O Silvera

The 5 Stages of Buying 

The way we consume can be looked at in 5 stages, five steps we automatically go through consciously or subconsciously before making a purchase. 

1- Need recognition and problem awareness (CUPBOARDS EMPTY)

My need recognition is usually hunger or cupboards that I am embarrassed to open in front of others, this time around it was a health scare. Now my consumerism in this area has more of a purpose and awareness of a problem that needs to be fixed.

2 - Information search (BROWSING)

For a majority of the food I buy I do little research, unless it were for herbal or medicinal purposes. In this project, I have been researching herbal remedies, Chinese medicine, and alkaline foods, the more I consider the health aspect the more research I do. 

3- Evaluation of alternatives (COMPARISON) 

I tend to compare brands with supermarket own brands, shamelessly I do not mind knock off brands if they taste just as sweet, or flavourful. I rarely search for the healthier alternatives for example sugar free, no saturated fat this simply wasn’t part of my thinking process. Now however, I am looking for the natural alternative which can at times be more expensive and so less inclined to my shopping orientation. But- I am changing this aspect of my consumerism, and trying to live by the saying health is wealth - it costs alot! 

4- Purchase (SPENDING!)

The most noticeable changes to my shopping habits are that I am now forced to take my time, carefully selecting meals that fit my ‘changed diet’. In addition to this, I am spending slightly less on supermarket products but more on fresh fruit and vegetables from the market stalls and alike. 

5 -Post purchase evaluation (POST PURCHASE CLARITY) 

Your shopping experience is shaped by many factors including mood, time limit and your overall shopping orientation. Not only, am I always rushing, I am orientated to buy in bulk, and look for bargains. The most notable factor in my shopping habits is that my post purchase evaluation is almost always determined by PRICE. I shop almost exclusively by what is cheapest, my shopping experience is enhanced by finding a bargain- the bigger the better.Consequently this has meant shying away from buying healthy foods, that often come at a higher price. 

I am embarking on a personal change project, and I would love for you guys to follow me on my journey, to meet a tribe of like-minded people and to have somewhere to document my progress. 

The change I am trying to implement is health related, during Covid 19 Lockdown of 2020 I began to think about my eating habits- my addiction to sugar, obsession with meat and lack of fruit, vegetables and water. As well as becoming more health conscious, people began consuming more than ever stock-piling and panic buying. The shelves were empty of our favourite foods, and emergency staples. 

I decided I did not want to be reliant on supermarkets for food, water, and vegetables basic supplies that grow naturally, and as we can see very quickly run out when there is a state of panic. I began looking into the idea of becoming self-sufficient, growing my own food and therefore eating more healthily and avoiding being reliant on mass chains and supermarkets. My research led me to discover that many of the fruit and vegetables we eat today are hybrid or have been genetically modified, for a more aesthetically pleasing look or to fulfil a growing need for mass produced food. 

This personal change project will hopefully become a way of life for me. My primary objectives are to lower my consumption of manufactured, artificial, mass produced food products for example packet sauces, cereals, or ready meals. To also lower my intake of sugar, dairy and meat. I shall make an effort to eat foods that came from the earth or the ground, not from a factory or store. 

I shall monitor my progress by keeping a food diary, posting any new recipes or food knowledge I find, and growing my own fruit and vegetables at home.

Follow me daily, as I try new recipes, make homemade sauces, soups etc, and reduce my consumption of manufactured food products.