Abstract
M.Com. (Business Management)
The alcoholic beverages industry contributed an estimated R73 billion to the South African Gross Domestic Production (GDP) in the financial year 2009 – 2010, an approximate 2.9 percent contribution to South Africa’s GDP (Department National Treasury, 2014:6). The alcoholic beverages industry further delivers more than 500 000 job opportunities in South Africa across various industries (Fieldgate, Jeffrey, Madinane, Ebrahim, Soobyah & Jordaan, 2013:1). The World Health Organisation (WHO) is putting pressure on governments around the world to reduce the misuse and abuse of alcohol (Roets, Bevan-Dye & Viljoen, 2013:961). As a result, the South African government proposed various alcohol policy changes in support of the WHO in an attempt to reduce unhealthy alcohol consumption behaviour in South Africa. There are however concerns that implementing these policies might have undesirable economic effects (Fieldgate et al., 2013:1).
Attitude is an important factor that assists in determining a consumer’s intention to behave (Blythe, 2013:153). It is thus believed that a consumer’s attitude can be used as a predictor of the consumer’s intention to behave or change behaviour. In the case of this study, the primary objective of the study is to determine the attitude of South African consumer in Gauteng Province towards alcohol policy, and consumer intention to change alcohol consumption behaviour should new alcohol policies be implemented. Although the current alcohol policy as well as the proposed restriction of alcohol marketing policy has a direct effect on South African consumers, little is known about consumer attitudes towards alcohol policies or the effect a change in policy will have on their alcohol consumption behavioural intentions. Consumer attitudes towards alcohol policy were measured, as well as the consumers intention to change alcohol consumption behaviour should alcohol policy change.
The study is descriptive in nature and made use of quantitative research techniques. Questionnaires were used as the research instrument and to collect data. The target population included all consumers of alcohol (who consume an average of three or more alcoholic beverages per week) and are of legal drinking age (over 18). One hundred sixty-nine usable questionnaires from the sample size of 200 were utilised for...