The UK nutrient retail industry grew by 3.1 % holding gross of ?119.4 billion in 2009 that represented a compound one-year growing rate of the industry for the period 2005-09 was 4.2 % ( Datamonitor, 2010 ) . ( Refer to appendix 1 )

The UK nutrient retail industry continued to be intense with hypermarkets, supermarkets, and discount houses, which are the largest section in the industry with entire grosss of ?73.30billion, proposing for over 60 % of all gross revenues in 2009.On the other manus, convenience shops and gas Stationss had grosss of ?25.20 billion in 2009, that is 21 % of entire grosss ( Datamonitor, 2010 ) . ( Refer to appendix 2 )

1.1 Introduction to Wm Morrison Supermarkets ( Morrison )

Jim morrisons ‘ is the fourth-largest food market retail merchant supermarket in the UK ( Mintel, 2009 ) . In January 2009, Morrison was largely involved in the operation of over 382 shops and 287 gasoline filling Stationss throughout the UK. The supermarket is more nutrient oriented when compared to other large supermarkets ironss like Tesco, J Sainsburys, and Asda. It offers different 18,000 merchandise lines with many low-cost goods and particular offers on food markets, fresh nutrients and alcoholic merchandises in its shop, stand foring 32 % of their entire merchandises under its own-brand labels ( Mintel, 2009 ) . As Datamonitor ( 2010 ) puts in:

“ Some of Morrison ‘s ain label merchandises include “ The Best ” trade name ( offering a pick of repasts made from the finest ingredients ) ; “ Eat Smart ” ( a scope of Calorie, fat, sugar and salt controlled repasts, specifically designed to assist keep a controlled diet ) ; “ Organic ” ( choice of organic merchandises such as eggs, cheese, murphies, mushrooms, tea bags and muesli ) ; “ Free From ” ( offers a scope of option branded merchandises to clients who have allergic reactions or particular dietetic demands ) ; “ Complexions ” ( a scope of cosmetics merchandises ) and so on ” ( Datamonitor, 2010 ) .

Jim morrisons ‘ manages its operations that include the undermentioned subordinate companies: Bos Brothers Fruit and Vegetables BV, Farmers Boy, Wm Morrison Produce, Safeway, and many more ( Datamonitor, 2010 ) .

Harmonizing to Britt ( 2009 ) , Morrisons ‘ main executive, Marc Bolland, said: “ As a nutrient specializer, we are clearly differentiated from our larger rivals, all of whom are seeking to spread out their non-food certificates. We besides emphasized our deep apprehension of nutrient: through being closer to beginning than other retail merchants, through our alone fabrication and wadding installations, through the sum of nutrient readying undertaken in our shops and through the employment of more specializer meatmans, fishwifes and bakers than our rivals ” .

1.2. Fiscal public presentation during the recession

During the recession, consumers are cutting down on the premium merchandises and organic merchandises to own-brand labels. In response to the rising prices, Morrisons ‘ had launched rather a figure of publicities during the twelvemonth. They had 21.000 monetary value cuts throughout the twelvemonth, in order to assist its clients spend less ( Britt, 2009 ) . Promotions cuts are represented in a assortment of ways including multi-buy trades and per centum price reductions every bit good as more imaginative repast trades in response to clients need to cut down measures hebdomadal ( Mintel, 2009 )

1.2.1 Year 2008-09

Harmonizing to Datamonitor ( 2010 ) , Morrisons ‘ recorded grosss of ?14,528 million at the terminal of 2009, an addition of 2.0 % compared to twelvemonth 2008. Its net income was ?460 million in 2009, compared to a net income of $ 863 million in 2008. ( Refer to Appendix 3 )

As Mintel ( 2009 ) besides noted in its study, Morrisons ‘ ain trade name labels such as Eat Smart, Best and Organics besides enjoyed growing, up by 13 % , 5 % and 10 % in the twelvemonth 2009 severally.

1.2.2 Year 2010

Jim morrisons ‘ had declared its semiannual net income before revenue enhancement of ?410m, which has increased about 14 % than the old twelvemonth which values to ?359m. As market growing in the first half was 3.0 % , Morrisons ‘ tantamount growing was 5.8 % . In other words, degree of market growing was the lowest for five old ages. The company had besides expected a low degree of market growing in the 2nd half of 2010 ( Morrisons ‘ , 2010 ) .

