Paper Details

Name: Jyotsna & Kusum Gupta
Country: India

Year: 2025
Volume: Volume-12, Issue-1 Year: 2025 (Jan-June)
Page Number: 112-128
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17648046

ABSTRACT
Globalization and the liberalization of trade have exposed Indian consumers to an
unprecedented range of both domestic and imported products. While India‘s growing
economy and digital access have fostered global consumerism, the question of whether
Indian consumers prefer homegrown products or imported alternatives remains crucial for
both marketers and policymakers. This study investigates the relationship between consumer
ethnocentrism and key demographic variables—age, gender, education, and income—among
consumers in North India. Using the Consumer Ethnocentric Tendencies Scale (CETSCALE)
developed by Shimp and Sharma (1987), a structured online survey was conducted among
800 respondents across four states: Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh.
The results reveal that age and income are significant predictors of consumer ethnocentrism.
Older consumers display stronger ethnocentric tendencies, while higher-income individuals
exhibit a greater openness toward foreign goods. Gender differences are minor but notable,
with women showing slightly higher ethnocentric tendencies than men. Education, however,
does not significantly influence consumer ethnocentrism, suggesting that exposure to global
culture is widespread across educational levels in North India. The findings have practical
implications for marketers seeking to promote ―Made in India‖ products and align with
national initiatives such as Atmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local. This research
contributes to the growing literature on consumer ethnocentrism in developing economies
and provides a region-specific understanding of how demographics shape buying preferences
in North India.
Keywords: Consumer ethnocentrism, demographics, North India, CETSCALE, domestic
products, globalization, consumer behavior.