, and finally, it is
the consumer’s willingness to purchase a specific food product. This clearly specifies that
there are Pakistani Muslim consumers, who see product value, their personal choices, needs
and willingness to purchase as the deciding factors to purchase western imported food.
These findings were grounded on the study lead by Blackwell et al. (2006), where they
validated that consumer purchase decisions and the degree of showing consideration for the
chosen product is centered on in-built desires, product significance, attentiveness, personal
choice and inclination.
The findings of Mokhlis (2010) draw a parallel to the findings stated herein. He has
proclaimed that groups with a low level of religiosity are seen as flexible and liberal, feeling
free to complete their religious obligations. Overall, the gradation of religiosity differs
amongst Muslim consumers and influences their buying behavior at different levels (Essoo
and Dibb, 2004; Mokhlis, 2009). A research conducted by Newaz (2014) validates the
standpoint that religiosity contributes toward individuals consumption perception. Hence,
person’s religious differences are linked to their perception variances and dictates them in
the procedure of choosing a particular product.
 JIMA Study originality and significance
This study articulates its originality on the basis of the following:
 As the Pakistani population is 97 per cent Muslim (Pakistan Bureau of Statistics,
2017), it has a Muslim majority that forms a consumption culture that is different
from that of minority Muslim communities in the west. Consumers in a
predominantly Islamic culture are steered by Islamic rules, which assist as a
direction in their daily lives. Muslims are encouraged to spend their money
primarily for functional purposes such as for modest living, education, health aiding
the poor and those in need.
 Religion is a key element of Pakistani culture that directly affects the behavior of
Pakistani consumers (Saqib et al., 2011). Furthermore, religion expressively governs
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cultural and social behaviors in Asian and Middle Eastern societies as compared to
western societies. For these reasons, the level of religiosity must be researched as an
important force in shaping Muslim purchasing behavior in Muslim-majority
countries. This area is still under-researched and many studies have suggested
exploring the influence of religiosity in defining Muslim consumer purchase
behavior in these regions in particular (Yousaf and Shaukat Malik, 2013).
 Pakistani Muslim consumers may have different perceptions about the western
imported food products. Their religious commitment is expressed through their
consumption choices about western imported food products (Mathras et al., 2015).
Hence, it is particularly interesting to investigate the Pakistani Muslim consumer
perception toward western imported food products in the context of religiosity in
determining their purchase behavior.
 The study also explored the intensity of religiosity in different regions of the
country. This research explored perceptions in eight metropolitan cities of Pakistan
and found that the level of religiosity varies from city to city despite the proclaimed
religion being the same for 97 per cent of the citizens. Participants in cities of
Karachi, Larkana, Lahore, Faisalabad and Quetta held the highest percentage that
is, 53 per cent of religious commitment toward western imported food consumption.
 Most importantly, this study also revealed some attention-grabbing findings
about people’s perception of religiosity and how it influences their purchase
decision. The participants claimed that their purchase decision is based on their
specific need and that they made no compromise on food quality. If the product
fulfils these requirements, then the element of religiosity is secondary.
Respondents also emphasised that their religion, Islam, does not stop them from
eating healthy food. Further, number of participants emphasized that product
quality and satisfaction are the deciding factors, and finally, it is the consumer’s
willingness to purchase a specific food. This clearly specifies that there are
Pakistani Muslim consumers, who see product value, their personal choices,
needs and willingness to purchase as the deciding factors to purchase western
imported food

