A SUMMER INTERNESHIP PROJECT REPORT

On
“A STUDY OF THE NEW CONSUMER BEHAOUR PARADIGM AMID
COVID-19”

SUBMITTED TO
SAVITRIBAI PHULE PUNE UNIVERSITY

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE

AWARD OF
“MASTERS IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION”

By
Mr. SANKET PRAVIN SABAJKAR
MBA- ll

Under the Guidance of

Faculty Guide
Prof. Nishikant Gajakas

PUNE VIDYARTHI GRIHA’S LATE G. K. PATE (WANI) INSTITUTE OF

MANAGEMENT, PUNE- 411 009

1
 DECLARATION

I SANKET PRAVIN SABAJKAR hereby declare that the information I have

gathered during the period of field work report I have collected all this information,
which is to be completed as per rules of the Savitribai Phule Pune University for the
time MBA-II course during Academic year 2019-2020 under the guidance of Prof.
Nishikant Gajakas. Professor of “PUNE VIDYARTHI GRIHA’S LATE G.K. PATE
(WANI) INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT”
I further declare that this project work has not been submitted to any other university
or this university for the award of any degree.

Date: SANKET PRAVIN SABAJKAR

Place: MBA

2
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It is my pleasant duty to offer my service acknowledgement to those

honorable personalities of the department who have been a constant source of help

and encouragement in carrying out this project. First of all I wish to express my

indebtedness to Dr. Suneel Kelkar, Director of PUNE VIDYARTHI GRIHA’S LATE

G.K. PATE (WANI) INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT. for his valuable suggestions

and guidance throughout the project.

I Wish to express my indebtedness to Prof. Nishikant Gajakas for his

valuable suggestions and guidance throughout the project This research would not

have been completed without friendly efforts of the all the concerned authorities.

Also this project enables me to have the know-how of the effectiveness & working of

the team spirit. Its web like structure helps me to have added potential in myself to

adjust easily to the tense & result oriented environment of the organization.

Date: SANKET PRAVIN SABAJKAR

Place: MBA

3
 INDEX
Sr. TOPIC Page
No. no.
1 PREFACE 5

2 ABSTRACT 6-7

3 INTRODUCTION 8-9

4 CONSUMER BEHAVIOR APPROACHES IN 10-12

TIMES OF CRISIS
5 METHOD OF RESEARCH 13

6 MARKET DYNAMICS DURING COVID-19 14-22

7 SPIRITUAL APPROACH OF CONSUMERISM: 23-28

THE ‘NEXT NORMAL’ OF CONSUMER

BEHAVIOR
8 FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS 29

9 DECLARATION OF CONFIICTING INTERESTS 30

10 REFERENCES 31-34

4
 PREFACE

As a student of M.B.A. (Master of Business Administration), one of the most

reputed professional courses, I consider as my privilege to thank all the persons

involved in the working of this project and their supervision and guidance I have

been able to complete this research.

The attractive feature of the M.B.A. course is that along with theory we also

get to have the exposure of the practical environment. This is through the summer

training that we have to undergo after the completion of first year. The entire journey

from the very idea of this project report to reality would not have been possible

without guidance and support of many people.

The Research Report is based on Systematic and Scientific search for

pertinent information on Specific Topic. The study was confined geographically to

India. The data source was collected from the internet.

5
 ABSTRACT

A critical situation pushes human behavior towards different directions with

some aspects of behavior being irrevocable. COVID-19 pandemic is not a normal

crisis, and to control the spread of disease various measures were taken including

complete and then partial lockdown. Since all elements of the economy are

intricately interrelated with public health measures and lockdown, this resulted in

economic instabilities of the nation’s hinting towards change in market dynamics. In

every market, consumers are the drivers of the market competitiveness, growth and

economic integration. With economic instability, consumers are also experiencing a

transformation in behavior, though how much of transformation experienced during

the crisis will sustain is a question.

This article looks at the consumer behavior during COVID-19 crisis and in

the subsequent lockdown period when the world stood still for more than a quarter

of a year. Further, the article attempts to weave through the maze of literature

available about consumer behavior in normal times and in crisis times, strengthens

it with the rapid assessment reports culled out by the different consulting

organizations during lockdown phase, substantiates the same with first-hand telling

and retelling of experiences by consumers and professionals with marketing

background to bring up a hypothesis of the pandemic affecting a paradigm shift

from consumer materialism to consumer spiritualism. The proposition offers further

testable hypotheses for future research to understand consumer sentiments or

requirement in buying ‘what is enough’ within the marketing context and how it can

be reinforced post-COVID crisis for ensuring sustainability of business models.

