Citation

Raj S, Sampat B, Kajla T, Singh H. Int. Soc. Sci. J. 2022; 72(245): 525-541.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, UNESCO, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/issj.12339

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The obsession with fair skin in India has prompted the Ministry of Health and Welfare to propose an amendment in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act of 1954. This amendment proposes to impose a ban on advertisements promoting skin-fairness products. However, with the proposed amendment, companies have adopted innovative strategies to rebrand their products and shift the spotlight from fair skin to glowing skin. Yet, the underlying message remains the same. The burgeoning growth of skin-whitening creams in India calls for urgent attention to study the Indian consumers' motivations to purchase these products. The research study utilises self-determination theory (SDT) to develop a grounded framework. The study results highlighted that intrinsic motivation and the two types of extrinsic motivation, namely, introjected regulation and external regulation, were positively associated with consumer buying behaviour. Surprisingly, attitude has no association with consumer buying behaviour. The results of the first moderator gender suggested that females are under social pressure to look fair for better jobs and marital prospects. The second moderator country of origin revealed that Indian consumers prefer foreign brands compared to Indian brands.

Language: en