Harmonizing to Britt ( 2009 ) , Morrisons ‘ main executive officer, Dalton Philips said that Morrisons ‘ is traveling to offer more own-label merchandises to last the low market growing in the 2nd half of the twelvemonth and besides in the hereafter.

As Morrisons ‘ has strong values and is extremely focused on its high quality fresh nutrient, the company is expected to be continuously successful in this low growing environment in the 2nd half of the twelvemonth. Furthermore, the company ‘s positive fiscal strengths would let them to put during the recession in order to supply its consumers with better quality merchandise and at the same clip, passing less ( Morrisons ‘ , 2010 ) .

The intent of this essay is to use three consumer behaviour facets to Morrisons ‘ and explicate and analyse how the three facets have helped the company to immune to the current economic recession. The three consumer behaviour theories used in this essay includes: the purchasing procedure, motive, and Reference Group, Family and Household. The essay would besides urge what Morrisons ‘ could hold been done to undertake the economic downswing.

Need and Importance of Consumer Behavior

As Olson & A ; Peter ( 1994 ) puts in:

“ Consumer behaviour is the dynamic interaction of affect and knowledge, behaviour and environmental events by which human existences conduct the exchange facets of their lives ” ( Olson & A ; Peter, 1994, p.13 ) . Companies need to understand their clients ‘ so they can utilize it as in input in developing selling schemes to act upon consumers to buy their merchandises based on the research they have conducted. Companies need to prelaunch the merchandise to see if the merchandises satisfy their clients ‘ demands. The success of their selling schemes will entirely depend on how purchasers react to it ( Dibb, et al. , 2001 ) . Harmonizing to Jiang, T ( 2010 ) ingestion plays an of import function in one ‘s life, it is the responsibility of the sellers to happen out what are the chief influences on what, where, when and how their clients buy goods and services. By understanding these factors better, sellers are able to present satisfaction to their clients, generate net incomes, and at the same clip maintain long term relationship with its clients.

2.1 Consumer Buying Process at Morrisons ‘

Consumers purchase merchandises or services to work out jobs in their lives. They have to travel through a figure of different stairss in order to do the concluding purchase determination. If the purchases are more of import, consumers would set more attempt into doing determinations of purchasing the merchandise ( Jiang, T. 2010 ) .

Harmonizing to Solomon, et Al. ( 2006 ) consumers recognize the sensed job waiting to be solved, followed by the information hunt procedure and rating of options, that is, by comparing the merchandise to other merchandises. Later, consumers would do a determination, followed by an action that is to buy or non to buy the merchandise. Last, station purchase feeling that is, if they really like the merchandise, or wished they dint purchase the merchandise ( p.258 ) .

Consumer determinations can be classified into three classs ( 1 ) habitual ( everyday ) determination devising ( 2 ) limited decision-making and ( 3 ) extended decision-making. Consumers use

everyday determination devising when purchasing often purchased, low cost, low hazard, and low engagement merchandises that needs really small hunt and determination attempt ( Dibb, et al. , 2001 ) . Customers for Morrisons ‘ are in this class. As Goldsmith, et Al. ( 1995 ) explains nutrient shopping is frequently understood to be a low-involvement activity, as consumer purchasing determination for low engagement merchandises does non go through through the normal buying-decision-making procedure, consumers do non seek a batch of information or measure the merchandise before purchasing. Therefore because of this, Morrisons ‘ converted low-involvement merchandises to high engagement 1s by planing their advertisement and publicities to trip strong emotions and besides by adding an of import characteristic to its low-involvement merchandise.

It is possible that consumers at Morrisons ‘ used accustomed decision-making in buying merchandises as the merchandise was of necessity or it may be based on clients ‘ life style, penchants acquired in early ages, or recommendations from friends or others.

Jim morrisons ‘ chief focal point was really much on its value and low monetary values for the mass market consumer regardless of the recession. The company focused on freshness and the quality of its merchandises, as its slogan ‘food specializer for everyone ‘ suggested. In recession, consumers cut back on premium merchandises, and alternatively bought own-labels trade name. Peoples besides bought fewer ready prepared repasts, ate out less, and were progressively cooked at place ( Mintel, 2009 ) .

