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While it is essential to further research the growing diversity in western metropolitan cities, little is currently known about how the members of various ethnic communities acculturate to multicultural societies. The purpose of this paper is to explore immigrants’ cosmopolitanism and acculturation strategies through an analysis of the food consumption behaviour of ethnic consumers in multicultural London.

The study was set within the socio-cultural context of London. A number of qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews, observation and photographs were used to assess consumers’ acculturation strategies in a multicultural environment and how that is influenced by consumer cosmopolitanism.

Ethnic consumers’ food consumption behaviour reflects their acculturation strategies, which can be classified into four groups: rebellion, rarefaction, resonance and refrainment. This classification demonstrates ethnic consumers’ multi-directional acculturation strategies, which are also determined by their level of cosmopolitanism.

The taxonomy presented in this paper advances current acculturation scholarship by suggesting a multi-directional model for acculturation strategies as opposed to the existing uni-directional and bi-directional perspectives and explicates the role of consumer cosmopolitanism in consumer acculturation. The paper did not engage host communities and there is hence a need for future research on how and to what extent host communities are acculturated to the multicultural environment.

The findings have direct implications for the choice of standardisation vs adaptation as a marketing strategy within multicultural cities. Whilst the rebellion group are more likely to respond to standardisation, increasing adaptation of goods and service can ideally target members of the resistance and resonance groups and more fusion products should be exclusively earmarked for the resonance group.

The paper makes original contribution by introducing a multi-directional perspective to acculturation by delineating four-group taxonomy (rebellion, rarefaction, resonance and refrainment). This paper also presents a dynamic model that captures how consumer cosmopolitanism impinges upon the process and outcome of multi-directional acculturation strategies.

The purpose of this study is to explain the level of involvement of Asian‐Indian consumers residing in the US when purchasing Indian ethnic apparel and contemporary American clothing at different levels of acculturation.

Data were gathered by a questionnaire administered to 254 Asian‐Indian consumers from the southeastern United States.

Low levels of acculturation among Asian‐Indians did result in a higher level of involvement in Indian ethnic apparel. Consumers who were moderately acculturated to western culture were less involved in Indian ethnic apparel but became increasingly involved as they became more acculturated to the US culture. In conclusion, Asian‐Indians, who were new to the US, may try to identify with the new culture leading to a decline in involvement with Indian ethnic apparel. As these consumers became more comfortable in their new environment they may have felt a need to connect with their original culture, and this could have led to a renewed interest in Indian ethnic apparel.

This study fulfills a need for literature on how ethnic groups residing in a foreign land view products indigenous to their original culture across the stages of acculturation. Understanding consumer interests of targeted market segments and their impact on the overall population may benefit fashion marketers.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of acculturation on immigrant consumers’ loyalty. The authors posit that the acculturation orientation of immigrants determines their consumer loyalty to both ethnic and mainstream brands and stores.

Using a sample of Hispanic consumers in the USA and consumers from the former Soviet Union in Israel, this study tests a model in which two acculturation continua, original culture maintenance and host culture adaptation, serve as antecedents for immigrants’ consumer loyalty.

Acculturation determines the extent of immigrants’ consumer loyalty. Both acculturation continua are associated with distinct loyalty patterns that are similar across the two immigrant groups.

Despite sampling limitations, the paper demonstrates that immigrants’ acculturation orientation influences their loyalty to ethnic and mainstream brands and stores. Shared by ethnic consumers in two culturally diverse markets, this relationship transcends geographic boundaries.

The results provide insights for marketers with respect to the development of segmentation and positioning strategies and tactical implementations that address the preferences of ethnic consumers.

This paper highlights the importance of understanding the unique needs of ethnic consumers and addressing them. Successful integration of immigrant consumers into the marketplace can also help in their integration into the host society at large.

Findings shed light on the commonalities and differences among immigrant groups in different national settings. The paper highlights the role of cultural transition as a key experience that affects immigrants regardless of specific environmental or situational circumstances.

