Impact of Demarketing Strategies on Consumer Behavior Toward Unhealthy Products: A Study of the Beverage Industry

This chapter investigates how demarketing strategies affect consumer behaviors toward unhealthy beverage products. A survey was made using the explanatory method to collect data from a simple random sample of Gazans residing in Palestine. Multiple regression analysis was applied to data obtained from 293 persons to test hypotheses. The findings demonstrated that demarketing strategies (product, price, place, and promotion) might be useful tools to deter consumers from consuming unhealthy beverages. Although demarketing strategies’ impacts on consumer behavior have been studied in the past in various contexts, the beverage sector and its implications on unhealthy products have received little attention. Demarketing efforts may also be a useful strategy for encouraging better lifestyles and minimizing the harmful effects of unhealthy products on the general public health.