The above-stated points bring originality in this study wherein religiosity was selected as a
key variable based on above-mentioned points. Furthermore, factors which supersede
religiosity along with variation in city wise perception toward the purchase and
consumption of western imported food was discussed at length enabling the researcher to
incorporate originality in this study.
 Contribution Muslim
Pakistan is an emerging market for the consumption of imported food items. Throughout consumer
the first six months of the 2018 fiscal year, Pakistan spent US$312.5m on the import of
coffee, tea, beverage whiteners and spices, the second largest spending category in the food
behavior
products sector (Dawn, 2018). There is a strong interest from western firms in exploring the
market in the Asian sub-continent, especially Pakistan, given its size, economic potential
and strategic position in Southeast Asia. Such firms in Australia and other western part of
the world have the endorsement of their government, which is committed to supporting
Pakistan to build economic prosperity and promote sustainable, equitable development
(DFAT, 2016). Companies in the western world always seek opportunities to export food
products into emerging markets. With this strategic export vision, Asian consumer markets
present great opportunities for many western food growers and businesses to explore
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(Casarini, 2014). Hence, this research may help western food producer/exporter to
understand Asian consumer behavior, and in particular Muslim consumer behavior, when
purchasing western imported food. Understanding these consumers better may facilitate
western food exporters/producers to add higher value in premium consumer food products.
They may then make adjustments to their current product strategy, enabling them to export
to such consumer markets. From the consumer perception angle, this research identifies the
influence of religiosity and other key factors, which shape consumer behavior in choosing
western imported food. Therefore, this project may assist western food exporters/producers
to facilitate expansion of these opportunities by investigating Muslim consumer purchase
behavior.
From the consumer perception angle, this research identifies the influence of religiosity
and other key factors, which shape consumer behavior in choosing western imported food.
The recent well-known incidents of drawings made of the Prophet Muhammad (a sacrosanct
entity in Islam) caused a widespread uproar in the Muslim world and lead to boycotts of
imported goods from the country of residence of these cartoonists (Rask, 2008). Therefore,
this research may assist western food exporters/producers to assess the perceived risk of
offending public religious sentiments and its effect on sales of imported food brands.
From the policymaker perspective, understanding consumer needs for affordable food of
good quality and the impact of food on the health and well-being and diversity and behavior,
attitudes and knowledge of consumers is of utmost importance to policymaking on food,
understanding societal trends, guiding regulation, informing new food development,
identifying determinants of food choice and consumer access to food and directing other
activities.

Implication to Pakistani society and local food producers

The presence of western imported food may improve the quality of life by having more
opportunities and healthier options for the nation. Western food products can also bring
cultural convergence whereby the underdeveloped nation feels upgraded and modern.
Moreover, if the western food products are certified halal the product has a fair chance of
adoption and penetration in the society. Also, the food products coming from the western
world induces mindfulness, people are more aware about innovative and useful ingredients
that can satisfy their taste buds, improve their health, increase their life expectancy and
contented approach toward life.
By studying the behavior of Pakistani consumers gravitating toward western imported
food, Pakistani local food producers will gain valuable information on which to base
improvements in their products. They will get an insight into what Pakistani Muslim
consumers perceive to be of high-quality and what factors drive Pakistani consumers to
 JIMA purchase western imported products besides religiosity. Awareness about these factors
prompting consumers to buy western imported foods can motivate local food manufacturers
to incorporate those factors in their own value offerings and compete better with the
imported food range.

Limitations and future research directions

By focusing on religiosity and other key factors, this paper contributes to the literature on
religiosity and consumer behavior. However, due to its qualitative and exploratory nature,
the generalizability of this paper is limited. In addition to that, this research is just focused
on one Muslim country. Further quantitative studies are needed to validate and empirically
test the findings of this study. There is also the possibility of a further mixed method
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approach aimed to investigate the relationship between religiosity, other factors and
consumer purchase behavior. Further research could take into account, the consumer
purchase intentions of western imported food within the context of religiosity.

Conclusion
The findings of this research paper reported that religiosity considerably effects the buying
decision of Pakistani Muslim customers, who are highly religious (those following the key
Islamic principle of moderate spending and verifying the halal element in western food
products). The findings, supported by Alam et al. (2011), identified that religious individuals
are not impetuous and are rational in food-related buying. Alike results were stated by Sood
and Nasu (1995), who reported that extremely religious patrons are price-sensible in their
buying and prefer moderate spending. Hence, religious individuals were less brand-
sensitive. This result was alike to Assadi’s (2003) findings and of a very parallel view.
Hence, a part of this study confirms results from past research studies as stated.
Additionally, it was established that brand users in Pakistan are quality conscious,
regardless of their stages of religiosity. Their purchase decision is based on perceived
product value, the overall perception of quality and own healthy lifestyle. This outcome is
confirmed by the findings of Kamaruddin and Kamaruddin (2017), who reported that
Muslims with a low level of religiosity are less impulsive, more entertainment and fashion
conscious and of the view that religiosity has no impact on their food purchase behavior.
Thus, the current research shows that the level of religiosity varies from consumer to
consumer, and subsequently, has a varying effect on Pakistani Muslim’s purchase behavior.

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Corresponding author
Syed Faheem Hasan Bukhari can be contacted at: [email protected]
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