6
 It would also be interesting to explore the correlates of this forced consumer

behavior with other variables such as learning from crisis, changing needs,

personality, nationality, culture, new market segment and age to develop new

models of consumer behavior.

Keywords

Consumer behavior, spirituality, economic crisis, utility, consumption

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INTRODUCTION

In the start of the last decade, Gates Notes (Gates, 2020) released an article

emphasizing that beyond the immediate danger posited by the 2009 H1N1

pandemic that claimed the lives of 18,036 people, there were larger implications in

highlighting the fact that health systems were unprepared for inevitable outbreaks in

the future. The article urged for a ‘wake-up call’ for investments in capabilities,

infrastructure and human resources for health, surveillance and management of

deadly epidemic outbreaks. In 2018, following the Ebola outbreak, the Global

Preparedness Monitoring Board—an organization consisting of notable global

health officials created by the World Health Organization and World Bank—in their

first annual report examined airborne diseases such as influenza and suggested

that a disease such as the Spanish flu had the potential to spread around the globe

in less than 36 hours, killing more than 50 million people.

The report highlighted how the existing gaps in global preparedness would

compound the implications of a prospective pandemic extending beyond increased

levels of mortality and morbidity to destabilizing national security, detrimentally

impacting global economy and trade due to changing consumption behavior. As

recently as October 2019, the World Economic Forum (WEF) in collaboration with

the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the Bill & Melinda Gates

Foundation hosted a high-level simulation exercise that brought together

governments, security, businesses and public health leaders to address a

hypothetical global pandemic scenario. Learning from the exercise showcased the

glaring vulnerabilities in pandemic preparedness and response across the system,

8
and while participating stakeholders began to incorporate the learning from the

simulation, the inevitable COVID-19 occurred and witnessed an exponential

increase in the number of cases across countries (Relief Web, 2020).

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CONSUMER BEHAVIOR APPROACHES IN TIMES OF CRISIS

A consumer is a person who identifies a need or desire, makes a purchase

and then disposes of the product in the consumption process. A typical consumer’s

utility is dependent on the consumption of agricultural and industrial goods,

services, housing and wealth (Grundey, 2009). No two of them are the same, as

everyone is influenced by different internal and external factors which form the

consumer behavior. Consumer behavior is an important and constant decision-

making process of searching, purchasing, using, evaluating, and disposing of

products and services (Valaskova et al., 2015). The macro consumer behavior is

created by social issues, but to reach the factors of micro consumer behavior,

individual factors (Solomon et al., 2016) are researched. Flatters and Willmott

(2009) claim consumers try to maximize their utility, satisfaction, or joy by

purchasing consumer goods.

The approaches explaining consumer behavior are divided into the three

groups (Valaskova et al., 2015): psychical-based on the relation between the

psyche and behavior of the consumer; sociological approach—which is devoted to

the reactions of consumers in different situations or how the behavior is influenced

by various social occasions, social leaders; and economic approach—grounded on

basic knowledge of micro economy in which consumers define their requirements.

Subsequently, the consumer interests are confronted and traded on the market.

After liberalization in India, consumer behavioral pattern has been explained by

such approaches in the borderless globalized world, while defeating individual

identity and giving rise to collective identity through brand culture. The intermittent

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waves of ‘Swadeshi’ and ‘back to basics’ propagated by social leaders like Baba

Ramdev or Gandhian minimalistic lifestyle also emerged as a behavioral approach.

The sociological approach of behavior is also harvested which is adopted by the

affluent class as a natural wholeness to self-actualization. Many lower socio-

economic rung consumers too yielded to elitist appeals of material symbols to

showcase themselves in higher rungs under economic approach to consumer

behavior. Amalia et al. (2012) in their study explained that people are not the same

and not all the people have the same perception about a situation with negative

effects like economic or any other crisis. In crisis times, new trends in consumer

behavior emerge. The most important factors which model the consumer’s behavior

in crisis are risk attitude and risk perception. Risk attitude reflects consumer’s

interpretation concerning to the risk content and how much he or she dislikes the

content of that risk. Risk perception reflects the interpretation of the consumer of the

chance of being exposed to the risk content.

