A BUYER BEHAVIOUR APPROACH TO MERCHANDISING AND PRODUCT POLICY Available to Purchase

The role of multiple grocery retailers is acknowledged as change agents in the UK cheese market. However, in the continental cheese sector there is evidence to suggest that the current marketing strategy adopted by retailers may lead to diminishing returns. In reviewing the literature on in‐store purchasing behaviour, it is argued that retailers now need to reconsider the importance of scripted behaviour in determining the purchasing decisions of continental cheese users. Using Belk′s revised SOR model (1975), significant differences in the behaviours of frequent and occasional purchasers in‐store have come to light. Frequent purchasers were found to be more reliant upon store cues in formulating purchasing decisions than occasional purchasers but did not utilise differing product cues at point of purchase. The managerial implications of these findings have been explored and adaptations in product, merchandising and staffing arrangements in‐store suggested.