The Role of Consumer Ethnocentrism in Shaping Brand Switching Behavior: A Study of Pakistan’s FMCG Sector

Abstract

Consumer ethnocentrism has been widely examined in relation to purchase intention, brand attitude, and customer loyalty. However, an important question remains relatively underexplored: Does consumer ethnocentrism actually encourage consumers to switch from foreign brands to domestic alternatives? This question is particularly relevant in Pakistan’s FMCG sector, where local and multinational brands compete intensively for consumer preference and market share. The study also develops a set of testable propositions and proposes a comprehensive methodology, including measurement approaches, sampling procedures, and analytical techniques, to facilitate future empirical investigation. Drawing on existing evidence from Pakistan and comparable regional markets, the paper proposes that higher levels of consumer ethnocentrism may lead consumers to evaluate foreign brands less favourably and increase their propensity to switch toward domestic alternatives. The framework further proposes that brand attitude may mediate this relationship, while country-of-origin image and switching costs may function as boundary conditions that strengthen or weaken the effect. These relationships are presented as theoretical propositions and have not been empirically validated within this study. The key contribution of this paper lies in shifting the research focus from commonly examined outcomes such as purchase intention and brand loyalty toward brand switching behaviour. By integrating the SOR framework with TPB and complementary theoretical perspectives, the study provides a more comprehensive explanation of how ethnocentric attitudes may translate into behavioural responses in Pakistan’s culturally embedded and nationally conscious consumer market.