Hoon Ang et al. (2001) in his work discussed that these changes in

consumption behavior arising from an economic crisis may be moderated by

personality characteristics too. These characteristics of personality include

dimensions like the degree to which consumers are risk averse, value conscious

and materialistic. Earlier studies were indicative of behavioral changes among

consumer in times of crises with significant change in utility pattern. A study

conducted by Flatters and Willmott (2009) identified few new trends during crisis

which include simplification of demand because of limited offers during crisis which

tends to continue post-crisis where people buy simpler offering with great value.

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The study also reported that even the rich people, post-crisis expressed

dissatisfaction with excess consumption and focused on recycle and teach their

children simple and traditional values. Flatters and Willmott (2009) in their study

proved that the impact of the recession on consumer attitudes and trends is critical.

Some trends are advanced by the recession, while others are slowed or completely

arrested. The most central trends in crisis include the demand for simplicity, which

indicates that consumers seek uncomplicated, value-oriented products and services

that simplify their lives and focus on the enactment of a company where consumers

are outraged by the unlawful conduct and unethical company behavior. The change

in consumer behavior during crisis times led authors’ interest to explore consumer

behavior during COVID-19.

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 METHOD OF RESEARCH

Through an analysis of relevant published surveys during COVID-19 and an

in-depth discussion with few marketing professionals and consumers, this article

has analyzed main changes in consumer behavior caused by the COVID-19 and

subsequent lockdown period. Further literature was also explored to find out the

reasons of these behavioral changes in consumer decision-making process in times

of crisis.

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MARKET DYNAMICS DURING COVID-19

This pandemic has a serious impact on the economies of the nation hinting

towards change in market dynamics. Abe (2020) in her report on ‘Market Trends

and D2C Opportunities in the COVID-19’ observed trends such as from people

raiding grocery store walkways to the cancellation of the world’s most significant

events and mandates for ‘non-essential’ businesses to be temporarily closed to

prevent spread of infection. During the pandemic, people are spending less of their

income on items perceived as nice-to-have or non-essential (such as clothing,

shoes, make-up, jewelry, games and electronics). Globally too, during COVID-19,

the developed nations are shifting towards steady state purchasing post-stock piling

as per iRi POS data (2020). The report also stated edible products are expected to

have an increased demand and non-edible products shall have a moderate need

globally, thereby decreased demand which includes homecare, cosmetics and

personal care products. A survey on Indian consumer sentiments during corona

virus crisis was carried out by Mckinsey from 1–4 May 2020. The result indicated

that 76 per cent of consumer out of the sample strongly agreed to spend their

money carefully and cut back on their purchase (Figure 1).

Mckinsey consumer-sentiment-during-the-coronavirus-crisis).

Beside change in spending pattern, substantial fall in sales of different

sectors in India has been noticed during COVID-19 as per Boston Consulting Group

report (2020) on market dynamics. Figure 2 indicates meaningful differences in

spending specifically. Lower-income and younger consumers show a higher

propensity to plan to reduce their spending, while older and higher-income groups

14
exhibit more resilience and are more likely to expect to maintain or increase their

spending.

Figure 1. Indian Consumer Changing Sentiments Towards Spending During

Corona Virus Crisis Source: McKinsey (2020, https://www.mckinsey.com/business-

functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/survey-indian

15
 Figure 2. Sentiment Across Different Segments and Product Categories

(India)

Source: Koslow and Lee (2020a), Week 4, 23–26 March 2020.

16
 Table 1. Percentage of People Planning to Defer Purchases due to

Coronavirus Outbreak in Different Sector

Items of Purchase %
Vacation/holiday 77
Automobiles 64
White goods 63
Luxury items 63
Home decorations 62
Real estate 61
Apparels 60
Insurance products 53
Investment schemes 46
Source: Kantar (2020).

A noticeable change in consumer’s attitudes, behaviors and expectations

has also been conveyed by research agency Kantar in their report on ‘Market

Dynamics during COVID- 19: Indian Consumer Sentiments Analysis’ (2020). This

survey was carried out with 18+ years of consumers, covering a sample of 11,000

household, 19 cities and 15 states across India. Consumers conveyed heavy

concern about pandemic and observed that disruption (45% of respondent) bothers

them more than health concerns (31%). The survey also reported significantly

reduced spends across physical as well as online formats. Survey also reported

about planned purchases being deferred and a new learning to live with less. The

survey points out the consumers’ interest in saving through investments, insurance,

health and hygiene product (Table 1).

