Globalization and its impact on the Slovak consumer

Technical University in Zvolen, Faculty of Wood Sciences and Technology, Department of Marketing, Trade and World Forestry, T. G. Masaryka 24, 960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia

^* Corresponding author: olsiakova@tuzvo.sk

Abstract

Research background: Globalization and the processes associated with it are reflected in the constant changes taking place in the market and affect its individual participants, among whom we also include consumers. Globalization allows consumers to choose, but on the other hand, the quality of products intended for the Slovak market is debatable (dual quality of food). Therefore, many consumers distrust imported products and believe that foreign producers use unethical practices in the Slovak market.

Purpose of the article: The paper presents the results of a survey of unethical practices towards Slovak consumers in their selected forms, as well as the results of the current state of awareness of Slovak consumers in the field of protection of their consumer rights.

Methods: The data were obtained by a questionnaire and consequently evaluated by the chosen statistical methods. Some questions were formulated to test hypothesis of dependence among selected variables.

Findings & Value added: The results point to the low state of Slovak consumer’s ability to detect unethical practices in its specific forms, as well as to the low state of his knowledge in the field of consumer rights protection. However, the finding that with higher consumer education the ability of a consumer to detect misleading practices increases confirmed the importance of incorporating selected areas of consumer policy into education at lower levels. It allows supporting the sovereignty of the Slovak consumer to protect his rights.