However, in response to the economic downswing in 2008-09, the company has launched 21,000 monetary value cuts through the twelvemonth to assist clients pass less. They are represented in a assortment of ways including multi-buy trades and per centum price reductions ( Mintel, 2009 ) . The company had expanded more of its own-brand labels merchandise lines as increasing figure of people are turning towards the own-brand ‘s labels in order to fulfill its clients ‘ demands and wants.

Harmonizing to Jiang, T. ( 2010 ) clients ‘ temper, shopping motive or physiological status at the clip of purchase can hold a major impact on the merchandises bought and how they are evaluated. Furthermore, the shop ambiance that includes dominant centripetal consequence on clients created by both the shops physical ( ocular, sound, feel, gustatory sensation, odor ) visual aspect and human interactions ( staff and other consumers ) within it can take to buy chance. Besides the shop ambient, the merchandise class direction that is grouping merchandises that are selected and placed in a manner to fulfill ingestion forms ( Gilbert, 2003, p.144 ) . For illustration, at Morrisons ‘ , it is really convenient to shop, as the company has its ain of pull offing its merchandise classs, therefore consumers could shop handily and do determinations sing the merchandises easy.

Therefore, because it is convenient and easy to do purchase determinations at Morrison ‘s, consumers shopped more at the supermarket during the recession as they did n’t hold to believe much sing the purchase determination and were able to pass less while still salvaging more money for ulterior purchase.

2.2 Motivation

Need is a deficiency of something of import. It can ne’er be fulfilled and or satisfied. They are altering all the clip, and a new demand replaces the old one every bit shortly as it ‘s satisfied. Want, on the other manus, is the ingestion behaviour that satisfies the unrealized demands. Motivation is the driving force within the person that pushes them to action ; this driving force existed as a consequence of an unrealized demand. To understand motive is to understand why consumers do what they do ( Jiang, T. 2010 ) .

A Maslow ‘s hierarchy of needs theories was used to analyse the consumers ‘ demands of Morrisons ‘ . There are five stairss in Maslow hierarchy of demands, nevertheless, merely the first three degrees of the theoretical account were used to analyse consumer demands at Morrisons ‘ as the other two degrees do non use. The first three degrees include:

Physiological demands: These are the necessity needs such as nutrient and imbibe that Morrisons ‘ has to fulfill these consumer demands.

Safety demands: These are the safety needs associating to security and protection that Morrisons has to fulfill these demands by supplying nutritionary nutrient, organic fresh nutrient, and health- related merchandises. Jim morrisons ‘ emphasizes that it does n’t necessitate to compromise on quality in order to supply low monetary values, hence, are able to present a quality merchandises to its consumers.

Belongingness demands: In this degree, consumers needed to be accepted by others, to suit in the group, and needed to be loved. Jim morrisons ‘ understood this demand and is ever supplying an gratifying shopping experience at Morrisons ‘ in order to fulfill this degree of demands.

Maslow ‘s hierarchy suggested that one must first satisfy basic demands before traveling up to the top degree ( Solomon, et al. , 2006 ) . Consumers at Morrisons ‘ value different merchandise attributes depending on what is presently available to them. From the above theories, it is confirmed that consumers need those need in their day-to-day lives hence, to last clients ‘ demands to buy those basic and safety despite the recession. However, the sum of merchandises purchased during recession would depend on consumers ‘ willingness to pass.

As Morrison ‘s was cognizant of the economic recession that affects most of its consumers, the company has offered immense sum of publicities to cut monetary values in order to assist its client spend less on its merchandises and salvage more for future. Jim morrisons ‘ for illustration, offered ?4 meal trades, which proved really popular, and it uses most of its publicities as “ half monetary value ” instead than “ purchase one, acquire one free ” in response to clients ‘ demand to pass less ( Britt, 2009 ) . Morrisons ‘ motivated its consumers to purchase more than they need, so its consumers could pass less and salvage more money at the terminal of the twenty-four hours. In this manner, Morrisons ‘ and its consumers shared common benefits as consumers would acquire quality merchandises in low monetary values and the company, on the other manus, would bring forth net incomes.

Furthermore, by offering more price reductions and valuable meal trades on its quality merchandise, consumers were satisfied with Morrisons ‘ and trusted the company, ensuing in trueness, where they could travel back to Morrisons ‘ and do frequent purchase. In add-on, the company was able to pull more immature shoppers, such as pupils, and at the same clip retaining its bing consumer groups.