This paper seeks to explore whether predisposition towards foreign brands and consumer acculturation would differ across demographic segments in an emerging market (India). Further, the paper aims to investigate if predisposition towards foreign brands (acting as a proxy for forces of globalization) would lead to consumer acculturation among consumers in India.

Instruments to measure predisposition towards foreign brands and consumer acculturation were developed on the basis of extensive literature review. The data comprised of urban, educated, middle‐class Indian consumers. The data were collected using structured questionnaire. ANOVA and T‐test results were used to determine if extent of predisposition towards foreign brands and consumer acculturation would differ across demographic segments. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the impact of predisposition towards foreign brands on consumer acculturation.

The findings indicate that significant difference exists among various demographic segments with respect to predisposition towards foreign brands and consumer acculturation. Also, predisposition towards foreign brands does impact consumer acculturation among Indian consumers. Various demographic factors such as age, income and educational qualification level significantly affect this causal relationship.

This paper provides interesting insights about the buying behavior of Indian consumers. These insights would enable corporate managers to develop more focused strategies catering to the Indian consumers.

The paper empirically demonstrates that Indian consumers, when segregated into various demographic segments, do show significant differences in their predisposition towards foreign brands and consumer acculturation. It also ascertains that predisposition towards foreign brands does lead to consumer acculturation.

The intent of this article is to explore if there is a difference between American Jewish consumers and American non‐Jewish consumers in the use of word of mouth and brand loyalty in response to the purchase of durable goods (automobiles). Additionally, this article aims to explore if there is a difference in the use of word of mouth and brand loyalty among American Jews with differing levels of acculturation.

This article utilizes survey data obtained from over 400 respondents with analysis performed using regression and chi‐squared analysis.

This study shows no significant difference in brand loyalty and word of mouth between all American Jews and American non‐Jews, however, a significant difference between highly acculturated American Jews and low‐acculturated American Jews was found.

The article helps firms plan their marketing strategy in terms of how they will utilize word of mouth where American Jewish consumers comprise a significant part of the target market. Additionally, this research helps firms understand the context of brand loyalty in terms of looking at ethnic groups.

Little research on Jewish consumer acculturation has been published in the last 25 years. The spending power of the American Jewish consumer is significantly larger than that of the rest of the American population, which makes the study of this group particularly valuable.

The objectives of this study are: to gain a better understanding of the modes of acculturation of West African immigrants in Canada; to relate these modes of acculturation to consumers' perceived likelihood of successful complaint and complaining behavior; and to compare consumers' complaint attitudes and behavior in their home countries (i.e. original countries) and the host country (Canada).

An empirical study is conducted among a sample of 218 immigrants from several West African countries now living in Canada. ANOVA and paired samples t‐tests were used to test the research hypotheses.

The results show that the majority of the surveyed West African immigrants fall into one of two acculturation groups: integrated or separated. Although there are no significant differences between these two groups in terms of their perception that a consumer complaint is more likely to be successful in Canada than in their home countries, there are significant differences in their complaining behaviors in Canada and at home.

Marketers should be aware that not all immigrants are the same and that market segmentation based on the degree of immigrants' acculturation might lead to a sound marketing strategy.

Caution should be exercised in generalizing the research results to the entire population of West African immigrants in Canada.

Most previous studies of the consumption behavior of immigrants have examined their perceptions and behavior mainly in the context of the host country, while overlooking their perceptions and behavior in their home countries. The present study has addressed this gap in the literature by investigating the perceptions and behavior of West African immigrants to Canada in both contexts.

The purpose of this paper is to outline how the food acculturation of British expatriates in Toulouse (France) translates into their shopping behaviours. Having established this population’s specific food acculturation outcomes, mechanisms and motivations, it then studies their buying behaviours and shopping experiences.

