The analysis of the grocery stores in Jacksonville FL shows that there are certain differences in consumption patterns caused by race, class and family traditions. For this reason, I visited General Grocery Store located in 5059 Normandy Blvd and Dino European Grocery Store located in 10230 Atlantic Blvd. the analysis shows that black people have different consumption and dietary patterns in contrast to white population.
In both grocery stores, black consumers prefer to buy large amount of fruits and vegetables while white population buys products for 2-3 days only. This case shows that families are social institutions and as purchasing units, they have shared dietary principles and rituals. The consumption differences are based on emotional, nonlogical, ethical, and moral factors. The majority of poor family prefers to buy low quality products in large quantities. They pay a special attention to discounts and promotion campaigns trying to save money on other purchases. At General Grocery Store, it was evident that the style of life of the family has a great influence on purchasing and consumption patterns as while population never bought cheap and spoilt goods. At Dino European Grocery, black and racial minorities prefer to buy more vegetables than fruits while white population buys exotic fruits and less vegetables. Race plays an important role in consumption and affects family values, shaping purchase behavior. Within the family unit a difference may be drawn between requests and actual needs. When a male member of the family requests something for dinner, he is the decision maker, and the obedient wife, or shopper, is just the instrument in making the purchase, although she may have significant latitude on choice of brand. It is evident that in black low class families the decision-making remains solely with the wife, and though the woman may take into account the requests, desires, and advice of other members of the family, she has no obligation to do so.
At General Grocery Store, purchasing decision are influenced by the head of the family and healthcare diet followed by the family. The middle class and upper class consumers follow health conscious menus trying to buy quality grocery products each day. The coordinated and well-matched family, which is regarded as the ideal model, encompasses an estimated 50 % of all families. In middle class black and white families, the family shares a good measure of common sense regarding their economic situations and purchasing issues. The poor, incompatible family is an unstable, unsatisfactory purchasing tool that seems to bring little satisfaction to members of the family. In General Grocery Store, it was evident that many people travel to this supermarket from other neighborhoods (McCracken 23).
In sum, the analysis shows that social class and consumption preferences of the family are the main factors in decision-making. Race does not have a great impact on consumption patterns. It is not income alone but life-style of the family factors that are viewed as among the most important issues influencing and shaping purchasing activity. In black and white middle class income families there is a lack of income and expenditure planning: all expenditures are made for items that cannot be afforded. In contrast, low class poor families with many children purchased at Dino European Grocery Store use budgets, gather and organize information, plan purchases, specialize purchase behavior, evaluate benefits received, and make purchases to solve daily problems. In poor families, the housewife is a person who performs the buying function and becomes specialized and is usually most skillful in grocery purchases.
Woks Cited
McCracken, G. Culture and Consumption: New Approaches to the Symbolic Character of Consumer Goods and Activities Indiana University Press, 2002.