2.3 Reference group, Family and Household

“ Reference group is an existent or fanciful person or group conceived of holding important relevancy upon an person ‘s rating, aspirations, or behaviour ” ( Solomon, et al. , 2006 p.350 ) . Social group is when more than one individual interacts with each other in a given context ( Sprott, 1958, p.9 ) . In the instance of Morrisons ‘ , mention group can be friends, household, co-workers, co-inhabitants, or family, where they would acquire to interact with each other and could urge one another on merchandises to buy. For illustration, pupils populating in a level together could inform one another or do the other single aware of the nutrient price reductions at Morrisons, as they would wish to cut cost by paying less for nutrient during recession. Therefore, the information provided by their level mate could e compared with the person ‘s thought, therefore heightening in doing determinations sing the purchase of the merchandise.

Jim morrisons ‘ did a batch of advertisement on its web site and on telecasting nationally in order to increase consumer consciousness of Morrisons ‘ and what the company stands for. Harmonizing to Mintel ( 2009 ) the company besides had endorsed famous persons such as Lulu, and Helen Baxendale, to talk about the experiences with the good quality Morrisons ‘ have offered.

However, there are groups of people in UK, for illustration, international pupils, who do non hold Television, hence might non cognize about Morrisons ‘ . Since they do non hold Television, they would trust on their friends in their family, classmates, or co-workers on the information about consumer merchandises. This confirmed that they were really prosecuting in viva-voce communicating. As Solomon, et al. , 2006, p.368 ) explains information obtained from those single knows or speak straight tends to be more dependable and trusty. Furthermore, Morrisons ‘ did bring forth net incomes during recession through the word-of-mouth, and advertisement as people became cognizant of their price reductions through their web sites offer, telecasting and recommendations.

Harmonizing to Solomon, et al. , ( 2006 ) household decision-making has two types: consensual purchase determination ( the group agrees on the coveted purchase, differing merely in footings of how will be achieved ) and accommodating purchase ( group members have different penchants and can non hold on a purchase that will fulfill all members ) ( p.410 ) . Furthermore, gender function besides affects ingestion depending on who is doing the determination. For illustration, when shopping at Morrisons ‘ , if the married woman has the most power in buying food markets, she would rule the decision-making and frailty versa. Besides, if the married woman was to be the one devising purchases, she might pass some clip choosing right merchandises for her household. However, married woman ‘s age, societal category, lifestyle civilization could besides act upon the merchandise decision-making. Sometimes, partners can jointly make up one’s mind when doing a purchase. Besides the gender function, kids can besides impact ingestion, for illustration, parents purchasing merchandises as influenced by their kids, in other words, “ parental giving up ” ( Solomon, et al. , 2006, p.414 ) . For case, Morrisons ‘ have scope of merchandises such as cereals and cocoas, that they know kids would carry their female parent to purchase for them.

Consumer socialisation is when immature people who get accomplishments, cognition, and attitudes relevant to their operation in the market topographic point ( Solomon, et al. , 2006, p.415 ) . This theory can be use to analyse immature shoppers at Morrisons ‘ . For illustration, consumers who shop at Morrisons ‘ today could be of those who used to attach to their parents to shop when they were immature ; hence, the ground that they are still doing frequent purchase at Morrisons ‘ is fundamentally because they were exposed to that peculiar state of affairs when they were a child. From this analysis, it could be confirmed that despite the recession, groups of people populating in family, or with household would still hold to travel to Morrisons ‘ in order to purchase merchandises that constitutes to their demands and wants. Morrisons ‘ understood its consumers good, and the company knows who really shops at its supermarket, hence, supplying scope of low monetary value quality nutrient to its clients to fulfill their demands and wants, while still bring forthing net income.

Recommendation and Decision

3.1 Recommendation

Presently, Morrisons ‘ web site provides information on the company ‘s offer and latest publicities, wellness tips, and nutrient formulas to its clients. The company besides provides a Christmas salvaging strategy and a gasoline stat mi trueness card to fulfill their clients ‘ demands and wants hence, adds value to its merchandises ( Morrisons ‘ , 2010 ) .