While writing on potential impact of COVID-19 on Indian economy, a report

of KPMG (2020a) stated that this economic elastic behavior with reference to

17
spending was also shown during previous epidemics with increased attention of

consumers on price, origin of the products and utility-based consumption or

curtailed consumption. During the previous outbreaks such as SARS, MERS and

other natural disasters, consumers displayed economic elastic behavior (Figure 3),

in form of rapid, steady or slow recovery of market. A part of this behavior is

permanent and brings in structural changes in the way we live, work and take

buying decisions. Accenture consumer research (2020), conducted between 2–6

April also reported that during this COVID-19 outbreak, a rise in consumer’s

concern has led to change in priorities of consumers which is now centred around

most basic needs, sending demand only for hygiene, cleaning and staples products,

while non-essential categories slump. The desire to shop local is also reflected in

the products which consumer buy and the way they buy to support local stores as

they consider them more sustainable option.

As the community will move beyond the survival mode, some of these

changes in spending behavior will not be retained, while some others could be

permanent as reported by few research agencies. For example, besides a change

in spending pattern, greater use of ecommerce touch points for shopping as various

digital platforms—namely official site of products, social media and mobile platforms

—has been used by consumers during the pandemic which had led to the

digitalisation in buying, and this digitalisation of consumer shopping journey will

increase with weaker presence of traditional outdoor advertisement and shopping

malls visit due to physical distancing rules. These technology platforms are

expected to play a strong role in terms of reaching, creating awareness, transaction

18
and retention of consumers post-COVID along with word of mouth (Deloitte, 2020;

Figure 4). This trend is reflected in the types of apps that consumers are

downloading, related to entertainment, news, healthcare and education as reported

by (Accenture, 2020).

Figure 3. Showing Economic Elastic Behavior During Previous Epidemics

Source: KPMG (2020b).

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Figure 4. Changes in Consumer Shopping Journey Before, During and After the

Pandemic

Source: Deloitte (2020).

In times like these, our need for the necessities of life takes precedence

indicating few major shifts in customer behavior. For instance, markets are

experiencing shifting of consumers’ priorities as they deprioritise buying nice-to-

have items and curtailing consumption except for groceries and at-home

entertainment (‘McKinsey Survey Data Second Week of Lockdown: Indian

Consumer Sentiment During the Coronavirus Crisis’ 2020). Consumers also expect

advertising to help navigate the new normal with a positive perspective (Kantar,

2020). Indian consumers too have adopted new behaviors with a comparatively

higher level of optimism in comparison to European nations. It is also important to

20
notice that top concerns of Indian consumers were personal, family safety and

overall public health (McKinsey, 2020).

Source: McKinsey (2020).

As mentioned above, a cluster of surveys has tracked consumer sentiments

during COVID-19 and reported about the transformation in consumer behavior and

indicated towards consumer behavior models taking a different shape.

Understanding of new models will have a great role to play in successes and

failures of dozens of firms, post-COVID-19 scenario. The nature of this crisis has

brought to the surface the disadvantage of trade dependencies for essential items,

market complexity and has ruthlessly exposed the materialistic culture of buying

behavior which was not necessarily need-induced. Consumer behavior has taken

on a new definition during the inevitable challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic. This,

in turn, is posing a challenge to the businesses for bringing strategic changes for

21
sustainability and to rethink about the existing consumer behavior models and their

usefulness for businesses and marketing strategies to remain viable across

consumer segments.

22
SPIRITUAL APPROACH OF CONSUMERISM: THE ‘NEXT NORMAL’ OF

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Aforementioned behavioral approaches have ruled the market dynamics in

the last three decades till COVID-19 knocked at homes and locked us all in. Kotler

and Keller (2012) stated that a good understanding of customers’ lives is crucial to

ensuring that the most appropriate products and services are being marketed to the

right people in the most effective way possible. During these lockdown phases with

no mobility and only digital media to connect, authors’ in-depth discussion with

marketing professionals of different sectors has led to an understanding that

suddenness and universality of lockdown has changed the behavioral dynamics of

consumers and has redefined the social spheres and individual orientation.

