Religion and Consumer Behaviour: Influence of Religiosity and Culture on Consumption

Religion is an important part of individual lives, playing a major role in our decision making and puchasing. Understanding the influence of religion on consumer behaviour is therefore an essential practice for business. The COVID-19 pandemic has especially enhanced the influence of consumers’ religiosity on their consumption decisions. This book concentrates on understanding the relationship of religiosity with various aspects of consumption and consumer behaviour to improve policy and build on an under represented topic.

In this edited collection, expert contributors, academicians and researchers discuss the influence of religion on consumer behaviour in depth including the “dark side” of religion on consumers’ consumption behaviour and religious cults. The chapters also explore the ethical issues surrounding consumption and the role of religion on branding and sustainable practices. With a broad perspective, the book draws on examples of practices from Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.

This book will be a particularly valuable resource for scholars and upper level students of marketing, consumer behaviour and consumer psychology. The interdisciplinary perspectives will also appeal to those studying sociology and globalization.

Gaurav Gupta is currently Assistant Professor in Marketing at Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, India. He earned his Doctorate and Masters in Business Administration degree with a concentration in Marketing from Punjabi University, Patiala. He also studied marketing at the prestigious Wilkes University, Pennsylvania, USA, and is a recipient of Erasmus+, IIM-Bangalore Fellowship(s).

Mandakini Paruthi is currently Assistant Professor in Marketing at School of Management, Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology, Gandipet, Hyderabad. She earned her Doctorate and Masters in Business Administration degree with a specialization in Marketing from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, and Lovely Professional University, Punjab respectively. She is a recipient of Junior Research Fellowship grant from University Grants Commission and has also cleared National Eligibility Test (NET).

Shivinder Nijjer, PhD in HRM analytics, is currently serving as Professor of Practice in Business Analytics at Chitkara University, Punjab, India. She has authored books and research articles with eminent publication groups like Taylor & Francis, Emerald, and Springer, among others. She is supervising four doctoral research candidates and has filed numerous utility patents with Indian Patent Office.