However, as on-line food market retailing is turning, company such as Tesco, Asda, and Sainburys were more profitable than Jim morrisons ‘ during recession as they have incorporated on-line shopping as portion of their schemes. Therefore, in order to bring forth more net incomes, Morrisons ‘ could hold incorporated on-line shopping as portion of their scheme since it is the lone supermarket among the “ large four ” supermarkets that does non hold a transactional web site ( Mintel, 2009 ) . Furthermore, the company could hold used informations excavation, to enter every purchase of clients ‘ , so they could larn more about consumers in footings of the frequent merchandises purchased. Tesco, for illustration, has offered trueness to its clients when they shop. By publishing trueness cards, they were more profitable than Jim morrisons ‘ in times of recession. In add-on to data excavation and online shopping, Morrisons ‘ could hold offered a trueness card to its clients when they shop often.

3.3 Decision

The UK nutrient retail industry is one of the most competitory market in the universe, holding supermarkets, hypermarkets, and discount houses, viing for net incomes that accounted up to 60 % of the entire gross revenues in 2009 ( Datamonitor, 2010 ) .

Today, companies ca n’t entirely trust on client satisfaction in bring forthing higher net incomes and grosss. Creation of value for its clients, on the other manus, has progressively going really of import. Companies and sellers demands to understand consumers from consumers ‘ position to place their demands and hence, create solutions that deliver satisfaction and creates values for its clients, and at the same clip, bring forthing net incomes to the companies.

During the recession, many little and moderate-sized concerns lost places in the market topographic point and was forced out of the concern. This was chiefly because consumers have cut back on premium merchandises and was choosing for low monetary values quality merchandises. Jim morrisons ‘ , on the other manus, was bring forthing net incomes during the recession, as the company understood its clients good in footings of purchasing procedure, motivational factors, and their mention group. Morrisons ‘ , for illustration, was cognizant that its clients wanted to pass less during recession, so it offered scope of quality merchandises in low monetary value with different promotional tactics to pull more consumers during the recession. However, the company was n’t the most profitable supermarkets during the recession. As stated above, Morrisons ‘ could hold done better by integrated online shopping and trueness card as their selling schemes. Through trueness cards, the company could larn and understand more about its consumers, in footings of points its consumers tend to buy.

Mentions

Britt, Bill. “ Jim morrisons Grows Market Share on Back of Product Offering and Advertising – Selling News – Marketing Magazine. ” Marketing News & A ; Marketing Jobs – Marketing Magazine – Resource for Marketers. 12 Mar. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2010. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/889792/Morrisons-grows-market-share-back-product-offering-advertising/ & gt ; .

Dibb, S. , O. C. Ferrell, W. M. Pride, and L. Simkin. Selling: Concepts and Strategies. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1994. Print.

Gilbert, David. Retail Marketing Management. Harlow [ u.a. : Fiscal Times Prentice Hall, 2002. Print.

Goldsmith, R.E. , Freiden, J. , & A ; Henderson, K.V. ( 1995 ) . The impact of societal values on food-related attitudes. Journal of Product & A ; Brand Management.

Home – Jim morrisons. Web. 25 Nov. 2010. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.morrisons.co.uk/ .

Jiang, T. ( 2010 ) Consumer Identity [ Lecturer ] Consumer Behavior. University of Leeds, Business School, Leeds, 18 Nov.

“ Market Analysis. ” Food Retailing in the United Kingdom ( June 2010 ) . Datamonitor Industry Reports. Web. 20 Nov. 2010.

Peter, J. Paul. , and Jerry C. Olson. Understanding Consumer Behavior. Burr Ridge, IL: Irwin, 1994. Print

Solomon, Michael R. Consumer Behaviour: a European Perspective. Harlow, England: Fiscal Times/Prentice Hall, 2006. Print.

Sprott, Walter John Herbert. Human Groups. Baltimore, MD: Penguin, 1958. Print.

“ Wm Morrison Group. ” Food Retailing – United kingdom. Rep. Mintel, Nov. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2010. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //academic.mintel.com & gt ; .

Moment

Appendix 1

The UK nutrient retail industry grew by 3.1 % holding gross of ?119.4 billion in 2009 that represented a compound one-year growing rate of the industry for the period 2005-09 was 4.2 %

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Appendix 2

Hypermarkets, supermarkets, and discount houses, which are the largest section in the industry, proposing for 61.3 % of all gross revenues in 2009. Whereas, the convenience shops and gas Stationss had grosss 21.1 % of the grosss in 2009.