The decision-making process of young urban South African single mothers at the bottom of the pyramid when purchasing baby food

Jacobs, Dominique

The decision-making process of young urban South African single mothers at the bottom of the pyramid when purchasing baby food

Thesis / Dissertation

2024

Abstract

This study investigated how young single mothers (YSMs) in South Africa's bottom of the pyramid (BoP) purchase food for their babies. The study focused specifically on mothers with babies between the ages of 6 to 24 months and explored various elements of their child nutrition decision-making. In trying to understand YSM consumer behaviour at the BoP, the objective of the research was to investigate the influence of their vulnerability when making purchasing decisions affecting their baby's nutrition. While many studies exist on the BoP consumer, there is a void in the literature when it comes to specific product category decision-making processes. To explore the research objectives, a qualitative methodology was employed. Semi-structured interviews were used, and the research identified 22 urban interviewees who took part in the study. The results show that the landscape and behaviour of YSMs at the BoP are characterised according to levels of awareness, availability, affordability, and accessibility of a product. This study specifically identified five vulnerabilities, namely, confined financial power, the education gap, entrenched family filters, the proximity trap, and the catalogue constraint. In terms of nutrition, the results show that participants were aware of the importance and benefits of good nutrition for their baby, but mothers rarely prioritised nutrition when purchasing food for their baby. This is due to various reasons, such as not knowing what good nutrition is (how to read the back of the packs of branded baby food) and mainly focusing on being able to afford enough food to survive (as more nutritious food is usually more expensive). This study is an important contribution to gaining a better understanding of choices, priorities, and the decisionmaking process for YSM consumers at the BoP

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