Marketing professionals also viewed their opinion about new order of demand and

supply coupled with uncertainty forcing consumption rolled back to Maslow’s

primary level needs, that is, need for ‘food’, ‘clothes’, ‘shelter’, safe indoors, social

love and belongingness for all socio-economic classes alike, irrespective of

segment type. The socio-economic pyramid crumpled and flattened pushing

everyone to survive based on essential requirements, inflected by a behavioral

driver ‘health and healthy choices’ as rightly said in Vedas, that is, ‘health is wealth’.

During Vedic period also ‘health as wealth’ played a very significant role at

individual as well as at national level. Health, well-being and food were recognised

as the chief essentials for the happiness of family and society in those times. The

economic policies were also framed and adjusted according to social conditions,

ethical values, health and spiritual views (Dwivedi, 2016). The discussion with

23
professionals indicated that external and internal drivers of consumer behavior such

as personality type, brand image, status, self and self-concept which earlier used to

be prominent drivers have become inconspicuous during lockdown days. Further,

discussion with consumers specified that economic order quantity of only essential

products is the new driver in behavior followed by recycle and reuse of products, as

the households have become small consumer unit of production, consumption, co-

creation and cooperation.

The consumers also opined about a shift from patronizing bigger organized

brands to smaller near-home retail kirana (retail) stores, who showed solidarity in

times of need, going beyond the call of duty to ensure essentials are delivered in

safe and hygienic ways. The consumers submitted that COVID-19 shock has

created a new or revived a behavioral understanding of buying, indicating a

conscious shift towards spiritual consumption. In view of the loss of work and

shortage of regular income, the age-old principle of spending within limits was

recalled. The mythological wisdom ingrained in sayings and proverbs like jitni

chaadar ho ootne paanv pasaro (live within your means or capacity) is revived with

a supposition that this will be the next practice and will certainly breed new fertile

grounds for new life order. The palatial infrastructure of corporate offices,

universities, schools shrunk to 8-inch screens and the importance of farming, supply

chain and effective governance has re-featured as heroes of consumption.

As reported above, consumers expressed a sentiment about optimism and

current possessions not only enough but more than what could be consumed

reinforcing the old philosophy of ‘santosh is param dharam (what we have is

24
enough). According to marketing professionals, the traces of new marketing models

started emerging, for example, online ready-to-eat food-delivery companies

immediately switching overnight to delivering essentials such as fruits, vegetables

and groceries.

Companies are banding together in multilateral collaborations, some formal

and some informal, to advance innovation. For example, more than 15 pharma

companies are collaborating in a COVID-19 R&D forum to advance, individually and

collectively, the most promising drugs and vaccines; and decades-long competitors

Sanofi and GSK are partnering on COVID-19 vaccine development. To maximise

economic recovery while protecting public health, decisions about which measures

to deploy, when and where, are made locally at district-bydistrict indicating a shift

from globalisation to localised models with a boost to local retailers and new ways

of communication such as mobile messaging to local stores.

These dimensions of behavior in times of crisis have also been reported in

literature. Kelemen and Peltonen (2005) have named it as consumer spirituality and

defined it as the interrelated practices and processes that people engage in when

consuming market offerings (products, services, places) that yield ‘spiritual utility’

(Kale, 2004, 2006, p. 109). Consumer spirituality is the intrinsic motivation to seek

and express autonomy, inner satisfaction and self-actualisation, maintain

harmonious and sacred relationship with others, and desire sacredness in products,

services and experiences. The concept of spiritual consumption and its relationship

with consumer behavior in time of crisis has been introduced in the literature of

marketing by Sheth et al. (2011). Philip Kotler (2019), in his commentary entitled

25
‘The Market for Transformation’, also describes that in modern times consumers are

increasingly looking for hope, remedies and anchors that can alter a consumer’s

persona (body/mind) and they see value in being transformed. Thich (2019), in his

commentary on ‘A Buddhist Approach to Consumption’ also elucidated about this

spiritual dimension of behavior in which consumers break the habitual ways in

which they consume and begin to see that they do not need even one more thing.

Based on his explanation, this new consumer behavior lies in experiences and

impressions via our senses and consciousness.

Literature and an in-depth discussion exhibited that what Indian consumers

have shown during the lockdown may be irreversible adjustment in behavior and will

be considered as best practice of consumption. The consumers will be financially

impacted with a new twist which has healthcare, personal health and well-being

concern. It may offer a new motivation for long-term behavior change, suggestive of

a new segment of migrated consumers who with a new value of ‘save and stockpile’

and change in their buying habits will become more frugal. The studies of Asian

cultures’ values have explicitly recognised the role that frugality plays as a guiding

principle underlying consumers’ behavior (e.g., Anderson & Wadkins, 1991).

COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of frugality and the associated need to

better understand frugal consumers to understand behavior of non-consumption as

well as actual consumption. Lastovicka et al. (1999) offer a conceptual definition of

frugality as ‘a unidimensional consumer lifestyle trait characterised by the degree to

which consumers are both restrained in acquiring and in resourcefully using

economic goods and services to achieve longer term goals’. It is relevant to the

26
study of consumer behavior, as it advocates the notion that achieving long-term

consumption goals will, for most consumers, occur only through the denial of short-

term whims and the resourceful use of extant resources. The parallel move towards

frugality is what some have termed as ‘voluntary simplicity’ which shares some

commonalities with frugality and is generally depicted as ‘both a system of beliefs

and a practice, centred on the idea that personal satisfaction, fulfilment and

happiness result from a commitment to the nonmaterial aspects of life’ (Zavestoski,

2002), though in previous literature raising the notion of frugality and simplicity

seemed ‘wildly out of place’ Gardels (2000, 2002). Marketers need to respond to the

apparent growth in people adopting either a frugal and or very simple lifestyle by

encouraging consumers to buy what they really need rather than unnecessarily

buying, keeping in mind that this behavior is not a form of poverty or opting for

difficult life, but responsible buying. It could develop out of necessity and resource

constraint as in COVID-19, but should capture the attention of marketing

academics.

Frugality is not to decrease the price but to develop sustainability from

acquisition to disposal via new innovative measures for reaching out to the masses.

For small firms, the time to act is now to gain attention, convince new customers of

their value and turn nascent purchasing into a habitual buying. In many ways,

COVID-19 has levelled the competitive landscape for smaller brands as they can

establish new habits or return to précises shopping routines by focusing on these

behaviors. COVID-19 has pulled the handbrake for the humankind race to

destruction and redirected attention to life and living.

27
 The common man, now a term shared by almost all equally, has started to

think anew what kind of future they want, if they survive this pandemic. This

cumulative thought will be the trigger thread for the marketing world to redefine,

strategise and reshape not only their offerings but also ways of reaching out to

customers. For instance, this situation is a ground zero to start all over again and

rewire and realign the present conscious young generation to new life principles

rooted in the traditional Indian practices where humans were a part of ecosystem

and not superior to the mother nature.

It presents a great opportunity for marketer to create awareness among

critical mass for orbit shifting acceleration pointing towards organic living with the

help of their products and services. The next normal in consumer behavior may

likely be explored on dimensions mentioned below in reshaping of market:

1. rethinking about considering spiritual approach in understanding consumer

behavior with keeping drivers such as economies of consumption, saving and

health in mind;

2. mobilisation of resources at speed and scale as central focal point of business to

respond to the behavior changes of consumers;

3. rewiring COVID generation: opportunity to realign the present conscious young

generation to new life principles and build a new segment of consumers; and

4. create new product or service stories to present to conscious generation.

28
FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS

The community of marketing scholars needs to urgently comprehend and

research the role of spirituality in modern consumption. This article is a starting

point to understand consumer sentiments or requirement in buying ‘what is enough’

within the marketing context and how it can be reinforced post-COVID crisis for

ensuring sustainability of business models. Scholars are encouraged to debate on

the merits and drawbacks of this consumer behavior. It would be interesting to

explore the correlates of this forced consumer behavior with other variables such as

learning from crisis, simplicity, changing needs, personality, nationality, culture,

frugal behavior and age.

Further other interesting issues like ‘will this spiritual dimension of consumer

behavior sustain or decrease post-COVID-19 scenario’ will be helpful to explore the

possibilities of new segments exhibiting new behavior. Critical to this discourse will

be a commitment to avoid the spirituality/religion controversy when it comes to

definitions of spirituality in consumerism in both qualitative and quantitative

researches to fully comprehend this phenomenon and to explain its dynamics in the

marketplace post-COVID crisis. This can offer the post-COVID universe a spiritual

consumption model that brings back the rich cultural heritage of consumption

practices designed around not the theories in textbooks but around philosophies of

coexisting with Mother Nature.

29
DECLARATION OF CONFIICTING INTERESTS

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the

research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research,

30
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