THE MEANING OF SUSTAINABILITY OF CULTURAL IMMATERIAL CONSUMPTION

Abstract

Cultural characteristics differ from nation to nation, and often by provinces, cities,villages - each group of people has its own traditions, beliefs and behaviors that are oftensimilar to other groups, but again specific to its members. Customs, rituals andsuperstitions as part of a particular culture define and shape the identity of consumerswho belong to that culture - they influence their attitudes, needs, habits and desires. Theseaspects of culture are embedded in consumer behavior, a complex set of preferences andpatterns of an individual, and make up the identity of that individual, which is expressedin his purchasing patterns. As the connection between customs, rituals and superstitionsand consumer behavior has not yet been examined in the scientific literature, nor has theimportance of their influence on consumer habits and characteristics been established, thesubject of this research is precisely to establish this relationship. In Europe, culturaldifferences play a decisive role in shaping consumption patterns. At the same time, globalcompetition tends to have a homogenizing effect on some markets such as music, sports,clothing and entertainment, and multinational companies such as Sony, Pepsi, Nintendo,Nike and Levi Strauss dominate and play an important role in shaping the market. Withthe creation of a single European market, many companies began to consider even morethe possibilities of standardized marketing across national borders in Europe. However,the increasing similarity of brands and products available in Europe does not mean thatconsumers are the same � variables such as personal motivation, cultural context, patternsof family relationships and rhythms of daily life differ significantly from country tocountry and from region to region. This paper will explore the possibilities of improvingthe protection and preservation of rituals, customs, traditions and superstitions as part ofcultural heritage that have an impact on the formation of consumer behavior. Culturalheritage through customs and rituals, traditions and superstitions is recognized as part ofthe historical, cultural, economic and tourist significance for the Republic of Croatia andis important for the preservation of national identity. As a set of permanent material andimmaterial values and human creations, culture is exposed to various problematic,counter-cultural and degrading processes, which arise from conflicts of interests and,sometimes, too fast changes, as well as uncritically accepted immaterial forms of culture,such as rituals, customs, traditions and superstitions of a people. In this sense, thedegradation of traditions and customs, rituals and superstitions can affect the decline inthe quality of life of people in the European Union. The general goal of this research, based on a sample of 206 respondents, is to determine the influence of customs, ritualsand superstitions on consumer behavior in the Republic of Croatia, more precisely, todetermine the frequency of product purchases with regard to different types of rituals.