Consumption coping strategies and well‐being among refugee consumers

Abstract

This paper aims to provide new insight into refugee consumers' adaptation to stress with a particular emphasis on consumption coping strategies and wellbeing. Drawing on the appraisal-coping theory, this paper proposes a theoretical framework relating stress to coping responses and refugee well-being. Social support is also introduced in the framework as a moderator. Examining the interplays between these concepts provides a comprehensive view of how changes in consumption patterns occur and how they affect refugee well-being. Insights from this paper suggest that consumption activities could be viewed as responses of adaptation to chronic and acute stress. To adapt to new circumstances and reduce their stress, refugee consumers could engage in adaptive consumption coping or maladaptive consumption coping (i.e., compulsive and impulsive consumption), which in turn affect their psychological and physical, family, and economic wellbeing. The paper contends that service support moderates the relationships between stress, coping responses, and refugee well-being.

Twenty‐five years of consumer vulnerability research: Critical insights and future directions

“…Hence, the discussions of this study particularly helps in identifying four specific directions for future research in the domain of consumer vulnerability. Firstly, as we show that previous work has concentrated on vulnerable consumer groups, such as those who are disabled, elderly, children, and stigmatized consumer groups (Rosenbaum et al, 2017), future studies covering the less researched consumers from refugee populations (Zourrig & El Hedhli, 2022) will further complement the domain with critical understanding. Secondly, in an era where consumer vulnerability has emerged as a developing societal problem caused by marketing activities (Stewart, 2022) future research in consumer vulnerability that address why such societal issue or problem may be linked to a market failure will serve as a foundation for enhancing marketing practices that are deep-rooted to address the fundamental objectives of restoring and maintaining consumer well-being in modern consumption driven societies.…”