This qualitative research is based on 70 semi-directive interviews of British expatriates in Toulouse. Specific emphasis was placed on facilitating respondents’ expression and analysing the wealth of their answers. The transcribed interviews were thus manually analysed.

This food acculturation process proves simpler than what seminal papers outlined, i.e. fewer acculturation outcomes, but also more complex: respondents show intertwined outcomes. The marketing channels and store formats respondents privilege in their food provisioning show discrepancies with French buyers’, and the retailers’ mix variables they particularly react to are identified, leading to managerial implications. Overall, both acculturated consumption and shopping practices display fluid behaviours.

This paper investigates a specific situation. Research on other populations or circumstances should confirm its results, especially migrants’ acceptance and satisfaction with local marketing channels and store formats.

Local retailers should address the shopping expectations of this affluent target through minor alterations to their operations without antagonising the locals.

This paper’s main contribution is to extend consumer acculturation literature in two dimensions. First, by studying wealthier migrants escaping “dominated acculturation”, the paper outlines respondents’ “embraced acculturation”. Then, by extending its scope beyond consumption, to shopping experience and store selection, it bridges the gap between consumer acculturation and retailing literatures.

The purpose of this paper is to examine local consumers’ acculturation process as they observe, encounter and shop with an influx of outsiders.

The multi-year qualitative study (involving in-depth interviews and netnography) investigates Hongkongers’ adaptation to encounters with Mainland Chinese shoppers in Hong Kong.

The authors focus on the world of luxury brand consumption, which plays a key role in signaling a newfound status for Mainlanders, and a change in identity construction for Hongkongers. Hongkongers’ acculturation process in response to large numbers of Mainland luxury shoppers includes emotional responses, behavioral adaptation and identity negotiation.

This research has theoretical implications for consumer acculturation theory.

This research has managerial implications for consumers’ luxury consumption experiences.

First, the authors extend the consumer acculturation literature by focusing on the adaptation of locals to visitors. Unlike other acculturation studies that focus on poorer immigrants from less industrial countries to a wealthy nation, the study focuses on local perspectives of elite Hong Kong consumers about Mainland Chinese visitors who are economically well-off but lack cultural capital. Second, emotions are found to be an important component of acculturation and their causes and consequences are analyzed.

This paper aims to develop an understanding of key variables for designing and marketing healthcare services for immigrant consumers – widely considered a vulnerable consumer group.

Data collected from 277 participants was analyzed using ANOVA models and mean score comparisons.

Differences based on immigrant status and acculturation level are identified. Differences between immigrant acculturation levels based on service quality dimensions are also revealed.

This research indicates that acculturation-based studies are insightful and finds that immigrants’ service responses do not mirror those of native respondents in healthcare services.

This research highlights key nuances within immigrant populations that hold significant implications for service providers. Culturally appropriate service design and marketing can enhance service utilization by the target population.

This study focuses on the healthcare service experiences of immigrant populations and application of this information to service design.

The purpose of this study is to explore the acculturation caused by the Korean wave among Indonesian Muslim consumers, especially in the food and cosmetic sectors, based on religious grounds.

Data were collected through focus group interviews with 20 Muslim respondents in Indonesia.

The findings specifically highlighted that Muslim consumers’ acceptance of Korean products varied. Muslim consumers’ acceptance was influenced by similarities and differences in values between Islamic and Korean cultures. Consumers categorised into each acculturation mode (assimilation, separation, integration and marginalisation) showed different behavioural patterns in Korean product acceptance. This study proposes that global products can be optimised through specific and targeted marketing campaigns for different types of Muslim consumers with products that comply with their religious values.

Few studies have explored the importance of religious values (e.g. righteousness, compassion and respect for others) with respect to the acceptance of foreign products in the acculturation context. Additionally, how values from other cultures reconcile with the Indonesian Muslims’ affinity for Korean culture has been limitedly studied. This study aims to fill these gaps by identifying the role of religious factors in the acceptance of global products by taking the example of Indonesian Muslim consumers and Korean products.