The Effect of Economic Crisis on Consumer Preferences of Foreign and Domestic Goods: A Cross-Cultural, Longitudinal Study of US, Italy and Lithuania

This research examines the shifts in consumers’ propensity to purchase domestic versus foreign goods before and during an economic crisis. Five potential consumer ethnocentricity models are proposed. The results across three economies suggest that consumers react depending on their environmental context. While there is a general trend toward stronger support of domestic goods during a recession and also potential backlash against foreign products.